Felton and Boulder Creek Recycling Centers to Close July 1

SAN LORENZO VALLEY, CA -- There will be three fewer places to take your recyclables in the Valley starting in early July.

After 30 years of service to the community, the Valley Women’s Club of San Lorenzo Valley has announced the closure of its SLV Redemption/Recycling Centers in Felton, Ben Lomond, and Boulder Creek, effective July 1.

Both the Boulder Creek and Felton Centers will close entirely on June 30. However, the Ben Lomond Transfer Station will continue to provide recycling drop-off services for their wide-variety of materials, but won't offer California Refund for beverage containers (CRV). As a result of these changes, there will be no CRV services in the San Lorenzo Valley after June 30.

"The closures are due to the new structure for recycling operations presented by the Santa Cruz County Public Works Department," Women's Club said in a statement, explaining that County for San Lorenzo Valley recycling operations will now cover only drop-off services at the Ben Lomond Transfer Station.

"California Beverage Container Refund (CRV) services, otherwise known as aluminum can refunds, will not be included in the services the County intends to offer in San Lorenzo Valley or elsewhere," the Women's Club announced stated. "The County ... no longer includes the Boulder Creek or Felton centers in the contract at all."

The Valley Women’s Club said it investigated possible solutions for continuing operation of the local centers and CRV services, but determined there were no viable options.

“The recycling drop-off centers and CRV program are intertwined in every way – equipment, transportation, storage, processing," Recycling Centers Director Matt Harris explained. "Thus, there is no way to pull out of either program and keep the other program running.”

“The VWC truly understands the severe impact this will have on those counting on our Recycling Centers and CRV refund program, and shares their distress and frustration," VWC President Sheila De Lany said. "We’re also concerned about our remarkable team of employees, who have dedicated many years to serving our community.”

The next closest CRV center, according to the Women's Center, is the Costco Gas Station at 220 Sylvania Ave. in Santa Cruz. CalRecycle’s website has hours of operation and locations for all area CRV centers.