Question about collecting cans/bottles in CRV (deposit) state

HI! I am a new member and haven't found a thread that actually addresses this. I live on the border of a state that pays deposit on cans and bottles; I spent some time last summer up there to see if I could find some cans and bottles lying around that could be returned for deposit. When I was a kid, all the bottles had deposit on them and we used to go out and look for them and turn them in (but obviously, we hadn't bought them!). Now, as an adult, I'm sort of leery as I know there are people who turn in out of state containers and technically, I am "out of state". However, I'm not super knowledgeable about scrapping, though I have broken down some televisions and stuff I've found and stripped more wires than I care to think of. Plus, I've found a lot of interesting things on my forays that have helped eliminate the need to purchase things I lost due to divorce. It just seems it would be smarter to look for cans and bottles where there would be a much better return on the investment of time and effort.

I've already established that there are places I can find cans and bottles; it seems the return would be greater than looking around here on slow days. I guess these are my questions:

Is there anything that discourages people from turning in bottles/cans (collected) in a CRV state although they did not actually purchase the container? (I am planning to go more than a few miles in to keep from collecting questionable containers).

Is there anything else I should think of or do before attempting to pursue this further? I know there are people here who will give me their cans or other scrap if they see me out collecting and therefore, I am guessing if I put "the word" out, people who definitely have purchased the containers would donate them as well.

I know that turning in containers not from the deposit state is fraud. I'm just so tired from the efforts to make it through every month that I don't really have time to learn more that might help me invest my time. It's bad enough when five police cars roll up within 30 seconds when I've been taking two cans out of the trash at a closed business ... and I've complied with "getting permission" from premises, listening to the lectures about leaving the recycling containers alone. Rather than make myself a nervous wreck about unknown laws/customs, I'm hoping that some of you can give me some suggestions or information about this idea. I appreciate any thoughts ...

Thank you for your reply! I think that places have rules about how many can be redeemed at a time, etc. but winter the pickings are slimmer and I figure (prices being what they are) one penny a can versus ten cents a can. I'm not an experienced scrapper, so there are likely opportunities I miss that would help me increase income. I just saw someone else's post about selling the colored tabs and I took all those off the other day as I was prepping cans to take in ... and now just popping them off as I get them.

My nerves are on edge, being post (guerilla warfare) divorce and sequelae from that! As well as oh so slowly working my butt off for just a little bit of progress in "getting through the month". At least it is progress, though. I've seen the posts about the "casual" and late-comers to scrapping and how the price drop affects (their presence). NO WAY would I continue working the way I have ... but gotta say, I was stripping wire the other night and I have improved A LOT. Goes quicker, faster and less jabs from the copper. I remembered the price of cans seemed to drop but went back up in winter (I started this about three years ago) and this is the first winter they didn't go back up at all. Sort of sucks (as I've gotten more efficient finding cans, running a "route" etc) to work twice as hard for the same or less ... and of course that eats into research time to learn about other scrapping opportunities.

I also thought about making lamp kits out of the stuff I've found and adding good wire, etc ... package and try to sell them, too. I was glad to find the craft area and plan to check that part of the forum. Also the "more than scrap value" as I have been keeping the "good stuff" I find. I'm amazed at some of the perfectly good things thrown away (grateful, too). Time seems to be the one thing I don't have. I posted this a couple days ago and worked nearly 24 hours on the weekend, short rest and go, go, go as the weekend best time to collect. I used to sell books on-line and know that for almost anything, I'm going to NEED time to get stuff done. Since weather has been fairly mild, I'm hoping to get up there and go for it.

CRV - Stands for California Redemption Value, another abbreviation used in the industry is CDL (Container Deposit Legislation) or "Bottle Bills". Oregon passed the first container recycling laws and Michigan pays back the most at $0.10 per container. Here in Calif. we are also taxed at the time of purchase on all CRV deposits collected by retailers, so if you don't recycle it's a double tax for sure!