Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and California Redemption Value (CRV)
During the holidays families and friends often choose to break out some spirits to enjoy. This year take advantage of changes to the California Redemption Value (CRV) program by including your liquor and wine containers when you redeem bottles and cans at your local recycling center. Governor Newsom approved SB 1013 in early 2024, a law that allows wine and liquor bottles to be included in the redemption program.
The law establishes a 10-cent refund value on most of the estimated 1.2 billion wine and spirit containers sold in California annually. In addition, SB 1013 includes new container types for wine and spirits coolers in the CRV system, including bag-in-box, multi-layer pouch, and paperboard carton containers. A CRV rate of 25¢ now applies to these container types regardless of size: bag-in-box, multi-layer pouch, paperboard carton, and plastic #1-7 pouches. As of January 1, 2025, another aspect of the law will take effect that will require most larger grocery stores to start offering in-store take back redemption services.
Over the last 40 years California’s system where consumers pay a deposit for their single-use beverage containers that can be redeemed when returning the container to a recycling center has successfully diverted half a trillion containers from landfills. This has avoided more than 300,000 tons of greenhouse gas pollution each year by preventing the need to extract and refine virgin material. Keep the tradition going strong this holiday season by returning your containers and redeeming your deposit!
Use the State’s Recycling Center Locating Tool ( https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/BevContainer/RecyclingCenters/ )- enter your zip code to find local recycling centers.
