How It Works?
Your Guide to Recycling with Recycle.Blue
At Recycle.Blue, our mission is to make recycling simple and rewarding for everyone.
Here’s how it works in greater detail:
1. Sign Up and Set Up Your Profile
Getting started is easy. Download the Recycle.Blue app, and register by choosing your role:
- Community Member: Whether you’re an individual or a household, you can receive payment for recycling your bottles and cans from home or donate your earnings to support schools and community programs.
- PTA Volunteer: As a volunteer, you can help manage your school’s recycling efforts by collecting and sorting materials from classrooms.
- Certified Recycling Advocate: Join our team of certified recycling advocates. Help educate the community as well as pick up recyclables and drop them off at recycling centers—all while earning extra income.
2. Sort Your Recyclables
Color-Coded Bags and Barcode Instructions
Once registered, you’ll receive a starter kit with color-coded bags and barcodes. Use the right bag for the right material: To streamline the recycling process, Recycle.Blue provides color-coded bags to help you organize your recyclables. Each bag corresponds to a specific material:
Brown Bag for paper (e.g., cardboard, magazines)
Blue Bag for aluminum (e.g., cans, foil)
Yellow Bag for plastic (e.g., bottles, containers)
Each bag comes with a barcode that helps us track your recycling efforts. Scan the barcode when you start using the bag to record it in the app.
Using the Barcodes
Color-Coded Bags and Barcode Instructions
Each color-coded bag has a barcode to ensure proper tracking and accountability. Here’s how to use them:
Start by scanning the barcode
Each bag's barcode must be scanned using the app before you start filling it. This step connects the bag to your account.
Track your progress
As you fill the bag, the app will track your recycling activity. You’ll be able to monitor how much material you’re contributing and its potential value through the Recyculator feature.
Replacements
When you’re running low on bags, you can easily order a new set through the app. Your new bags will come with fresh barcodes, ready to use.
3. Track Your Recycling Value with Recyculator
Before you schedule a pickup or drop-off, you can estimate the value of your recyclables using our Recyculator feature. Enter the weight or quantity of materials you’re recycling, and the app will calculate how much you’ll earn. You can then choose to:
- Get Paid based on the confirmed weight or quantity, or
- Donate your earnings to a school or community program.
4. Schedule Pickup or Drop Off
Once your bags are full, you can choose between three options:
Instant Pick up
If you want instant pickup then notify to the recycling advocate or recycling centers they'll come and pick-up from your location. Just put your items out for us to pick up and you’re done! We’ll handle the rest.
Schedule Pick up
Schedule a convenient pickup using the app, and one of our Certified Recycling Advocates will collect your bags directly from your location. Just put your items out for us to pick up and you’re done! We’ll handle the rest.
Drop Off
Alternatively, drop off your recyclables at a nearby recycling center. Simply scan the barcode on the bags when you arrive to ensure your recycling is properly recorded.
5. Get Paid or Donate
Once your recyclables are processed, you’ll be paid based on the weight or quantity. Alternatively, you can donate your earnings to one of the local schools or community programs listed in the app.
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers!
Some of our more frequently asked questions are listed below for your convenience. If you have a question that is not addressed in the FAQ section, please contact us and we’ll get you an answer right away.
At this time we pick up in the cities of Irvine, Corona, Orange, Rancho Santa Margarita, Riverside, Laguna Niguel, Costa Mesa and Unincorporated Areas in Orange County, California.
Our Mobile App makes scanning in your bags and scheduling your pick ups much easier!
Download App For ANDROID
Download App For Apple
Our customers can also log in to their account on our web site and schedule a pick up using the web based system. We strongly recommend downloading and using the Mobile App versions for ease of use.
Having issues with scanning our codes? You can also manually enter the letter configuration and progress to the next step in the process of scheduling a pick up.
Consumers pay California Redemption Value (CRV) when they purchase beverages from a retailer. They receive CRV refunds when they redeem the containers at a recycling center. Most beverages packaged in aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metal containers are eligible for CRV. (Notable exceptions are milk products).
As of Jan 1, 2024, all wine and distilled spirits are included in the CRV program. CA CRV rate per item is 5 cents for each beverage container less than 24 ounces. CA CRV rate is 10 cents for each container 24 ounces or greater.
Our program pays by weight at the current CA CRV rates rather than by item count with the exception of wine and liquor containers which are paid by count.
As part of the CalRecycle Pilot program, Recycle From Home shall pay the refund value for no more than 25 pounds of aluminum or plastic beverage containers, per consumer per day. Likewise, it shall pay the refund value for no more than 250 pounds of glass beverage containers, received from a given consumer per day.
Here is a visual guide to determine approximate weight of your bags.
Yes, we will accept crushed or non-crushed aluminum cans and plastic bottles.
Electronic Payments and all checks over $15 are typically made within 1 business day of processing your recyclables. Funds are sent to you through your selected choice of payment method when you set up your account.
Recycle from Home™ customers choosing to not be paid electronically get paid by physical check once their account has reached a minimum of $15. You may change your payment method at any time through your customer account settings or by calling our office and speaking to a customer service representative.
Note: If a mailed check is your choice of payment method, please allow 2-3 days for local postal carriers to deliver to you.
Recycle from Home™ pays you 100% of the published CA CRV rates. This, minus a 10% service fee to cover our program costs.
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 2500(e) (2), requires Recycling Centers
to post refund CA CRV rates by weight, by container, and by material type. Current recycling program CA CRV rates
Recycle from Home™ customers choosing mailed check as their payment method get paid by check once their account has reached a minimum of $15. You may change your payment method at any time through your customer account settings or by calling our office and speaking to a customer service representative.
All CA CRV processed through Recycle from Home™ needs to be separated into separate categories. Please bag up your items separately so cans aren’t mixed with plastic bottles.
Non broken CA CRV glass bottles are also separated in its own bag. (We have a 20lb limit on glass bags please – that’s approximately 1/4 bag full). See our What We Take page for details.
You can let us know when you schedule a pick-up or you can contact us at any time. We will drop off the items to your residence. Need more bags to complete a scheduled pick up? No problem – our drivers carry bags and bar code labels to supply to our customers.
We ask that all Recycle From Home™ customers use our supplied bags. We recycle all our plastic bags after processing. For this reason, we need them to all be the same exact material when it’s being processed. If you need more bags from us, just let us know!
The bags we provide are 44 gallon clear bags.
Recycle From Home™ only picks up CA CRV labeled items. For a full list of what we take, see our What We Take page. If you have other recyclable items that are non CA CRV, we suggest you take them to OC Recycling for processing.
Note: We will pick up e-waste at the same time as your CA CRV item pick up.
When scheduling your pick up, you can specify any pick up specifics (on porch, next to driveway, etc. However, our drivers do not enter your home or go into areas that are not easily accessible for safety reasons. This includes backyards, side yards with a fence, or garages.
We suggest you double bag and load no more than 20lbs of NON-broken glass bottles in each bag. (About 1/4 bag)
With Recycle From Home™, you can recycle right from your home or office. We are committed to meet the recycling needs of the cities of Irvine, Corona, Orange, Rancho Santa Margarita, Riverside, Laguna Niguel, Costa Mesa and Unincorporated Areas in Orange County, California through a very convenient process. The six steps of our recycling process are:
- Step 1: Bag up your CRV materials
- Step 2: Tie up your bags and place them outside
- Step 3: Add the proper bar code labels to your bags
- Step 4: Schedule a pick-up with Recycle From Home™
- Step 5: Our drivers pick up your recyclables your bags
- Step 6: Receive your redemption, based on the CA CRV rates.
And just like that, you can easily recycle from home to help the environment, and get paid for it.
At Recycle From Home™, we accept all CA CRV materials, which include aluminum, glass, plastic and bi-metal containers. Beverage packages that aren’t eligible for CA CRV recycling include milk and milk products. Learn more about what we take here.
Yes! As of 1/1/2024, Wine and Liquor bottles are part of the CA CRV program.
Get Started with Recycle.Blue
Joining Recycle.Blue is quick and easy! Download the app, register and start making a difference today.
Join the Movement!
Together, we can create a cleaner, greener planet. Recycling Just Got Easier with Recycle.Blue!