There is good news and bad news for recycling and waste to start off this new year.

The bad news: Americans now produce 4.4 pounds of solid waste per person per day compared to 3.7 pounds in 1980. Sam Roberts from the New York Times found these alarming numbers in the Census Bureau's 2007 Statistical Abstract of the United States. With our emphasis of recycling, waste diversion and reduction, how can it be that we are producing more trash? For one thing, Americans now drink 10 times more single-serve bottled water than in 1980. There is more stuff to buy with the influx of computers, cell phones, and electronic devices. These items create waste in their manufacture, packaging, and inevitable disposal or recycling.

The good news: starting on January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) for all bottles and cans increased from 4 cents to 5 cents (containers 24 ounces or greater are worth 10 cents).

The interesting thing about this change is that when you buy sodas, beer, water, and other drinks (except milk, wine or distilled spirits), you continue to pay 4 cents as a deposit. For your 4 cent investment, you will receive 5 cents when you turn in your CRV cans and bottles. That's a cool and immediate 25 percent increase on your investment. No bank or stock or mutual fund can match that.

California's CRV Buy Back program started in 1986. Officials estimate that more than 160 billion aluminum, glass, and plastic beverage containers have been recycled. Those cans and bottles would fill up alllanes of Interstate 5 with a wall 14 feet high the entire length of the state.

You can take advantage of this found money by bringing your cans and bottles to VALCORE Recycling or one of the other 6 Vallejo CRV recycling centers. Call 1-800-RECYCLE for locations and times.

Residents can also help keep our curbside recycling costs down by placing these valuable containers in their blue bins. The bad news is there may be more recycling theft because of this price increase. You can help prevent this by placing your blue bin filled with paper recycling on top of the cans and bottle bin. If you know when the recycling truck comes to your neighborhood, you can set it out closer to that time instead of a day ahead.

Derek Crutchfield, Vallejo's Recycling Coordinator, advises that when you see someone stealing cans and bottles to jot down a description of the individual, the vehicle and license number, or shopping cart. Do not confront the person but call the Vallejo Police Department at 648-52632 or 644-4VPD. Derek is hoping that the new recycling carts that will be delivered this Spring will make it harder for people to steal the valuable CRV containers.

NEW PHONE BOOK RECYCLING GUIDE.

Your new AT&T Phonebook has arrived and in the yellow pages you will find the updated Solano County Recycling Guide. You can flip out the Recycling Guide tab for easy reference. All CRV Buy Back locations and hours are listed on page 5. Other features are locations for recycling hazardous waste, motor oil, and construction waste. Your recycling coordinator is listed as well as resources for community recycling and reuse options. Updates to this guide are found on www.recycle-guide.com along with current recycling events.

E-Waste Recycling Event

There is a free E-Waste Recycling event on January 20 and 21 at Benicia High School located at 1101 Military West. The hours are from 9 am to 3 pm each day. Items accepted include computers and monitors, printers, fax machines, copiers, televisions, VCR & DVD players, toner cartridges, telephones, cellular phones and MP3 players. For more information call 1 888 832-9839.

Three more options for E-Waste recycling include pick-up by Vallejo Garbage, drop off at local Goodwill stores or FMRC. FMRC (707 551-7072) is located at 724 Lincoln Road East in Vallejo and open from 10am to 4 pm, Monday to Friday.