Imperial Valley Resource Management
Agency

Regional Beverage Container Recycling Program

The California Integrated Waste Management Act (AB 939) requires that local governments prepare waste diversion plans. Now, recent legislation, AB 341, requires that 80% of the waste stream be recycled, and planning is underway to achieve that goal.

IVRMA administers a program to provide opportunities for beverage container recycling (BLUE RECYCLING BINS), litter cleanup activities, advertising and promotion, outreach, and education on the mandatory recycling of beverage containers for all Imperial County residents. Under Public Resources Code Section 14581(a)(3)(A) of the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act,.

The beverage container recycling program aims to reach and maintain an 80 percent recycling rate for all California Refund Value beverage containers—aluminum, glass, plastic, and bi-metal.

What options do you have to recycle CRV material properly?

Recycling beverage containers is easy and free to do. You can redeem eligible beverage containers at a local recycling center for a CRV redemption fee or by dropping containers in your blue curbside recycling bin. The California Refund Value (CRV) is the sum customers pay at the checkout counter and receive in return when they recycle eligible aluminum, plastic, glass, and bi-metal beverage containers at accredited recycling facilities. The minimum refund value established for each type of eligible beverage container is 5 cents for each container under 24 ounces and 10 cents for each container 24 ounces or greater.

Locations that Provide Monetary Compensation;

You can also visit Calrecycle's search tool for Beverage Container Recycling Centers to find one near you.

Locations that Do Not provide Monetary Compensation

IVRMA has three different facilities where you can dispose of plastic bottles, glass bottles, and aluminum cans.

NOTE: IVRMA does not pay any compensation for these items. The following are the addresses of the Household Hazardous Waste facilities.

Administration Office Phone Number: 760-337-4537

Visit our Event Calendar to learn what days we are open!

Looking to become a recycling business?

How to Become a Certified Operator

To become a certified operator, you first need to determine your category for certification. The categories are the following:

• Recycling Center (RC)

• Nonprofit Convenience Zone Recycler

• Processing Facility (PR)

• Dropoff or Collection Program (CP)

• Community Service Program (SP)

Once you fill out the appropriate certification application you send it along with other required supporting documents to:

CalRecycle/Division of Recycling
Beverage Container Recycling Program
Certification Unit
1001 I St, MS 10C
Sacramento, CA 95814-3533

Before mailing your application, make sure you have done the following:

• Attended the Precertification Training, passed the exam, and obtained a voucher.

• Completed all items on the application form.

• Enclosed all required supporting documents with the applications.

• Provided the appropriate original signature(s) and initials on the application form.

Be sure you read and understand the requirements of Certified Operators.

The Application Process

• CalRecycle has 30 working days to initially review your application.

• If your application is found to be incomplete, you will be sent a letter telling you what is needed to complete your application.

• If your application is complete when received or completed after notification, CalRecycle has an additional 60 calendar days to further review your application and conduct any on-site program reviews as necessary. If you have never been certified by the Division, a program review is required.

• Upon approval of your application, CalRecycle will mail a notification of approval along with your certificate showing the certification number and expiration date and an operating manual. Operators of recycling centers will later be sent a sign or decal that identifies them to the public as certified operators.

For recycling centers and processors:

• It is important to consider this review schedule because you cannot act as a certified operator until your application is approved.

• Once your application is approved, you are required to begin operating within 60 calendar days, or the certification number will become invalid and you will have to reapply.

  • Within five (5) days of the date you began operations, you must notify the Division of the actual date you began operations by submitting a completed Operational Date Notification.

Learn more about FAQs for Precertification for Recyclers and Processors

Applications:

The following are the applications needed:

• Certification Application for Recycling Centers & Processors (CalRecycle 770)

• Financial Readiness Plan for submission with new recycling center and processor applications (CalRecycle 758)

• Application instructions for Recycling Centers & Processors

For more information, visit the Beverage Container Recycling Home.

To learn more about the Requirements of Certified Operators visit the California's Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) website.

https://calrecycle.ca.gov/BevContainer/CertOperator/Requirements/

Funding and Financing Recycling Infrastructure

As California residents and businesses recycle more, due to a combination of customer education, environmental awareness, local and state mandates, and pricing incentives, local governments face challenges in identifying ways to finance and fund recycling projects and programs.

There are several funding resources included here that outline some of the innovative ways that local governments are financing recycling infrastructure and funding recycling programs across the state.

For more information on funding opportunities, you can visit Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at

https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/solid-waste-infrastructure-recycling-grants-tribes-and-intertribal-consortia