CRV

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CRV stands for California Redemption Value, a state-mandated deposit that consumers pay when purchasing certain beverage containers in California. When you return those containers to a certified recycling center, you get that deposit refunded in cash.

It’s California’s way of encouraging recycling and reducing waste by putting real money behind every bottle and can.

When you buy a drink in a bottle or can labeled “CA CRV,” you pay a small deposit on top of the product price:

• $0.05 for containers under 24 ounces
• $0.10 for containers 24 ounces or larger

You might not notice it, but it’s listed on your receipt.

After drinking your beverage, instead of throwing the container away, you set it aside for recycling. Eligible CRV containers include:

• Aluminum cans (like soda or energy drinks)
• Plastic bottles (water, soda, juice)
• Glass bottles (beer, wine coolers)
• Bi-metal containers (some coffee drinks or juices)

The key? The container must be labeled “CA CRV” or “California Redemption Value.”

Take your empty containers to a certified CRV recycling center like ours. You can:

• Sort them by material (aluminum, plastic, glass) for faster service
• Choose to be paid by container count (for small loads) or by weight

We weigh or count your containers and pay you based on official CRV rates:

• $0.05 or $0.10 per container (depending on size)
• Or the per-pound CRV value, based on average weight estimates from CalRecycle

Your refund is separate from the material’s scrap value — it’s your deposit, returned.

CRV was created under California’s Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (1986) to:

• Reduce waste
• Cut down on litter
• Increase recycling rates across the state

The system works like a refund — you pay in when you buy, and cash out when you recycle. It rewards good environmental behavior.

Not all containers are CRV-eligible. The following are NOT eligible:

• Milk cartons or plant-based drinks (almond, oat milk)
• Wine and distilled spirits
• Food containers, Tupperware, or non-beverage plastics
• Anything without the “CA CRV” label