San Francisco’s BottleBank pilot program, designed to encourage easy recycling and refund California Redemption Value (CRV) deposits, is facing criticism and calls to shut down. Despite a budget of $1.42 million last year, the program saw only 0.8% of city residents participate over two years.
The pilot replaced grocery store recycling responsibilities, relieving 400 stores from taking back CRV containers. Instead, four BottleBank trucks rotate between 21 city locations, but limited hours make access challenging. Some residents, like Robert Isle, find the process inconvenient, while others are unaware of the program entirely. Documents obtained by Consumer Watchdog reveal inefficiencies, with costs reaching 41 cents per nickel refunded. With California’s container redemption rate around 58%, San Francisco’s lags at under 40%.
Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court has pressed Mayor London Breed to reassess the program’s viability, but no response has been provided yet. The program’s future remains uncertain as funds dwindle.