Most grocery stores have closed their beverage container return services after the Oregon Liquor Control Commission notified them Sunday that the agency would not penalize stores for doing so until March 30.

Grocery stores asked the state for clemency, saying that staffs were stretched thin trying to re-stock rapidly emptying shelves, upping sanitation measures and managing social distancing. Stores are also dealing with employees who must call off work because they are sick or need to care for children whose schools are closed.

The drop doors where people can leave blue and green bags full of bottles and cans were to remain open, according to the liquor control commission’s Sunday release. However, some of them have been temporarily closed since Sunday.

Bottle Drop spokesman Joel Schoening said that those drop doors are supposed to remain open from now.

The five Bottle Drop branded locations in the Portland area will remain open for the time being:

9307 S.W. Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway in Beaverton

6100 S.E. King Road in Milwaukie

1176 N. Hayden Meadows Drive in Portland

12403 N.E. Glisan Street in Portland

14411 S.W. Pacific Highway in Tigard

The 25 Bottle Drop redemption centers statewide will also remain open.

The locations are still staffed, and Bottle Drop is shifting employee resources to make sure they can remain open and manage social distancing.

“With stores closing their return areas, we do expect to be busy," Shoening said, “so we are working extra hard to clean and sanitize and provide a safe option for bottle returns.”

-- Molly Harbarger

mharbarger@oregonian.com | 503-294-5923 | @MollyHarbarger

Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories.