How about a basketball analogy? Down big in the first half, Beaumont Market makes a second-half comeback via team play (i.e., in partnership with BWNA and the neighborhood). Indeed, it’s been an uphill battle from the start. The small market is required by law to accept can and bottle returns — based solely on the store’s square footage and distance from the nearest BottleDrop redemption center. It is inundated day and night by scores of non-patrons arriving by car, bus, bike, and foot to receive immediate cash for their returns. The market is beset by people sleeping on the property, leaving trash, and openly buying and using drugs.
With associated problems affecting surrounding residences and businesses, BWNA organized to do what it could to help, beginning with documenting what was happening, interviewing Beaumont Market management and staff, and garnering testimony from the store’s owners. BWNA board members then crafted a letter for distribution to officials and organizations explaining the situation in detail and suggesting mitigation measures, one of which was to implement the Green Bag program. This program requires anyone returning cans and bottles to create an account with BottleDrop and purchase bags with an identification tag specific to their account. Once the bags are filled, they can be placed in a designated drop box that will be located at Beaumont Market property. Money is not paid out immediately but is credited to a person’s account within 7 days.
The initial response from the nonprofit charged with implementing the Green Bag program — the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative (OBRC) — was that because of high demand, Beaumont Market would have to wait in line for possibly a year or more to implement the program.
The BWNA letter, however, turned out to be a game-changer. Representatives from the OBRC Retail Relations team promptly visited Beaumont Market and promised to expedite implementation of the Green Bag program, recognizing the urgency of the situation for the store, residents, Beaumont Middle School, and local businesses.
Clearly, the bottle bill rules need to be revised so that small grocers are not unduly impacted, and BWNA will continue to push for changes.
A native of San Francisco and longtime BWNA board member and former editor of this newsletter, Al Ellis taught Russian and social studies in Portland schools for over 30 years. He also served as president of the Portland Khabarovsk Sister City Association. He and his wife Peggy have been B-W residents since 1990.