Alberta’s deposit system covers almost every drink container you can buy. If you are not sure whether something counts, the short answer is usually yes.
May 6, 2026 · 3 min read
If it is a sealed, ready-to-drink beverage container, it almost certainly carries an Alberta deposit. The deposit applies regardless of the material — aluminum, glass, plastic, or carton all count.
The deposit was added to the price when you bought the drink. Returning the empty container is just collecting your own money back.
These all carry a deposit and are accepted for a refund:
A few things look returnable but are not. Food jars — pasta sauce, jam, pickles — never carried a deposit. Cooking oil, vinegar, and most non-beverage containers are out too.
The test is simple: if no deposit was added when you bought it, there is nothing to refund.
Alberta sets the rate by container size, not drink type. Containers one litre and under are worth 10 cents each. Containers larger than one litre are worth 25 cents. Milk containers follow the same size split.
Worried about getting the categories right? With DepotDash you do not sort at all. Cans, bottles, jugs, and cartons all go in the same bag.
Our crew sorts and counts everything at the warehouse, and the correct rate is applied to every container before your refund is sent.
A step-by-step guide to running a bottle drive fundraiser in Edmonton — for schools, teams, churches, and community groups. No depot parking lot required.
Where to return bottles and cans in Edmonton — an honest comparison of bottle depots versus door-to-door pickup, and which one is worth your time.
Alberta bottle and can deposit rates explained — 10¢ and 25¢ per container, what a typical bag is worth, and how to get every cent back.
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