frequently asked questions


​​Do I need to have my items sorted before arriving?

  • ​Yes! Our staff is not necessarily available to help you sort at the center. Please rinse and dry your items, and have them sorted by item/number.
  • Glass does not need to be sorted by color, but each item should have its label showing CA-CRV for cash redemption.
  • State law requires recycling centers to pay CRV refunds for loads that contain ONLY eligible CRV beverage containers. Non-CRV materials must be removed from the load, or we may reject the load or pay only the scrap value for the material.
  • Please try to arrive by 3:30 if your items are not pre-sorted; our staff work long days in outdoor conditions and need to get the center closed on time.

How much recyclable material can I bring in one day?

  • Per state guidelines, daily load cannot exceed 100lbs of aluminum or plastic, and 1,000lbs of glass. 
  • If you are in a vehicle with out-of-state license plates, we can only redeem up to $50 worth of any material. 
  • We cannot split daily loads into multiple transactions. If your load exceeds or looks like it will exceed the above limit, we must refuse it and send it home with you to separate. 
  • We can only honor one transaction per vehicle. ​

Your hours say you're open until 4pm; it's 3:50 and the gate is closed

  • Per state guidelines, we must have all transactions completed by the time we close! If our lot is full at 3:45, we may need to stop admitting customers so that we can complete transactions and get our staff home on time.

I thought my material was clean and dry, but I got a lower redemption rate​

  • We have to go by CalRecycle standards. The state will only reimburse us based on a lower contaminate rate. Your items may look clean and dry to you, but we have to look for water droplets, cigarette butts, rocks (yes, people put rocks in to make their loads heavier!)

​What is the difference between aluminum and steel/tin cans?

  • Most cat food cans are made from aluminum, while most other types of cans are made from steel; a good way to check is to see if a magnet will stick! Magnets will not stick to aluminum products.

​I'm donating my materials; where does the money go?

  • The funds we receive from donations are used toward our programs. Most recently, we were able to add an expansion to our Yreka location and open a new office in Yreka for our bulk mailing program.
  • When preparing your blue bags at home, please keep follow the guidelines listed above. As a courtesy to our workers who have to open and sort through the bags, please make sure all items are clean and dry. 
  • At this time, we are only processing blue bags from the City of Dunsmuir and the City of Weed. 
  • Mt. Shasta Blue Bags are being managed by Waste Management and transferred to Redding Transfer. Click here for more information.
  • ​Call your City Office for questions about blue bag pick-ups, schedules, or issues (click here for city contact information).
    • If your blue bag is not being picked up, you are welcome to drop it off at the recycling center.

​recycling center

Soda or beer cans, has CA-CRV imprinted on top. Clean and dry cans get better redemption! Must be empty.

Our Cal-Recycle certified recycling center operates year-round Monday through Friday (see above for holiday closures). Our workers learn to operate bailers, crushers, and conveyor belts. 

​We also sort recyclables as part of the blue bag program for Weed and Dunsmuir (Mt. Shasta blue bags are managed by a different company)

​

WE RECYCLE BUT DO NOT PAY CASH FOR
CRV #1 Clear Plastic Containers
Non-CRV glass containers (food, household)
Non-CRV aluminum (ex. cat-food cans)
Non-CRV #1 - #7 plastic containers (please rinse and sort by number)
- Windows, PVC Pipes, Ceramics, Glass Cookware
CRV Glass Containers
CRV Aluminum Beverage Cans

Click here for County-wide Recycling Sites and Guidelines.

CLOSED MOST HOLIDAYS - CLICK HERE FOR SCHEDULE
- Styrofoam, Aerosol Spray Cans
  • Try Black Butte Transfer
Frosty plastic beverage bottles (juice jugs) Please rinse!
Ex. soda bottles, food jars and containers, mouthwash/salad dressing bottles). Caps are okay on empty plastic bottles.
​RECYCLING CENTER HOURS  MON - FRI 9AM - 4PM
CALL 918-4906 FOR RECYCLING QUESTIONS
- Steel or Tin Cans, Scrap Metal
  • Try Black Butte Transfer or Yreka Recycling Center
CRV #2 Plastic Containers

​curbside blue bag program

- Plastic Bags
  • Most grocery and drug stores have collection bins

we do accept (please sort by category):

- Electronics
  • Try Black Butte Transfer
CRV Bimetal Beverage Cans
- Used Sharps/Needles
  • Call Siskiyou County Public Health  at 841-2134 for current needle disposal sites
Coconut water or pineapple juice cans. Must have CA-CRV symbol.
- Paper material of any kind
  • Paper, cereal boxes, magazines, phone books
  • Try Black Butte Transfer (926-1610) or Yreka Recycling Center (842-9119) for CARDBOARD recycling
Lids must be removed. Must have label showing CA recycle symbol in order to receive CRV. Otherwise, we will recycle with no redemption.

We cannot accept the following:

- Batteries, Lightbulbs, Paint Cans, Used Oil Items
  • Click here for information on where these are accepted in Siskiyou County