As reported yesterday by some news outlets, CLYNK will be closing its Biddeford, Maine processing facility in the coming months as part of a broader effort to modernize and strengthen our recycling operations.

We want to reassure our customers that will continue serving Maine customers, and you can keep using your CLYNK bags and drop-off locations as usual.

This transition is part of a longer-term investment in a more modern, reliable recycling system that will improve service and help support Maine’s Bottle Bill for years to come. We’ll share more details in the coming weeks, and we appreciate your continued trust in CLYNK.

Our website will be down for maintenance from 10 PM on May 19 until 6 AM on May 20 (EDT). Thanks for your patience!

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Acceptable Use Policy

CLYNK Bag Drop Acceptable Use Policy – California

Last Updated: September 3, 2026

Eligibility and Scope

The CLYNK Bag Drop service is offered by participating recycling centers in California. You may use the service only for the redemption of eligible California Redemption Value (“CRV”) beverage containers.

Bags may include a mix of CRV-eligible plastic, metal, and glass containers in the same bag.

You are only eligible to use the CLYNK Bag Drop service if you agree to comply with this Acceptable Use Policy, CLYNK Privacy Policy (https://www.clynk.com/privacy-policy-ca-en/), CLYNK Terms and Conditions (https://www.clynk.com/terms-and-conditions-ca-en/), and any requirements of the recycling center.

Accepted Materials

  • Only properly labeled CRV-eligible beverage containers are accepted.
  • No trash, non-CRV items (including line breakage, scrap, out-of-state, or previously baled containers), or hazardous materials may be placed in bags.
  • Containers must be empty and free of excessive contamination.
  • A recycling center may have its own limitations on the types of CRV-eligible materials it accepts.

The recycling center reserves the right to reject or downgrade bags that contain:

  • Non-redeemable containers
  • Contaminated, excessively crushed, or damaged containers
  • Prohibited materials

Bag Requirements

  • All materials must be deposited in either a standard 13-gallon kitchen trash bag or a CLYNK bag, which may be purchased from a participating recycling center.
  • Each bag must have one valid, unique CLYNK bag tag properly affixed prior to drop-off, which may be printed at a participating recycling center.
  • The CLYNK bag tag on each bag must be scanned at the kiosk door prior to depositing the bag in the kiosk for redemption.
  • Bags must be securely closed and intact at the time of deposit.

Each bag should not contain more than 20 glass bottles or weigh more than 20 pounds. Comingling of material types (i.e., plastic, aluminum, and glass) is recommended to reduce the risk of breakage. Customers are responsible for filling bags appropriately. Improper bags (including oversized bags, missing bag tags, multiple bag tags, open, or damaged bags) may not be processed or accepted. Customers will not be issued CRV Refunds for loose containers.

Deposit and Custody of Materials

By depositing a bag at a CLYNK bag drop location, you transfer title, possession, and control of the contents to the participating recycling center. You waive any right to reclaim, recover, or access materials once deposited. The recycling center will process the bag after drop-off and may do so at a different location than drop-off.

The recycling center is not responsible for:

  • Bags that are not properly deposited in designated receptacles
  • Bags that are missing, tampered with, or improperly tagged

Counting and Payment

  • Containers are counted by the participating recycling center.
  • CRV Refund value recorded in your CLYNK account will be based on the verified count of eligible containers, not the customer’s estimate.
  • The CRVrefundvaluefor eligible containers counted will be recorded in your CLYNK account within three business days after drop-off (or as otherwise required by law). Timing is subject to processing and systems constraints.
  • Depending on the recycling center, you may be able to receive payment of the CRV refund value recorded in your CLYNK account at:
    • A cash machine at the recycling center, or
    • Through a third-party payment platform or service (such as PayPal or Venmo) used by the participating redemption center, which the customer can choose through the CLYNK app.

Daily Limits Imposed by CalRecycle

Pursuant to AB 1311 Bag Drop Emergency Regulations Section 2500.2(b) issued by CalRecycle, a bag drop recycling center shall pay the refund value for no more than the following received from a given consumer per day:

  • 25 pounds of aluminum, plastic, multi-layer pouch, or paperboard carton beverage containers;
  • 50 pounds of bag in box beverage containers; or
  • 100 pounds of glass beverage containers.

If a consumer exceeds these daily weight limits, all material over the limit will be forfeited, and no value will be recorded in the customer’s CLYNK account for any material over the limit.

Because participating recycling centers may transfer bags from the drop off location to another location for counting and processing, it may not be possible to determine at the time of drop off whether the contents of a particular bag exceed the customer’s daily weight limits.

Account Responsibility

You are responsible for:

  • Maintaining the security of your CLYNK account and bag tags
  • Ensuring bags are properly filled, affixed with a proper CLYNK bag tag, and deposited

Unauthorized use, fraud, or misuse of bags, bag tags, or accounts may result in account suspension or termination. The participating recycling center and CLYNK may investigate suspected fraudulent activity and, when appropriate, refer such matters to law enforcement authorities.

Compliance

Your failure to comply with all applicable California recycling laws, CLYNK’s policies and terms and conditions, and the participating recycling center’s policies and procedures may result in the permanent closure of your CLYNK account. For more information on CLYNK accounts, see CLYNK Terms and Conditions (https://www.clynk.com/terms-and-conditions-ca-en/).

Locating an Alternative Recycling Location

You can locate an alternative recycling location on CalRecycle’s website: https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/wheretorecycle/.