Sonoma Market ends recycle buy-back

Last week, Sonoma Market said it would step up as the only Sonoma Valley retailer to redeem CRV cans and bottles, but abruptly stopped the buy-back program after being inundated by would-be recyclers.

The flow of folks with bags of empties that clogged the service desk and grocery lines was too disruptive, Al Marino, the store manager, said Friday.

The area’s CRV buy-backs had been handled by rePlanet, a state-certified company operating out of Safeway’s south parking lot. But, citing a bad market for commodities pricing of aluminum and plastic, the company shut down 191 of its California locations in January, including Sonoma.

The closure of Sonoma Valley’s only buy-back recycling center may force all beverage retailers into becoming recycling stations – or pay a $100-a-day fine to avoid the hassle.

Marino said retailers have recently received a 60-day reprieve for fines from the state, which is trying to find a long-term solution.

The nearest pay-out location is Petaluma Recycling Center, 315 Second Street, in Petaluma.

Save