Check eligibility
Check the container label and California's current program rules. Newer eligible beverage types may have label exceptions.
West Side Metal Recycling / California CRV
Know before you redeem.
A practical guide to eligible beverage containers, preparation, and California redemption rules.
California Redemption Value
Look for the label.
Know the exceptions.
California expanded CRV in 2024. Wine, spirits, and larger juice containers joined the program in 2024. Some eligible older containers may lack a CRV label.
Common label wordingCalifornia Redemption ValueCA Redemption ValueCalifornia Cash RefundCA CRVCA Cash Refund
01 / ELIGIBLE
Generally eligible
Eligible containers include California-purchased beverages in approved container types. Examples include:
- Beer and malt beverages
- Wine coolers and distilled spirit coolers
- Wine and distilled spirits, including many boxes and pouches
- Carbonated and noncarbonated fruit drinks, water, and soft drinks
- Coffee and tea beverages
- 100% fruit and vegetable juice in all sizes
California added wine, spirits, and large juice containers to CRV in 2024.
02 / NOT ELIGIBLE
Not CRV containers
These items are outside the beverage container redemption program:
- Milk containers
- Medical food containers
- Infant formula containers
- Food and other non-beverage containers
- Other materials that are not eligible CRV beverage containers
Only beverage containers purchased in California can be redeemed for a California CRV refund.
How to prepare
Bring a clean load.
Help the redemption process go smoothly by keeping the container intact and removing non-CRV items from the load.
Keep containers clean
Containers should be whole and free of dirt, excess liquid, and other contaminants.
Separate non-CRV items
If paid by weight, the load should contain only eligible CRV beverage containers. A center may reject a mixed load or pay only scrap value.
Count or weight
Your redemption
options.
Customers can request payment by count for up to 50 CRV containers of each conventional material type per transaction: glass, aluminum, plastic, and bimetal. Additional rules apply to some wine and spirit boxes and pouches.
50 eachGlass, aluminum, plastic & bimetal containers by count
100 lbDaily load limit each for aluminum and plastic
1,000 lbDaily load limit for glass
Special limitsWine and spirit boxes, pouches & cartons have separate count and weight limits