Droppett can redemption trailer open for business

The placed installed Droppett Can and Bottle Redemption trailer is taking the hassle out of hand-feeding deposit-paid recyclables for consumers by way of a “bag it and tag it system.”

Located at the Clarke County Animal Shelter, 125 E. Ayers St., the Droppett trailer is an innovative way to keep recycling clean and convenient for customers and the environment alike.

How it works

Founded in 2018, Droppett is working to change the way of the current redemption process in Iowa.

First, one signs up for an account via Droppett’s website, www.droppett.com. After registration, a letter will be sent out explaining how to use the trailer, along with a membership card and a set of initial bag tags.

Any plastic or aluminum beverage containers that were purchased and charged a five-cent deposit can be placed in teh trailer. Droppett recommends using 13-gallon or larger trash bags that can be tied; plastic bags from retail stores are not recommended as the tags do not affix well. Glass containers need to be placed in a securely taped box. There is a weight limit on bags and boxes of 20 pounds each.

Droppett does not accept any non-beverage recyclable containers - milk jugs, plastic food containers and so forth. They do not accept crushed cans or bottles, and request empty bottles for easier processing. Plastic caps are preferred to be left on bottles.

Once your recyclables are ready to go, affix one bag tag per bag or box and head to the redemption trailer. There, use the scanner below a drop door on the front of the trailer to scan your tag. The door will unlatch, and you can place your bag or box inside.

Each tag needs to be scanned separately as that is how Droppett tracks and identifies what belongs to whom. If the trailer is full, Droppett requests that bags are not placed outside of the trailer, but to come back at a later time when it is emptied; the trailers are emptied once a week.

After you have scanned and placed your bags or boxes inside, close the door and you’re done. There are cameras that help track bags in the case of any tags that fall off of once they are placed inside the trailer.

It takes about 48-72 hours from the time the bags are picked up from the trailer to be processed and for funds to show online in your account, with a maximum processing period of 10 days. Funds can be transferred to a personal account once the balance has reached $15. Alternatively, you can donate any amount of funds to a charity or organization that has set up an account with Droppett.

More tags can be requested via one’s online account, or some charities will have tags available for customers who wish to just donate their deposit and not have an account of their own. The Animal Shelter is one such place that has tags available. They will also tag any bags that are dropped off in their donation area.

Fundraising partners that are using Droppett can be found on Droppett’s website. Currently, the Animal Shelter and Cub Scouts Pack 101 are listed as fundraising partners.

Arrival in Osceola

The idea for a Droppett trailer in Osceola first came before the Osceola City Council in April of last year. After being explained the process by Osceola City Administrator Ty Wheeler, the mayor and council expressed interest in the idea. The benefit of possibly reducing the need for can trailers set up around town in favor for clubs and organizations setting up accounts online was seen as a big bonus, as well as a singular location.

“I like it cause you’re PRing your community…it cleans it up…can still go to local [things],” said Osceola mayor Thomas Kedley at the time.

“This is a great idea…Great opportunity for the community,” Councilman Jose Vargas had said.

At the time, council approved sending the company to planning and zoning to figure out the proper zoning for land use permits. The council in June approved an amendment to the zoning ordinance to permit modular can and bottle redemption for condition use in certain zoned districts.

Questions?

More information about Droppett can be found online, such as how to receive more tags, access your funds, setting up a fundraising account and other frequently asked questions.

Droppett’s office is located at 1600 E. Euclid Ave. in Des Moines, with office hours of 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. Their phone number is 515-265-4275, ext. 5.