The following is a press release from Humboldt Waste Management Authority:
Originally launched in 1987, the California Redemption Value (CRV) program sought to incentivize recycling of beverage containers by providing a financial ‘buy back’ to customers. The CRV program is run through the State of California and managed by Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).
Recology Eel River operated two certified Buyback Centers where consumers redeem California Redemption Value (CRV) payments on beverage containers covered under the State of California’s Beverage Container Recycling Program. These facilities are located at the Redway Transfer Station in Southern Humboldt and another at the Recology Eel River Transfer Station in Fortuna. Both Buyback Centers operate on the same premises as other waste collection activities.
Normal Buyback Center operations require frequent human interaction, result in high vehicle traffic, and operated with a loss. Due to these conditions and the persistent nature of COVID-19 exposure risks, Recology has not been unable to offer normal Buyback Center services. The additional health concerns for Recology employees and the public, as well as financial impacts from COVID-19, Recology Eel River closed its Buyback Centers in mid-March this year. Since closing the facilities, Recology has offered free public drop-off for mixed recycling. Drop-off services provide an automated disposal option for recyclable materials that requires limited human interaction.
On April 23, 2020, Governor Newsom signed Executive Order N-54-20, which allowed CRV Buyback Centers to remain temporarily closed, or operate at a diminished capacity in order to protect employees and the general public from potential COVID-19 disease exposure. These allowances were extended for an additional 60 days through Executive Order N-70-20, signed by Governor Newsom on June 22, 2020. While these authorizations have expired, Buyback Centers across the state continue to experience the same safety concerns and financial constraints they have since the onset of COVID-19.
Over the past several months, Recology Eel River and others have worked extensively to seek a solution with CalRecycle to provide the redemption value due to consumers. However, last Friday, CalRecycle notified Recology that there will no new executive orders regarding CRV Buybacks Centers or assistance for re-opening. Regrettably, following this instruction, this week, Recology, like many other California Redemption Centers, made the hard decision to keep Buyback Centers closed indefinitely and to focus our operations on Recology’s primary function in the community: providing services related to curbside collection, waste transfer, and processing of solid waste, recycling and green waste for several areas within Humboldt County. These services are critical to maintaining public health and safety standards, especially as our community navigates the evolving impacts of COVID-19. Humboldt Sanitation in McKinleyville has made the same decision.
Closure of these facilities specifically impacts the buyback of CRV material only. Customers may continue to recycle those materials as well as glass, paper, cardboard, aluminum and plastic containers in their curbside recycling bins, or at one of the Recology Transfer Station drop-off sites. Humboldt Waste Management Authority is currently the only facility that can provide buyback for Humboldt County as their activity is subsidized. Their facility is located at 1059 W. Hawthorne St., in Eureka.
Please direct questions specific to the CRV Program to CalRecycle at 1-800-Recycle.
