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Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2014 4:13 am
by Recyclersteve
I will likely be driving to California from another state soon and was thinking about taking items along to recycle. Questions for anyone from California or who can provide me with the answers I need:

1. Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to recycle cans in California?
2. What about plastic water bottles and the like?
3. Can the items be crushed before I turn them in so they don't take up as much space in my car?
4. Does it matter how items are crushed (i.e., vertically as opposed to horizontally)?
5. How much is paid for cans and plastic water bottles?

Any guidance that can be provided would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 5:30 pm
by hobo finds
Not sure they would take them with your Arizona license plate on truck. But I had same question when on vacation in Cali bought a lot of stuff that had deposit and did not know where to get deposit back. Left it for the housekeepers at the hotel.

If you want to get paid per can / bottle the max per person per day is...
50 cans @ $.05 each
50 cans 24 oz or larger @ $.10 each
50 #1 plastic bottles @ $.05 each
50 #1 plastic bottles 24 oz or larger @ $.10 each
50 glass CRV bottles @ $.05 each
50 glass CRV bottles 24 oz or larger @ $.10 each
50 #2 CRV palstic @ $.05 each
50 #2 CRV plastic @ $.10 each

They have reverse vending machines and I would think anyone could use these so if you purchased CRV products in California even an out of state person could return them?

The better deal is to get CRV and the aluminum value at some places pay by weight.

The new per-person, per-day limits are 100 pounds of aluminum or plastic California Redemption Value (CRV)-eligible containers and 1,000 pounds of CRV glass. Previously, the limits were 500 pounds of aluminum or plastic and 2,500 pounds of glass

Hopefully someone from Cali will post and give more info....

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 8:54 am
by MetalMan
I can't speak of legalities, but the California Redemption Value for cans is obviously only for cans purchased in California, since the money allocated to pay the incredible payouts for the cans is stored in a fund that only contains the amount that was paid by Californians. The extra money being paid is causing a ruckus by officials, and they are calling for new legal penalties (I'm not sure the status on that part), and probably a semi-destruction of the program. It's all about the honor system.

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 2:54 pm
by mtldealer

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 3:21 pm
by MetalMan
Thx. That about sums it up, at least for big players.

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Wed Jun 11, 2014 10:54 pm
by Recyclersteve
If you are there on vacation, I assume you can turn in what you use while you are there. Can the cans you return be already crushed?

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Sun Jul 06, 2014 7:15 pm
by Recyclersteve
Recyclersteve wrote:I will likely be driving to California from another state soon and was thinking about taking items along to recycle. Questions for anyone from California or who can provide me with the answers I need:

1. Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to recycle cans in California?
2. What about plastic water bottles and the like?
3. Can the items be crushed before I turn them in so they don't take up as much space in my car?
4. Does it matter how items are crushed (i.e., vertically as opposed to horizontally)?
5. How much is paid for cans and plastic water bottles?

Any guidance that can be provided would be helpful. Thanks in advance.


Just got back from Calif. I had no problems recycling anything and wasn't even asked for any ID. Also there were no limitations on how much was turned in. I got 5 cents for each plastic container and aluminum can ($1.59/lb.). There were no problems with anything (plastic or cans) that was crushed. It didn't matter how things were crushed as items were merely dumped into a large plastic container and weighed. Also, the caps could be left on the plastic water bottles. It was a very positive experience.

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:07 pm
by hobo finds

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 2:26 pm
by hobo finds
Recyclersteve wrote:
Recyclersteve wrote:I will likely be driving to California from another state soon and was thinking about taking items along to recycle. Questions for anyone from California or who can provide me with the answers I need:

1. Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to recycle cans in California?
2. What about plastic water bottles and the like?
3. Can the items be crushed before I turn them in so they don't take up as much space in my car?
4. Does it matter how items are crushed (i.e., vertically as opposed to horizontally)?
5. How much is paid for cans and plastic water bottles?

Any guidance that can be provided would be helpful. Thanks in advance.


Just got back from Calif. I had no problems recycling anything and wasn't even asked for any ID. Also there were no limitations on how much was turned in. I got 5 cents for each plastic container and aluminum can ($1.59/lb.). There were no problems with anything (plastic or cans) that was crushed. It didn't matter how things were crushed as items were merely dumped into a large plastic container and weighed. Also, the caps could be left on the plastic water bottles. It was a very positive experience.


The places by me let you sell the plastic with caps on them as well, even though it is a different type of plastic. CRV cans $.95 lb, #1 plastic $.40 lb, #2 plastic $.15 lb. and glass $.04 lb.

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:26 pm
by hobo finds
I just saw that you get taxed on your CRV deposit purchases! A win win for the state, city, county. :sick: :sick:

Re: Questions on recycling in California

PostPosted: Thu Jul 10, 2014 11:32 pm
by Recyclersteve
Recyclersteve wrote:
Recyclersteve wrote:I will likely be driving to California from another state soon and was thinking about taking items along to recycle. Questions for anyone from California or who can provide me with the answers I need:

1. Is there any reason I wouldn't be able to recycle cans in California?
2. What about plastic water bottles and the like?
3. Can the items be crushed before I turn them in so they don't take up as much space in my car?
4. Does it matter how items are crushed (i.e., vertically as opposed to horizontally)?
5. How much is paid for cans and plastic water bottles?

Any guidance that can be provided would be helpful. Thanks in advance.


Just got back from Calif. I had no problems recycling anything and wasn't even asked for any ID. Also there were no limitations on how much was turned in. I got 5 cents for each plastic container and aluminum can ($1.59/lb.). There were no problems with anything (plastic or cans) that was crushed. It didn't matter how things were crushed as items were merely dumped into a large plastic container and weighed. Also, the caps could be left on the plastic water bottles. It was a very positive experience.


I meant to add that the plastic was $1.10 a pound. They called it PET #1 plastic, which was basically plastic water bottles.