(WXYZ) — The stay-at-home order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday also means that bottle return service in Michigan will come to a halt.
Beginning Tuesday, the Michigan Beer and Wine Wholesalers Association, Midwest Independent Retailers Association and the Michigan Retailers Association said they are advising retailers to stop accepting empty containers of beer, wine and soda. Also, that distributors no longer accept empties.
Related: Read the full stay-at-home executive order signed by Gov. Whitmer
Michigan joins several other states, including Conectibut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Oregon and Vermont, which have stopped accepting empties.
The COVID-19 can live on several days, and the groups say putting employees at risk every time they accept containers isn't the right thing to do.
“The health, safety and well-being of our employees and their families is our top priority," a join statement from leaders of all three associations said in a release.
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