Let’s pour one out for our friends at Ale-8-One. On Sunday, Dec. 31, a century-long tradition will be coming to an end — the beloved refillable longneck bottles.
The Winchester-based soda brand was one of the last few refillable bottlers left in the US, keeping the iconic green bottles in circulation for ~30 years longer than most others.
However, the equipment used to wash and refill the bottles is no longer serviced in the US, ending the bottle deposit + payout program. So, what should you do with those emerald beauties?
- Glass is recyclable, drop it in your blue cart
- Reuse it as a vase, decoration or drinking glass for a little piece of nostalgia
In the meantime, Ale-8-One announced the “Commonwealth Collective” recycling program with Miguel’s Pizza at the Red River Gorge, which will return the bottles back to the glass supplier Owens-Illinois.