SF recycling program spent $4M to return less than $220K in CRVs

>> REMEMBER A FEW YEARS BACK WHERE MOST OF CALIFORNIA'S RECYCLING CENTERS CLOSED? LOOKING FOR SOLUTION THE STATE FUNDED PILOT PROJECTS. >> SAN FRANCISCO'S PROJECT HAS BEEN UP FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND MICHAEL FINNEY HAS CHECKED IN TO SEE HOW IT IS DOING. >> LAST TIME I CHECKED THESE GUYS OUT SAN FRANCISCO HAD THREE RECYCLING LOCATIONS AND NOT VERY MANY VISITORS. NOW THERE ARE 20 AND PEOPLE ARE SHOWING UP. SAN FRANCISCO'S MOBILE RECYCLING PILOT PROJECT IS NOW ATTRACTING ACTUAL RECYCLERS AND HAPPY ONCE. YOU LIKE THE PROGRAM? >> I LOVE IT BECAUSE WE USED TO JUST DROP IT OFF IN RECYCLING BINS. PEOPLE WOULD STEAL THEM FROM OUR HOUSE. IT IS GREAT TO PUT IT IN THE BAG AND DROP IT OFF WHILE YOU'RE DOING YOUR SHOPPING. >> THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT. >> WE PROCESSED 50,000 BAGS COULD WE RECYCLE ABOUT 3.4 MILLION BOTTLES AND CANS SINCE WE START THE PROGRAM. WE RETURNED 180,000 DOLLARS BACK TO CONSUMERS THAT OTHERWISE WOULD BE STUCK IN SACRAMENTO. FIVE CENTS AND 10 SINCE THEY PUT DOWN BUT IN SAN FRANCISCO WE ARE PUTTING IT BACK INTO PEOPLE'S POCKETS. >> SEES A SUCCESSFUL RAMP-UP OF THE PROGRAM. . CONSUMER WATCHDOG SEES NOTHING BUT FAILURE. >> IT IS A COMPLETE BUST. AFTER 15 MONTHS WE KNOW THE NUMBERS. IT MAY SOUND GREAT. THIS CYCLE THROUGH LEAN CONTAINERS UNTIL YOU FIND OUT THEY SPENT $4 MILLION TO DO IT. THEY ARE SPENDING $.79 TO RETURN A NICKEL TO CONSUMERS. THE PROGRAM DOES NOT WORK. >> HE SAYS COSTS FOR CONTAINER IS NOT AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF THE PROGRAM BUT DID NOT DISPUTE THE COST. HE SAYS EVERY DAY THE PROGRAM IS ALLOWED TO OPERATE AS A DAY GROCERIES AND OTHERS DODGE RESPONSIBILITY. >>>> THIS IS THE ONLY RECYCLING PROGRAM FOR CRV IN ALL OF SAN FRANCISCO. IT HAS REPLACED ALL OF THE MANDATES FOR SUPERMARKETS AND LIQUOR STORES THAT HAD A TAKE IN THE PAST. I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYWAY YOU CAN LOOK AT THE NUMBERS AND SAY IT SUCCEEDED. >> IT HAS GROWN EACH MONTH. YOU CAN SEE THE CURVE IS GOING UP AND UP. WE LOOK AT VIABILITY ARE THE NUMBERS GOING UP OR THEY GOING TO? THE GOING UP? . >> IF YOU WANT TO RECYCLE ANY SAN FRANCISCO I HAVE POSTED A LINK TO THE BOTTLE BANK WEBSITE. I'VE POSTED A LINK TO CONSUMER WATCHDOG'S WEBSITE. YOU WILL FIND ALL OF THAT AT ABC7NEWS.COM/7 ON YOUR SIDE. THIS IS GOING TO HEAT UP OVER THE NEXT COUPLE

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 10,665

Keywords: news, abc, abcnews, newsstory, sf bottlebank, bottle bank, recycling, crv, bottles, cans, sf recycling program, mobile recycling, San Francisco Environment Department, 7 on your side, 7oys, michael finney

Id: CwGx4QXqNNc

Length: 2min 44sec (164 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 09 2023