Marking the 51st anniversary of the Bottle Bill, Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative put on a five-day treasure hunt for six green glass bottles scattered across the state. Each person who found a bottle was able to choose a nonprofit partner to receive a $1,000 donation through the BottleDrop Containers for Change program. 

The cooperative divided the state into six zones. From July 6-10, it released one clue a day on its website for each zone. Shane Chatham of Bend found the Zone 4 bottle in Bend’s Hollinshead Park inside an old wagon wheel. He elected to donate the $1,000 to the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council. 

“We were very excited to see so many people, across the entire state, enjoying the special places the Bottle Bill helps protect while they hunted for bottles,” said Eric Chambers, external relations director for the cooperative of beverage distributors and grocery retailers.

The Bottle Bill was passed in 1971. It was the foundation for the system that requires shoppers to pay a deposit on certain bottles and cans and redeem the containers for cash when returned. While the bill sought to address littered forests, rivers and other natural areas, it also provides incentive to keep recyclable materials out of landfills.