NWRA Statement on rePlanet Closing in California
Arlington, VA – The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) issued the following statement in response to Waste360’s article about rePlanet, the bottle redemption center company, ceasing operations in California.
In response to the article on the closing of rePlanet, the primary takeaway is that recycling is not free. Even with the support of funds from deposits, it was challenging to run a recycling program, and ultimately, financially unsustainable. The article points out that consumers were redeeming only about half of the deposits that they pay and are instead utilizing their curbside recycling bins. From a sustainability perspective, this is a laudable choice as recycling is the ultimate objective of container deposit schemes.
As pointed out, recycling commodity prices have dropped and the market is “brutal.” Like rePlanet, many haulers relied on recycling commodities revenues to support the hauling contracts and are struggling under current conditions. Suggesting that these contracts are lucrative mischaracterizes the current reality.
Waste haulers would like to be able to capture recyclable materials because it ensures that the hauling costs can remain viable to municipalities and because it provides efficiencies not enjoyed by the container deposit redemption centers.
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ABOUT NWRA
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) represents the private sector waste and recycling services industry. Association members conduct business in all 50 states and include companies that manage waste, recycling and medical waste, equipment manufacturers and distributors, and a variety of other service providers. For more information about NWRA, please visit www.wasterecycling.org.
Contact
Brandon Wright
National Waste and Recycling Association
bwright@wasterecycling.org
202-364-3706
