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Burbank Recycling Center resumes CRV payments

Burbank Recycling Center in 2019.
(Times Community News)
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The Burbank Recycling Center is resuming CRV reimbursements today more than 10 months after getting wrapped up a state fraud case and losing its certification.

Reimbursements were discontinued at the center in late December 2011 because it no longer received state CRV funds for curbside recycling after its former operator -- Geoff Folsom and Burbank Recycling Inc. -- allegedly bilked the state out of $33 million in fraudulent recycling claims at a facility in Long Beach.

Burrtec Waste Industries Inc., which took over as contractor for the site, and has since been working with the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery to regain certifications to start paying CRV reimbursements for beverage containers.

CRV is 5 cents for each eligible container less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces or more, according to city officials.

During the past 10 months, the center has paid minimal amounts for aluminum cans, clear plastic bottles and opaque plastic items. Other recyclables, including glass, received no payment.

“This is great news for local residents who have supported the city’s recycling program since 1984,” said Kreigh Hampel, the city’s recycling coordinator.

He added that the center, located at 500 Flower St., has been getting calls every day from residents asking when the buy-back program would start again.

Resuming CRV reimbursements at the Flower Street facility will relieve some pressure on the only other buy-back facility in Burbank, located in the Ralph’s parking lot at 1100 N. San Fernando Blvd., city officials said.

-- Mark Kellam, Times Community News

Follow Mark Kellam on Twitter: @LAMarkKellam

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