Page 34 - Plastics News April 2022

reuse and recycle, fostering a circular in New York are not operating at full ca- posits back to Californians.”According
economy for New York. The APR says pacity and need more material to meet to CalRecycle, Californians recycled
New York’s average recycling rate is cur- the demand for recycled resin. Accord- 18.5 billion bottles and cans from July
rently at 18 percent and average con- ing to the EPA, more paper by weight 2020 through June 2021, an increase
tamination rates in the U.S. are more is recovered for recycling than plastic, of roughly 800 million containers
than 25 percent. Most plastic recyclers glass, steel and aluminum combined. from the previous fiscal year. However,
sales grew even more during that time
as people continued to consume more
California Plans To Invest In Crv Program beverages at home. The new $330 mil-
lion proposal would use various strate-
gies to reach underserved areas, provide
bile recycling and reverse vending ma- more ways to redeem and offer bonus
chine locations for consumers to cash in recycling credits for Californians to cash
their bottles and cans under the Califor- in their unredeemed bottles and cans:
nia Beverage Container Recycling Pro- $100 million would be allocated to add
gram, the state's bottle bill. Newsom’s about 2,000 reverse vending machines
budget proposal would boost redemp- through grants to high schools, colleges
tions and expand recycling sites using and retailers that are obligated to re-
$330 million of surplus unredeemed deem containers in-store. $100 million
container deposits, according to a news would be earmarked to double consum-
release issued by CalRecycle.“This sur- er refunds with bonus recycling credits
plus belongs to California consumers, once new mobile recycling and reverse
and we want to get that money back in vending machine programs are in place.
their pockets through bonus recycling “Californians want to recycle, and
credits and more convenient redemption they’re doing their part with the return
options,” CalRecycle Director Rachel of 18.5 billion bottles and cans last (fis-
new plan outlined in California Machi Wagoner says. “These targeted in- cal) year. That’s a nearly 70 percent recy-
A Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed vestments would create more chances to cling rate,” Wagoner says. “We can get
budget could bring Californians an extra recycle in areas without recycling centers closer to 100 percent recycling by giving
$100 million in bonus recycling credits and offer double California Redemption Californians more redemption options
and direct $155 million to expand mo- Value (CRV) refunds to get surplus de- and new opportunities to succeed.”

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34 PLASTICS NEWS April 2022