Value

• In 2010, the CRV for a container over 24 ounces is 10 cents. Containers which hold less than 24 ounces receive a 5 cent CRV, according to the CalRecycle website. You pay the CRV when you purchase a beverage and then have it refunded when you recycle it at a center.
  
  

History

• The CRV started in 1987. In 1986 the California legislature passed the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act which prompted the refund value, explains EWC Electronic Recyclers.
  
  

Types

• Beverage containers included in the CRV program include carbonated and un-carbonated waters, soft drinks, fruit drinks, coffee, tea, beer and malt drinks, states EWC Electronic Recyclers. It doesn't, however, include baby formula, milk or wine.
  
  

Result

• From 1987 to 2010, the CRV program recycled over 230 billion glass, aluminum and plastic containers, according to CalRecycle.
  
  

Interesting Fact

• In 2009, stores sold 21 billion recyclable containers to Californians. Only 3.8 billion of those containers ended up in landfills, explains CalRecycle. The rest went through the CRV program and were recycled.