Beverage Container Recycling Centers
There are 1,286 recycling centers statewide that buy back empty California Refund Value (CRV) beverage containers. Most beverages sold in glass, plastic, or metal (other than milk, medical food, and infant formula) are subject to CRV - More information on beverages subject to CRV is available here
Search for In-Store CRV Redemption Retailers
Is a Recycling Center or Retailer on the List Refusing to Redeem CRV?
The fastest, most effective way to lodge a complaint against a recycling center or an obligated retailer to 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.
You can get your beverage container recycling refunds on a per-container basis instead of by weight.
- By law, you can bring up to 50 aluminum, 50 glass, 50 plastic, and 50 bi-metal California Redemption Value (CRV) containers and request to be paid by count. You will be paid the full CRV redemption of 5 cents or 10 cents on each container. Inform the site attendant of your load content and how you would like to receive payment before you hand over your load.
- Any consumer who has been denied this right by a recycling center can file a complaint via email or by calling 1-800-RECYCLE.
- If recycling more than 50 containers of any one material type, the decision to pay by count or weight is determined by the recycling center operator. Make sure your containers are whole and free of contaminants such as dirt, excessive liquid or other foreign substances. If you are being paid by weight, make sure the load contains only eligible CRV beverage containers.
- Daily load limits of empty CRV beverage containers are 100 pounds each for aluminum and plastic, and 1,000 pounds for glass. If the load includes containers not eligible for CRV, the recycling center must either reject the load or pay only scrap value.
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There are 1,286 recycling centers statewide that buy back empty California Refund Value (CRV) beverage containers. Most beverages sold in glass, plastic, or metal (other than milk, medical food, and infant formula) are subject to CRV - More information on beverages subject to CRV is available here
Search for In-Store CRV Redemption Retailers
Is a Recycling Center or Retailer on the List Refusing to Redeem CRV?
The fastest, most effective way to lodge a complaint against a recycling center or an obligated retailer to 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.
You can get your beverage container recycling refunds on a per-container basis instead of by weight.
- By law, you can bring up to 50 aluminum, 50 glass, 50 plastic, and 50 bi-metal California Redemption Value (CRV) containers and request to be paid by count. You will be paid the full CRV redemption of 5 cents or 10 cents on each container. Inform the site attendant of your load content and how you would like to receive payment before you hand over your load.
- Any consumer who has been denied this right by a recycling center can file a complaint via email or by calling 1-800-RECYCLE.
- If recycling more than 50 containers of any one material type, the decision to pay by count or weight is determined by the recycling center operator. Make sure your containers are whole and free of contaminants such as dirt, excessive liquid or other foreign substances. If you are being paid by weight, make sure the load contains only eligible CRV beverage containers.
- Daily load limits of empty CRV beverage containers are 100 pounds each for aluminum and plastic, and 1,000 pounds for glass. If the load includes containers not eligible for CRV, the recycling center must either reject the load or pay only scrap value.
Recycling centers are not owned or operated by the State of California. All recycling center days and hours of operation are determined and overseen by the individual recycling center operator and must be posted at the center. Centers are required to be open a minimum of 30 hours per week, at least five days a week, and at least one weekend day.