Proposed Bonus Credits Would Double Recycling Refunds For Californians
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- A proposed plan could bring in an extra $100 million in bonus recycling credits and direct $155 million to expand mobile recycling and reverse vending machine locations for consumers to cash in their bottles and cans.
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) issued a statement Friday about the plan.
"This surplus belongs to California consumers and we want to get that money back in their pockets through bonus recycling credits and more convenient redemption options," CalRecycle Director Rachel Machi Wagoner said. "These targeted investments would create more chances to recycle in areas without recycling centers and offer double California Redemption Value (CRV) refunds to get surplus deposits back to Californians."
From July 2020 through June 2021, Californians recycled 18.5 billion bottles and cans, around an 800 million container increase from the previous year, according to the agency, which is a branch of the California Environmental Protection Agency.
This new plan would use new strategies to reach unserved areas through a $330 million proposal. It would provide more ways to redeem and offer bonus recycling credits for Californians to cash in their unredeemed bottles and cans.
"Californians want to recycle and they're doing their part with the return of 18.5 billion bottles and cans last (fiscal) year. That's a nearly 70 percent recycling rate," Director Rachel Machi Wagoner said. "We can get closer to 100 percent recycling by giving Californians more redemption options and new opportunities to succeed."
"By ensuring that products sold in our state can be collected, recycled and remanufactured in our state, California can meet its waste reduction and climate goals while bringing more green jobs and green industries to our local communities," said CalRecycle.
Read more about the program, here.