1. (a) In addition to the requirements set forth in section 2500, a bag drop recycling center, as defined in Public Resources Code section 14503.5.1, shall comply with the requirements of this section.
2. (b) A bag drop recycling center shall pay the refund value for no more than 25 pounds of aluminum, plastic, multi-layer pouch, or paperboard carton beverage containers, 50 pounds of bag in box beverage containers, or 100 pounds of glass beverage containers received from a given consumer per day. For any material received from a consumer in excess of these weight limits, the bag drop recycling center is authorized to pay the consumer the scrap value, but shall not pay in excess of the scrap value for the additional material.

3. (c) A bag drop recycling center is authorized to charge consumers for the following:

   1. (1) A fee for bags provided to consumers to be placed in the bag drop receptacle that are premarked with a barcode or other identification to uniquely identify the consumer's load for redemption of empty beverage containers. The fee shall not exceed the bag drop recycling center's direct cost for the bag. The bag drop recycling center shall provide, upon request of the department within 10 days of the request being sent via email to the contact person's email address provided in the certification application, documentation of the bag drop recycling center's direct cost for the bag.
   2. (2) A transaction fee. The fee shall not exceed the cost of the electronic payment fee charged to the bag drop recycling center by a digital vendor for a financial transaction. The bag drop recycling center shall provide, upon request of the department within 10 days of the request being sent via email to the contact person's email address provided in the certification application, documentation of the cost charged to the bag drop recycling center by a digital vendor for a financial transaction.

4. (d) In addition to the requirements set forth in section 2501, a bag drop recycling center shall do all of the following:

   1. (1) Segregate any line breakage, previously redeemed, previously baled, rejected, or out-of-state containers from eligible beverage containers for each transaction.
   2. (2) Create and maintain a record of the line breakage, previously redeemed, previously baled, rejected, or out-of-state containers per transaction. The record shall contain the count or weight of the material, material type, customer's name, and if available, the customer's contact information.
   3. (3) Deliver the segregated line breakage, previously redeemed, previously baled, rejected, or out-of-state material to a processor. All such material is ineligible for refund value. When delivering the material to a processor, the bag drop recycling center shall keep the line breakage, previously redeemed, previously baled, rejected, or out-of-state containers segregated from any other material being delivered to the processor at the same time. Notwithstanding section 2401, processors shall pay the refund value for all eligible material delivered from a bag drop recycling center regardless of whether the material was delivered at the same time as ineligible material so long as the load was segregated.

5. (e) A bag drop recycling center shall provide immediate access to the department to any storage or inspection location upon request. A bag drop recycling center shall not store empty beverage container material at a residential address.

   1. (A) The refund value is not paid for packaging, contamination such as dirt or moisture, or beverage containers not properly labeled with the California redemption value message, as specified in section 14561 of the Act, or that is otherwise ineligible for redemption.
   2. (B) The bag drop recycling center will discount the refund value, and is authorized to discount scrap value, for loads of containers that include nonredemption material.
   3. (C) The bag drop recycling center is authorized to weigh and inspect the beverage containers at a different location than where the containers are delivered. All deliveries of beverage containers to the bag drop recycling center are subject to reduction of the refund value as described in subparagraphs (A) and (B). All deliveries to the bag drop recycling center are final.

   4. (2) If the bag drop recycling center uses a smartphone application, website, or other electronic means to communicate with or pay the refund value to consumers, the bag drop recycling center is authorized to alternatively provide the notice specified in paragraph (1) through the smartphone application, website, or other electronic means.

      1. (A) Payment method sign. A bag drop recycling center issuing payment to consumers via a method other than as provided in section 2095 shall display a sign informing consumers of all alternative forms of payment offered by the bag drop recycling center.
      2. (B) Daily purchase limits. A bag drop recycling center shall display a sign informing consumers of the consumer daily weight limits specified in subdivision (b).
      3. (C) A bag drop recycling center shall display a sign explaining what types of materials it cannot redeem using the bag drop receptacle and how the bag drop recycling center will redeem those types of materials.
      4. (D) Alternative recycling locations. A bag drop recycling center shall display a sign that includes the address of the nearest recycling center that is not a bag drop recycling center or reverse vending machine where consumers can receive immediate payment of the refund value for all beverage container types. If the bag drop recycling center charges a bag fee or a transaction fee to the consumer, the sign shall specify that the consumer is able to redeem empty beverage containers at the alternative recycling location without being charged a bag fee or a transaction fee.
      5. (E) Non-operational equipment/full receptacle. A bag drop recycling center shall display a sign if the bag drop receptacle is non-operational or is full and cannot accept any more of a particular container material type. The sign shall include the nearest recycling center that is not a bag drop recycling center or reverse vending machine where consumers can receive immediate payment of the refund value for all beverage container types.
      6. (F) Contacting the operator. A bag drop recycling center shall display a sign providing a method of contact to notify the bag drop recycling center in the event the equipment is non-operational.

      7. (G) Fees and payments. A bag drop recycling center shall display a sign that includes all of the following:

         1. (i) The timeframe in which payment will be issued.
         2. (ii) How questions or complaints will be addressed by the bag drop recycling center.
         3. (iii) If applicable, the amount of the fee charged to the consumer for providing the consumer with bags to be placed in the bag drop receptacle.
         4. (iv) If applicable, the amount of the transaction fee charged to the consumer.

      (g)(1) In addition to the signage requirements of section 2065, a bag drop recycling center shall display the following signs on the bag drop receptacle:

   5. (2) If the bag drop recycling center uses a smartphone application, website, or other electronic means to communicate with or pay the refund value to consumers, the bag drop recycling center is authorized to alternatively notify consumers of the information specified in paragraph (1) through the smartphone application, website, or other electronic means.

   (f)(1) Prior to accepting material, a bag drop recycling center shall provide a notice to consumers containing the following statements:

6. (h) The signs required by this section shall be displayed conspicuously in places easily seen by the public at all times the bag drop recycling center is open to the public. All signs shall be legible.

7. (i) A bag drop receptacle shall be kept secure by the bag drop recycling center by ensuring both of the following:

   1. (1) That a deposit of empty beverage containers in a sealed bag cannot be withdrawn from the bag drop receptacle by anyone other than the bag drop recycling center.
   2. (2) That a deposit of empty beverage containers in a sealed bag is protected from debris, moisture, contamination, hazardous waste, fire, and theft.

Note: Authority cited: Section 14536, Public Resources Code. Reference: Section 14538, Public Resources Code.

History

1. New section filed 8-11-2025 as an emergency; operative 8-11-2025 (Register 2025, No. 33). This action is deemed an emergency pursuant to Public Resources Code section 14536(b) and shall remain in effect until revised by the director.