Yeah, it's kind of like those places that make you place a quarter in the shopping cart to use it, but it's more annoying since you aren't typically drinking at the store where you can return it. I get that it's to encourage recycling, but what's wrong with me throwing them in the recycling bin for regular street collection? In that case it's still being recycled but I'm losing out on the fee for every single bottle/can which adds up.
Recyling can have multiple meanings. e.g in germany most bottles are meant to be used multiple times. e.g plastic bottles are refilled up to 20 times. throwing stuff in the recycling bin is only for things that are meant to be melted down and recast.