In California and other states, aluminum cans, plastic water bottles and glass bottles for beer, pop, etc. are assessed a “California Redemption Value.”
You can recycle the containers but you never get what you paid, especially with the plastic containers. The redemption centers pay by the pound and the plastic is nearly worthless. Gallon water bottles are 10 cents each but the exact same container for milk has no fee. People go through trash on pickup days to scavenge for them.
I always called it the “Bum Tax.”
“California Redemption Value.”
Thank you!