Supervisors discuss CRV buyback amid COVID-19

Humboldt County’s top health official provided an update to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday morning, lauding the residents for doing well.

“I would say overall … we actually are doing really well. I give huge credit to the residents who have really, I think, made an enormous effort to embrace the protective measures that we’ve been talking about,” Dr. Teresa Frankovich told the board.

She noted the county will remain in the orange state tier. She noted for the week ending Sept. 12, the local data could have put Humboldt County in the red zone, but the following week the numbers improved. As of Monday, there were 508 cases total in Humboldt County with 23 of

them active.

Fifth District Supervisor Steve Madrone noted that while there are local highlights and success navigating the pandemic, but there is one large problem.

“We are doing really well on many, many things,” he said. “One of the things that is not working well at all is the CRV buyback program that’s been completely collapsed under COVID.”

He noted that Oregon offers machines that allow individuals to deposit cans for redemption value. He said he has received numerous calls from constituents asking “how many bags can you store in your yard?” or noting bag collections were spurring “animal problems.”

“It’s high time we create a campaign to bring back the nickel, you know, either don’t charge the nickel or accept the stuff back,” Madrone said.

Humbolt Waste Management Authority did open restart its CRV buyback program at the beginning of September, but it didn’t last long.

“(HWMA) opened up for like a day and then they got overwhelmed,” Madrone said.

He suggested creating a system based on last names that allow certain people to go on certain days.

Fourth District Supervisor Virginia Bass said she would take the issue up with colleagues at the California State Association of Counties. She added she is interested in hearing more about the machines used in Oregon.

“I can tell you every time I open up my attic,

I have things fall on my head, and it does get really old after a while,” she said. “Pretty soon you start getting bugs and it’s not a good thing at all so I’ll see what I can find out (at CSAC) this week from now.”

First District Supervisor Rex Bohn said the issues with the program rest on the state.

“It’s all on CalRecycle,” he said.

He noted that CRV buyback programs lose money because of the declining value of aluminum.

“HWMA is working extremely hard on getting some answers,” he added. “And we don’t have any answers. I think that’s the most frustrating thing we do in this job is when people say, ‘I want my nickel.’ “

Bohn mentioned he seeing more recyclable materials left as trash in neighborhoods.

“Yesterday morning there were two bags of recyclables dumped on the front steps of the courthouse,” he said. “I don’t think they were just left there for any other reason.”

He added that both North Coast lawmakers, Jim Wood and Mike McGuire, have been advocating for some solutions in CRV buyback.

Madrone noted the system is broken, echoing words from 2nd District Supervisor Estelle Fennell, that it took the pandemic to make the problem more visible.

“It’s quite interesting the stores are literally paying CalRecycle to not do it,” he said. “You know anytime you got a system where people are paying to not do something, something’s very wrong with the system.”