Unclaimed can deposits total millions

A customer, right, purchases a bottle of Pepsi's "Aquafina" bottled water from a roadside vendor in New Delhi, India, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2003. Indian branches of multinational companies like Pepsi and Coca-Cola have been issued warnings as part of a major crackdown against companies ignoring government's hygiene norms, after high levels of pesticide were found in samples of popular brands of bottled water. (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan)
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Massachusetts government gains the goods

Updated: Monday, 24 Nov 2008, 9:40 PM EST
Published : Monday, 24 Nov 2008, 9:24 PM EST

Shiri Spear

Mass. (WWLP) - Millions of unclaimed bottle and can deposits leave millions of dollars to beer and soda distributors in Connecticut. Now, Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell is asking that the money to go to state government. It could help close the $300 million budget deficit.

In Massachusetts the money does go to the government.

Massachusetts DEP Press Secretary Ed Coletta told 22News that the unclaimed bottle deposits go to the state's General Fund. In Fiscal year 2008 that fund totaled $38.7 million.

A portion of the General Fund at one time contributed to Massachusetts recycling efforts. Under Governor Romney it was redirected. In the last two decades, unclaimed bottle deposits have totaled a half billion dollars.