In somewhat funny news, some recycling rebels recently trucked millions of cans and bottles into California from Nevada and Arizona so they could recycle the containers and collect state redemption money.
According to reports from the state attorney general's office,"Thirty-one people in three separate fraud rings were arrested last month on suspicion of illegally collecting more than $3.5 million in redemption money. They have been charged with conspiracy, grand theft and unlawful recycling."
Mercury News notes that Margo Reid Brown, director of the state's CalRecycle program says, "Recycling fraud is a crime against California consumers and we take it very seriously."
California offers a California Redemption Value of 5 or 10 cents on each glass, aluminum or plastic beverage container and also offers $1.57 per pound for aluminum cans in bulk. Lots of people do collect cans for cash, but this went over the edge. Here's how the ring worked...
I think it's funny. For one thing, it IS lame to live in a state with no redemption program because it does affect recycling. I've lived in Oregon and New Mexico (Oregon pays you for cans while New Mexico does not and overall has shoddy recycling centers in place) and more people are concerned with recycling in (no surprise) Oregon. It was really hard to recycle properly in NM and plenty of folks just didn't. I get why people might sneak recycle.
Secondly, it's hard to be too mad when so few cans are recycled, even though aluminum cans are 100% recyclable. The Can Manufactures Institute notes that aluminum cans have a recycling rate of 52%; and keep in mind that approximately 131 billion cans are produced each year in the United States. Also keep in mind that not everyone agrees that the can recycling rate is even as high as 52%. The Clean Air Council notes the following...
I know, you shouldn't commit crimes, even if they do involve recycling, but seriously, how upset can you really be about a recycling crime ring? At least this crime involves some do-good actions too.
According to reports from the state attorney general's office,"Thirty-one people in three separate fraud rings were arrested last month on suspicion of illegally collecting more than $3.5 million in redemption money. They have been charged with conspiracy, grand theft and unlawful recycling."
Mercury News notes that Margo Reid Brown, director of the state's CalRecycle program says, "Recycling fraud is a crime against California consumers and we take it very seriously."
California offers a California Redemption Value of 5 or 10 cents on each glass, aluminum or plastic beverage container and also offers $1.57 per pound for aluminum cans in bulk. Lots of people do collect cans for cash, but this went over the edge. Here's how the ring worked...
Quote:
1.6 million pounds of cans and bottles were imported from Nevada... A Las Vegas man collected and stored them at his home and in several storage facilities, according to the attorney general's office. Twice a week, the man and others used rented 16-foot and 24-foot trucks to haul 5,000-pound loads to a storage facility in Montclair, where the materials were parceled out to other ring members who took them to various recycling centers.
I think it's funny. For one thing, it IS lame to live in a state with no redemption program because it does affect recycling. I've lived in Oregon and New Mexico (Oregon pays you for cans while New Mexico does not and overall has shoddy recycling centers in place) and more people are concerned with recycling in (no surprise) Oregon. It was really hard to recycle properly in NM and plenty of folks just didn't. I get why people might sneak recycle.
Secondly, it's hard to be too mad when so few cans are recycled, even though aluminum cans are 100% recyclable. The Can Manufactures Institute notes that aluminum cans have a recycling rate of 52%; and keep in mind that approximately 131 billion cans are produced each year in the United States. Also keep in mind that not everyone agrees that the can recycling rate is even as high as 52%. The Clean Air Council notes the following...
- Americans throw away enough aluminum cans to rebuild our commercial air fleet every three months.
- Throwing away one aluminum can wastes as much energy as if that can were 1/2 full of gasoline.
- Recycling an aluminum soda can saves 96% of the energy used to make a can and produces 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution.
I know, you shouldn't commit crimes, even if they do involve recycling, but seriously, how upset can you really be about a recycling crime ring? At least this crime involves some do-good actions too.
