California Redemption Value (CRV) Buyback Center

  1. Redeeming CRV
  2. Important Consumer Refund Info

Effective July 29, 2004 the California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 5, Section 2535(b),  reads as follows:

 "For deliveries to a recycling center, except reverse vending machines:   (1) The consumer has the option of being paid based on count for up to 50 empty beverage containers of each material type. (2) The recycler may pay based on count for all deliveries of empty beverage containers received from consumers."  

This means that a customer may deliver up to 50 aluminum, 50 glass, 50 bi-metal, and 50 plastic empty CRV containers per transaction and request to be paid by count for each of the beverage containers. After the initial 50 containers, it is up to the recycling center whether they continue to count, or they may choose to pay by weight for the remainder of the material. A customer can make more than one visit per day to a recycling center with a load empty CRV containers and request to be paid by count for each of the beverage containers. 

Certified CRV Recycling Center operators are responsible for informing their employees of this regulation. Non-compliance with this regulation may result in fines, penalties or possible decertification. The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) Division of Recycling will respond to consumer complaints regarding non-compliance with this regulation.

CalRecycle General Program Information 

A Blue Bin filled with empty soda cans at a California redemption value buyback center