California's new recycling law gives you 10 cents for every wine, liquor bottle
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LOS ANGEL.ES - Don't toss that empty bottle of cabernet or Jack Daniel's just yet!
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday signed a bill expanding California's current bottle recycling program to include wine and liquor bottles.
That means starting Jan. 1, 2024, you'll be paying an extra 10 cents for a bottle of wine or hard alcohol. That money, called the "CRV" or "California Redemption Value," goes into a state fund. But now, you'll get the money back if you turn the bottles in to a recycling center. If you choose to put it in your recycling bin for garbage/recycling collection, the city in which you live will get the 10 cents back from the state.
"California’s bottle bill recycling program has needed fixing for 40 years," Pro Tem Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) said. "With SB 1013 we are finally able to include wine and distilled spirit bottles in the program—and when you consider that California generates more than one billion wine and liquor bottles every year, that shows what major progress this legislation is and what an impact it will have. I want to commend the wine industry, distilled spirits industry, environmental advocates, and other groups who worked to improve SB 1013, and I thank the large bipartisan majorities in both houses who voted for it."
The California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act, established in 1986, encourages consumers to recycle beverage containers by requiring them to pay a deposit for eligible bottles. Although the program includes beer, it currently does not include wine or spirits.
"Today we take a big step toward increasing the recycling rates of millions of bottles that would otherwise wind up in our landfills or be illegally discarded," said Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa). "This new law will greatly benefit California and our recycling system. I commend the governor for signing it and industry groups and environmental advocates who came together on this historic legislation."
To see a list of recycling centers near you, tap or click here.