California is making it easier to recycle cans for cash in 30 counties. Is yours on the list?
Californians will soon have more ways to trade in beer bottles, soda cans and and other beverage containers for cash.
More than 250 new recycling sites are coming to 30 counties across the state, according to a Tuesday news release from the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery, over
CalRecycle has awarded nearly $70 million in Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grants to fund 37 projects across California to introduce advanced recycling methods.
That includes the new recycling sites, which are expected at the start of next year.
“Innovative ways to recycle will help more Californians cash in their beverage containers and provide recycled materials for in-state remanufacturers,” CalRecycle Director Zoe Heller said in the release. “These new sites will make redemption as simple as feeding containers into a machine or dropping off a bag of empty containers.”
Here’s what to expect:
When will new bottle recycling sites open in California?
Supermarket chains Save Mart and Smart & Final received more than $2 million each to install reverse vending machines in 19 counties, starting Jan. 1.
In addition, “modernized recycling sites” are coming to a number of “underserved counties,” including Butte, Imperial, Lassen, Mendocino and Merced counties, the release said.
Large beverage retailers in areas without a recycling center will need to either establish an in-store system for redeeming beverage container deposits or join a nonprofit cooperative with other retailers to provide customers with redemption options, CalRecycle said.
Dealer cooperatives — nonprofit organizations that redeem beverage containers in areas not served by recycling centers — will receive state funding for every container recycled and can offer services such as reverse vending machines, mobile recycling or bag-drop recycling, the release said.
What are reverse vending machines? How do they work?
A total of 28 California counties will get reverse vending machines, according to CalRecycle.
Residents can insert their recyclables into the machine and receive a monetary refund, such as a store coupon or PayPal funds.
How else can I recycle beverage containers for cash?
According to CalRecycle’s website, the mobile recycling program will require a mobile truck to park in different areas on different days, giving immediate cash payments to those who drop off qualifying items.
Residents can take their recyclables to bag-drop sites, weigh them and receive an immediate cash payment.
What can I redeem for cash? How much money can I get?
You can redeem beverage containers ranging from soda cans and Gatorade bottles to beer bottles, wine bottles, juice containers and liquor bottles for cash in California.
Consumers in California pay a California Redemption Value fee when purchasing glass, plastic or aluminum beverage containers, according to CalRecycle.
This deposit can be refunded when they recycle the containers.
Containers under 24 ounces have a CRV value of 5 cents, and larger containers are worth 10 cents each.
Pouches, boxes and cartons holding wine and liquor can be redeemed for a deposit of 25 cents.
Where are new recycling sites? What’s coming to my county?
In California, a total of 30 counties will get more than 250 new recycling sites.
Here’s what’s expected in each county:
- Alameda County — Mobile recycling, bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Butte County — Reverse vending machines
- Contra Costa County — Reverse vending machines
- Fresno County — Bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Imperial County — Bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Lassen County — Bag-drop sites
- Los Angeles County — Mobile recycling, bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Marin County — Reverse vending machines
- Mendocino County — Mobile recycling
- Merced County — Reverse vending machines
- Monterey County — Reverse vending machines
- Nevada County — Reverse vending machines
- Orange County — Reverse vending machines
- Placer County — Bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Riverside County — Bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- San Bernardino County — Reverse vending machines and mobile recycling
- San Diego County — Reverse vending machines and mobile recycling
- San Joaquin County — Reverse vending machines
- San Mateo County — Mobile recycling, bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Santa Clara County — Reverse vending machines
- Santa Cruz County — Reverse vending machines
- Sacramento County — Mobile recycling, bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Santa Barbara County — Mobile recycling, bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- San Francisco County — Reverse vending machines
- San Luis Obispo County — Mobile recycling, bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Solano County — Reverse vending machines
- Sonoma County — Bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Stanislaus County — Reverse vending machines
- Ventura County — Mobile recycling, bag-drop sites and reverse vending machines
- Yolo County — Mobile recycling and reverse vending machines
This story was originally published August 27, 2024 at 2:09 PM with the headline "California is making it easier to recycle cans for cash in 30 counties. Is yours on the list?."
