Californians will soon have more options for redeeming their empty bottles and cans, thanks to nearly $70 million in grants awarded by California’s recycling agency, CalRecycle.
The grants will fund 37 projects across the state, adding new recycling methods such as mobile recycling, bag-drop sites, and reverse vending machines. These machines allow users to exchange empty bottles or cans for cash or coupons, making recycling more accessible.
Over 250 new recycling sites will be established in 30 counties, including rural areas like Butte, Imperial, Lassen, Mendocino, and Merced. Major supermarket chains Save Mart and Smart & Final have received over $2 million each for installing reverse vending machines in 19 counties.
CalRecycle Director Zoe Heller believes that these new initiatives will make it easier for Californians to recycle their containers and will create more recycled materials for manufacturers within the state.
In addition to the grants, there will be stricter rules for beverage retailers starting in January. Large retailers in areas without recycling centers will be required to set up systems for redeeming beverage container deposits in-store or join a non-profit cooperative to provide redemption options for customers.
Cooperatives will receive state funding and can choose from various recycling options like reverse vending machines, mobile recycling, or bag-drop sites. Retailers who fail to comply may face a daily fee of $100.
Smaller stores with sales under $1.5 million or less than 5,000 square feet of retail space will be exempt from these requirements. All retailers must register with CalRecycle by January 1, 2025, to stay informed about future requirements and funding opportunities.
Another recent expansion of California’s recycling program allows residents to redeem fruit and vegetable juice containers starting this year. A bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year added these containers to the state’s recycling program, encouraging residents to recycle by offering refunds for returned containers.
By expanding the recycling program to include fruit and vegetable juice containers, California hopes to recycle an additional 200 million containers annually, reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
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