Information Regarding Recycling Center Closures

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Information

CalRecycle is working to gather more information about rePlanet’s announced closure of its recycling centers and the resulting impact on California consumers.

  • CalRecycle has received numerous inquiries from other operators who are considering opening new recycling centers at former rePlanet locations.
  • Californians can find their nearest recycling center by using the finder on our website.  https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/WhereToRecycle/

Beverage container recycling centers are private businesses and many have decided to close in recent years due to economic conditions affecting the industry as a whole.

  • CalRecycle is analyzing the impact the closures will have on consumers and communities and is redirecting resources to ensure beverage dealers in unserved convenience zones are taking back beverage containers in-store as required.
  • Global market conditions have resulted in a decrease in commodity prices for recyclable materials, and this effect has been felt throughout the global recycling industry.

California has taken action to stabilize Beverage Container Recycling Program subsidies paid to beverage container buyback centers to help cover the cost of processing materials, and will continue to explore ways to support the program.

The Governor’s latest budget appropriated $5 million to provide temporary assistance (in the form of $1,000/month) to the lowest volume recyclers in the state from July 2019 to June 2020.

  • That $5M ($1,000/month for 12 months) translates to about 416 recycling centers that will receive assistance.
  • CalRecycle will provide the monthly supplemental payment to the lowest volume recycling centers based on the average daily volume indicated on shipping reports for the previous three months. Therefore, it is possible that the recycling centers receiving payment will vary on a monthly basis.
  • CalRecycle will determine recipients of the first payment (for the July period) on September 1, 2019.

In addition, eligible recycling centers continue to receive these payments authorized in statute:

Handling fees can be paid to a recycler who serves an otherwise unserved convenience zone.

  • A convenience zone is a half-mile radius circle with the center point originating at a supermarket that has gross sales of at least $2 million per year.

Processing payments are established by CalRecycle for any beverage container type that has a scrap value less than the cost of recycling

  • Payments are based on the difference between the scrap value of material and the sum of the actual costs of recycling for certified recycling centers, excluding centers receiving handling fees, plus a reasonable financial return.

CalRecycle’s website notifies Californians of local retailers who are obligated to offer CRV redemption in-store when there is no buyback center nearby.

Beverage dealers, retailers that sell CRV beverages, share an obligation to ensure convenient redemption opportunities for consumers.  If a beverage dealer is located in an “unserved Convenience zone” and there is no recycling center nearby, these retailers are required to either redeem CRV material in-store (Option A), or opt to pay a fee of $100 per day (Option B).

View a list of “Option A” dealers.

The most efficient and effective way to lodge a complaint against a recycling center or an Option A retailer and initiate a CalRecycle inspection of that entity is by emailing your name, phone number, a brief summary of the issue, and the name and address of the subject of your complaint to: complaints@calrecycle.ca.gov.

Resources

For more information, contact bzassist@calrecycle.ca.gov.