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pound of plastic bottles worth 4.5 cents in neighboring states and Mexico is worth 45.5 cents at a certified recycling center in California.
California's 16-year old law requires consumers to pay a deposit of 2.5 cent on various beverage containers less than 24 oz. and a 5-cent deposit on those 24 oz. and larger. The deposit is refunded when the consumer returns the used containers to a certified redemption center. While the L.A. fraud case represents millions of beverage containers illegally redeemed, its impact on California's beverage container redemption rate is estimated to be insignificant (probably under 100 million over a 4-year period) in a
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state where consumers redeem over 10 billion bottles and cans annually.
The arrests resulted from a yearlong investigation that included ten state law enforcement offices and the U.S. Secret Service. The California Department of Conservation (DOC) provided funds and services for the investigation.
"These arrests should serve as a wake-up call to those who cheat the system," stated Darryl Young, director of the DOC. "They will face the consequences of their actions." The 14 suspects are being held on $2.5 million bail at the Burbank City Jail. They face a maximum prison sentence of 8 years if convicted.
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