Luz Duran, who owns Ed Recycling Center in Oak View, has seen only a few wine bottles come into her buyback center since those bottles became redeemable for 10 cents each on January 1. More surprisingly, “in the first half of the month,” she told a translator when I spoke with her on Tuesday (1/16/24), “no one has brought in any pouches, boxes, or cartons,” even though those containers of wine and distilled spirits can now be redeemed for 25 cents.
New also to the three-decade old California Redemption Value program this month, but rare at recycling centers, are large fruit and vegetable juice containers. Only small containers of these juices were previously included in the program. Now, any fruit juice in a bottle, can or bimetal container is also charged the recycling fee upon purchase and is worth the redemption value upon sale at a buyback center.
Part of the problem may be labeling. Although the charge to fund recycling is made during purchase of any covered beverage and available at redemption of empty containers starting this year, newly added containers will not be required to carry the “CRV” label signifying buyback value until July 2025. “Customers think we won’t pay for containers unless the containers have ‘CRV’ written on them, but the rules are different now for wine, liquor, and some fruit (and vegetable) juices,” said Gilbert Cervantes, Duran’s son and the manager of her recycling center.
Curbside recycling is an easier option than dragging used containers to a buyback center, and funds generated by contracted recycling haulers are considered during rate negotiations, so residents can derive an indirect benefit by recycling without going to a recycling center. However, the 5- to 25-cent fee consumers pay for beverage containers is meant to be reimbursable with little recycling effort. For many people, convenient buy-back recycling is seen as a matter of basic fairness. For others, money is a necessary incentive to motivate recycling.
Often, these recyclers motivated by fairness or necessity seem to be a vocal bunch, and I get calls about once per month from people angry about their recycling experience. Generally, I refer callers to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, CalRecycle, which administers the buyback program, but the most common complaints I now answer myself, because it takes less time than dictating an email address. Buyback centers pay at least 5 cents for CRV containers under 24 ounces and 10 cents for bottles and cans 24 ounces or larger. Buyback centers must post and adhere to posted hours. Buyback centers must follow “the rule of 50,” paying by count rather than by weight for up to 50 containers of each material type per transaction if customers request a count-based rather than a weight-based payment. In addition to redemption value, recycling centers may offer scrap value, but that is not a requirement. The best way to file a complaint is by email, at complaints@calrecycle.ca.gov
CalRecycle is using new mandates, grants, and other incentives to expand and sustain the network of recycling buyback centers. Recycling centers require a steady stream of beverage containers to remain viable, and the newly included containers give everyone inclined to sell recyclables new opportunities to earn not only scrap value at some buyback centers, but also California Redemption Value at all buyback centers.
David Goldstein
David Goldstein, an Environmental Resource Analyst with the Ventura County Public Works Agency, may be reached at david.goldstein@ventura.org or (805) 658-4312
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