Forget the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

We bet that, if you look in the garage, you might find a gold mine in unreturned bottles and cans.

Beginning June 15, state residents can start returning their recyclable containers to retailers again — a move they have not been able to do since March 23 by order of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, part of her restrictions meant to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

And, make no mistake, that is big news!

According to the Detroit News on Tuesday, there is an estimated $67 million in unreturned refunds sitting in garages and pantries around the state.

The governor stopped the bottle returns the end of March to both help reduce the chance for transmitting the coronavirus and free up retail employees from container collection and redemption to other store duties more directly related to health and safety in the store.

With her order this week to soon reopen the rest of Michigan for most things, it now allows for bottle redemption.

Under the initial phase, consumers are limited to $25 in a deposit refund at one time.

We’re looking forward to those first 250 containers soon leaving our residence.

Who knows, maybe there now will be room for the car.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)