Introduction

Have you ever looked at your grocery receipt and seen a charge that says "CRV" next to your canned soda or bottled beer? That stands for California Redemption Value, and it's supposed to be a $.05 or $.10 deposit that consumers can then get refunded when they recycle the beverage container. The problem is, most people never get their money back because... well, it's hard to find a place to trade them in. Reporter Steven Rascón follows the money to see what happens to all those nickels and dimes we don't get back, and how the state is trying to improve things.

Additional Reading:

• Cashing In on the Future of California's Bottle Deposit System
• Read the transcript for this episode
• What Happens to San Francisco's Recycling Once It Leaves the Curb?
• 'You Can't Recycle Your Way Out': California's Plastic Problem and What We Can Do About It
• How Does Oakland Turn Food Scraps to Soil?
• California’s Plastic Problem | KQED Newsroom
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This story was reported by Steven Rascón. Bay Curious is made by Amanda Font, Christopher Beale, and me, Olivia-Allen Price. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Cesar Saldana, Maha Sanad and Holly Kernan.