Recycling Scam Spreads

Two years ago I addressed the idea that our recycling program has problems because of the economics of recycling the various categories of items.  You can see the 2021 market prices here.  90% of what you and I think is being recycled isn't.  It ends up in landfill.  Now it is a bigger concern because another burden has been laid on top of our small and medium-sized businesses by the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).  Any "dealer" which includes, but is not limited to, supermarkets, community markets, gas marts, convenience stores, liquor stores, membership bulk stores and health food stores that are more than a mile from a "convenience zone" now has to accept used bottles and cans or else.  What's the "or else"?  All dealers in an unserved zone must redeem empty beverage containers and provide consumers with California Refund Value (CRV) in-store or pay a $100 per day fee.  That 36 grand a year!

Guess which B'game business district is full of smaller retailers that sell a few bottles of water, soda or beer per day and now get the pleasure of dedicating floor space, staff time and record keeping for refunding the CRV regardless of where people bought the containers?  Yep, good old Broadway.  It's more than a mile from Mollie Stone's or the Millbrae Safeway.  There's a reason why the old pre-Covid standalone recycling center operated in the parking lot near the Millbrae Safeway.  The bottles and cans are used, dirty and attract flies, etc. so it's naturally an outdoors or separate operation.  Sorry.  The state doesn't care.  You have to wonder how long a lot of small businesses can stay afloat.

Comments

[HMB]

I wish the large grocery store chains here would get those reverse vending machines for recycling bottles and cans like they have in many European countries.

[Gerald Weisl]

Governor Newsom spoke about the dollars in the State bank account for CRV 'deposits' being unclaimed, not realizing most people put their cans and bottles in the recycling bins instead of redeeming them for the five and ten-cent deposits. The original intent of the charge for cans and bottles was to clean up the streets. That has happened.

I sent Governor Newsom a note asking when he last redeemed $5 worth of cans and bottles, but he has yet to respond.

The "convenience zone" is centered at a supermarket. In our area, it's Mollie Stone's. If there is not a bona fide recycling center within a one mile radius, then all "beverage retailers" are required to take back cans & bottles and pay people for them.
Then the business owner can take those cans and bottles to the recycling center.

In our town, the nearest place is on Amphlett Blvd, precisely 1.21 miles from Mollie Stones, thus obliging all beverage retailers to redeem cans and bottles.

Then this can create a game of "hot potato," with one retailer taking those newly-redeemed cans and bottles to another beverage retailer in the neighborhood.

Welcome to California.

[Phinancier]

I'm sorry. If you make over $150k you only get .03 back per can. If you make under $25K you get .20 per can.

[[email protected] gmail.com]

What is the point you are attempting to share?

[[email protected] gmail.com]

On the "other hand," in the 1960's myself, and a lot of kids would bring Glass Bottles to Safeway, get "money." Spend it on Candy or more Soda. Unfortunately, the only people I see collecting Cans and Bottles now are usually over 20 years old. Next thing "you know" Burlingame will begin having the BPD do stake outs on Hillside to catch the poor people who just want a Roof and Food. The BPD really has been forced by "City Hall" to "Stake Out" Recyling Bin Theft. Silly.

[Joe]

I get Phinancier's point--it's like the electricity proposal.

My point is we hear about supporting small business and making it easier to do business (e.g. in B'game) but then Sacramento or San Mateo County or sometimes the City (taking parking spaces on California) turn around and do the opposite. It frustrating how much harm do-gooders do.

[[email protected] gmail.com]

Excellent Point Joe.