Michigan Compiled Laws
Initiated Law 1 of 1976 - Beverage Containers (445.571 - 445.576)
Section 445.574a - Prohibited Return to Dealer, Distributor, or Manufacturer; Violation; Penalty; Exceptions; Restitution; Action Brought by Attorney General or County Prosecutor.

Sec. 4a.
(1) A person shall not return or attempt to return to a dealer for a refund 1 or more of the following:
(a) A beverage container that the person knows or should know was not purchased in this state as a filled returnable container.
(b) A beverage container that the person knows or should know did not have a deposit paid for it at the time of purchase.
(2) A person who violates subsection (1) is subject to 1 of the following:
(a) If the person returns 25 or more but not more than 100 nonreturnable containers, the person may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than $100.00.
(b) If the person returns more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers, or violates subdivision (a) for a second or subsequent time, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.
(c) If the person returns more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers for a second or subsequent time, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.
(d) If the person returns 10,000 or more nonreturnable containers, the person is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.
(3) A dealer shall not knowingly accept from and pay a deposit to a person for a nonreturnable container or knowingly deliver a nonreturnable container to a distributor for a refund. A dealer that violates this subsection is subject to 1 of the following:
(a) If the dealer knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on 25 or more but not more than 100 nonreturnable containers to a person, or knowingly delivers 25 or more but not more than 100 nonreturnable containers to a distributor for a refund, the dealer may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than $100.00.
(b) If the dealer knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a person, or knowingly delivers more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a distributor for a refund, the dealer is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.
(c) If the dealer knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a person, or knowingly delivers more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a distributor for a refund, for a second or subsequent time, the dealer is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.
(d) If the dealer knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on 10,000 or more nonreturnable containers to a person, or knowingly delivers 10,000 or more nonreturnable containers to a distributor for a refund, the dealer is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.
(4) A distributor shall not knowingly accept from and pay a deposit to a dealer for a nonreturnable container or knowingly deliver a nonreturnable container to a manufacturer for a refund. A distributor that violates this subsection is subject to 1 of the following:
(a) If the distributor knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on 25 or more but not more than 100 nonreturnable containers to a dealer, or knowingly delivers 25 or more but not more than 100 nonreturnable containers to a manufacturer for a refund, the distributor may be ordered to pay a civil fine of not more than $100.00.
(b) If the distributor knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a dealer, or knowingly delivers more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a manufacturer for a refund, the distributor is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 93 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.
(c) If the distributor knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a dealer, or knowingly delivers more than 100 but fewer than 10,000 nonreturnable containers to a manufacturer for a refund, for a second or subsequent time, the distributor is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $2,000.00, or both.
(d) If the distributor knowingly accepts from and pays a deposit on 10,000 or more nonreturnable containers to a dealer, or knowingly delivers 10,000 or more nonreturnable containers to a manufacturer for a refund, the distributor is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 5 years or a fine of not more than $5,000.00, or both.
(5) A dealer or distributor does not violate subsection (3) or (4) if all of the following conditions are met:
(a) An employee of the dealer or distributor commits an act that violates subsection (3) or (4).
(b) At the time the employee commits the act that violates subsection (3) or (4), the dealer or distributor had in force a written policy prohibiting its employees from knowingly redeeming nonreturnable containers.
(c) The dealer or distributor did not or should not have known of the employee's act in violation of subsection (3) or (4).
(6) In addition to the penalty described in this section, the court shall order a person found guilty of a misdemeanor or felony under this section to pay restitution equal to the amount of loss caused by the violation.
(7) The attorney general or a county prosecutor may bring an action to recover a civil fine under this section. A civil fine imposed under this section is payable to this state and shall be credited to the general fund.
History: Add. 1998, Act 473, Eff. Apr. 1, 1999 ;-- Am. 2008, Act 384, Eff. Mar. 31, 2009 Popular Name: Bottle Bill