Important

Following are recent changes to beverage container recycling laws and payment rates.

Daily load limits

Effective January 1, 2014 the daily load limits of empty CRV beverage containers allowed per person, per day was reduced to 100 pounds each for aluminum and plastic, and to 1,000 pounds for glass. (Note: Nearly 99 percent of all transactions at recycling centers are for loads that are less than the new daily limits).

CRV for CRV materials only (no Commingled)

Effective November 1, 2013, certified recycling centers are only allowed to pay CRV on segregated loads. In other words, recycling facilities are no longer permitted to pay a “commingled rate” on mixed loads containing both CRV and non-CRV material (e.g. CRV aluminum soda cans mixed with cat food cans, or CRV plastic water bottles mixed with plastic household food containers such as a salad dressing bottle). Recycling centers may reject mixed loads, or offer a scrap payment for non-CRV items or mixed loads, or they may accept mixed loads or non-CRV material as a donation.

Payment of CRV

In accordance with Public Resources Code Section 14549.5, revised rates for aluminum, glass, plastic, and bi-metal beverage containers will be effective July 1, 2022. All certified recycling centers must use the following rates. (The number of containers per pound is based on a statewide average and is used to determine the minimum refund.)

Rates for All Recycling Centers