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Container and Packaging
Recycling UPDATE
Summer/Fall 2001 Issue

SACRAMENTO - Implementation of an expanded beverage container deposit system in California last year increased the number of bottles and cans recycled by 448 million, for a total of 10.2 billion containers recycled in 2000. At the same time, California's beverage container recycling rate suffered an alarming decline in 2000 to 61, according to a Department of Conservation release.

The recycling rate was down 13 percent from the previous year. "We expected a drop, but not like this," said Darryl Young, director of California's Department of Conservation, which administers the program.

Expanding the deposit system to include bottled water, juices, teas and sports drinks added some 3.4 billion containers to the program. Legislation passed in late 1999 allowed for implementation without changes in labeling last year.

The Department of Conservation is aware that many consumers may not have been aware that billions more beverage containers now have a redemption value. A two-year media and outreach campaign is underway, with $10 million authorized by the Legislature.

The 10.2 billion containers recycled in 2000 is the highest number of containers recycled in 9 years. However, another six billion containers were thrown away.

Plastic bottles constitute the largest portion of containers added to the deposit system in 2000. PET bottles covered by the law increased from 10 percent market share in 1999, under the old system that covered beer, carbonated drinks and wine coolers, to 20 percent market share in 2000, with the addition of many more types of beverages.

As a result of the sudden change, the recycling rate for PET deposit bottles plummeted almost 50 percent in 2000. However, analysis by the California Integrated Waste Management Board found that the expanded deposit system is already having a positive impact on the total number of plastic bottles recycled.

The number of PET bottles recycled in California increased from 829.9 million in 1999 to 1.2 billion in 2000.

Beginning in January 2001, all containers covered by the California redemption system must be labeled with the Container Refund Value (CRV). This step, combined with expanded consumer education, is expected to lead to higher recycling rates.

The California Department of Conservation plans to report results for the first half of this year in November.