Supermarket chain to add recycling sites in Merced County stores. Here’s what they offer

Merced is one of 30 California counties that will see new recycling sites funded by recycling innovation awards, making it easier for consumers to redeem deposits paid on beverage containers.

Merced County will receive Reverse Vending Machines through a $2.1 million Redemption Innovation Grant to Save Mart Supermarkets., according to CalRecycle. The agency announced in August that it had awarded nearly $70 million in Beverage Innovation Grants for a total of 37 projects around the state to add dynamic recycling methods. The methods include mobile recycling, reverse vending machines and bag-drop sites.

Both Save Mart and Smart & Final supermarkets will receive more than $2 million each of the implementation of the machines across a total of 19 counties. Save Mart Supermarkets will be adding the machines to various stores in 12 counties throughout the state including Merced County.

According to CalRecycle, the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program allows for different forms of redemption in an effort to encourage recycling center innovation while increasing the number of locations that the California Refund Value or CRV can be redeemed across the state. The grant also helps recycling programs pay start-up costs.

A California Redemption Value or CRV, is paid by consumers when purchasing beverages in the State of California. Consumers can receive a refund of the CRV paid at the time of purchase, when recycling the containers at a retailer or recycling center.

Beverage containers eligible for the California Redemption Value include aluminum, plastic, glass and bi-metal containers. Beverage containers including boxes, pouches or bladders containing wine, distilled spirits, wine coolers or distilled spirit coolers, were included to the CRV eligible beverage containers beginning Jan. 1, 2024, according to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery.

Currently, beverage containers less than 24 ounces are subject to a five cent CRV, while beverage containers that are 24 ounces or greater are subject to a 10 cent CRV. According to CalRecycle, boxes, pouches or bladders containing wine, wine coolers, distilled spirits or distilled spirit coolers are subject to a 25 cent CRV that took effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

This story was originally published October 4, 2024 at 11:29 AM.