San Francisco city officials announced the launch of a new mobile recycling pilot program that will not only facilitate recycling, but also make it easier for residents to reclaim their California Redemption Value cash deposit for recyclables. The new program, called the BottleBank, is being funded by the California Department of Resources and Recycling Recovery and launches on Jan. 5 at two separate locations within The City.
To participate in the program, residents can sign up online or in-person and receive bags with special barcodes. Participants can then fill up the 20-gallon bags with uncrushed CRV bottles and cans and drop them off at mobile collection sites, operated by the non-profit organization San Francisco Conservation Corps. Once the recyclables are counted, participants can get their refund amount deposited into their accounts. The funds can then be transferred to their bank or Venmo accounts, or transferred to a card for cash, according to city officials.
“Our city is home to a number of unique and first-of-its-kind zero waste programs, including our citywide composting program, and now, our mobile BottleBank recycling program,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “Starting in January, San Franciscans will have an easy, reliable way to earn cash for recycling their bottles and cans, and our small businesses no longer have to worry about redeeming the bottles themselves or paying hefty state fines. It’s a win-win program that other cities across the state can model.”