Eligible for California Redemption Value (CRV)
California Redemption Value (CRV) is 5 cents for containers smaller than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers larger than 24 ounces.
Containers Accepted Per CRV Visit
You can bring up to 50 containers per material (aluminum, glass, plastic, or bi-metal) to be paid by count, and for any more, the recycling center may choose to pay you by weight.
The maximum weight you can bring in per day is 100 pounds each for aluminum and plastic, and 1,000 pounds for glass.
What to Tell the CRV Attendant
Inform the CRV 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 call 1-800-RECYCLE.
Rinse Out Before Recycling
Empty and rinse out beverage containers before recycling or redeeming them for cash. Moisture and dirt contaminate the recycling. A CRV site attendant may reject a pile if it is excessively contaminated.
Do Not Crush Cans
You do not need to flatten or crush beverage containers. If you’re using an automated reverse vending machine (RVM), keep the containers as they are, so the machine can recognize the container type. If you are weighing them, they can be brought in whole or flattened.