The new Citrus Heights mobile recycling center will be situated in the parking lot near the corner of Woodmore Oaks Drive and Sunrise Boulevard. Photo courtesy of CLYNK

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Ivan Pislar and Jacie Leavitt, co-owners and operators of Ivan’s Recycling LLC, hope their planned mobile, drop-off, self-serve CRV bag drop recycling kiosk for which they received city planning department approval for and publicly announced last July will open in the Copperwood Square Shopping Center this fall.

The placement of the new kiosk in the Copperwood shopping plaza in Citrus Heights now depends on final certification required by California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) which administers the state’s overall recycling and waste management program.

“We submitted our application to CalRecycles three months ago. We have since answered each of their additional financial inquiries as they have asked,” Leavitt said. “And we’re optimistic that we have finally answered all of their questions just how individual payments to users will be handled,” she said.

State certification requires proper accounting procedures and logs for all material accepted and how the payment is made to each customer, she said.

A public affairs representative for CalRecycles in Sacramento didn’t respond to a request for comment regarding the specific status of the application now filed by Ivan’s Recycling LLC.

The couple operate two recycling ventures, Simply Recycle in Fair Oaks, and their primary facility at 8002 Zenith Drive in Citrus Heights.

Simply Recycle, opened in November 2024, and located at 4802 San Juan Ave., in Fair Oaks, uses advanced automation technology to eliminate the need to pre-sort, crush and weigh California Redemption Value (CRV) eligible recyclables.

Their Fair Oaks facility, which was also funded by a CalRecycle grant, allows customers to receive deposit vouchers within minutes of dropping off their material, which they can redeem for cash on the spot.

Last summer, Ivan’s Recycling LLC partnered with CLYNK, headquartered in South Portland, Maine for the delivery of a prefabricated, container-style self-service kiosk measuring 160 square feet, or eight feet by 20 feet, with three secured access doors where users can drop off different types of redeemable beverage containers by using a mobile app. Payment is issued electronically to the customer within one to two business days.

The new Citrus Heights mobile recycling center will be situated in the parking lot near the corner of Woodmore Oaks Drive and Sunrise Boulevard. The mobile kiosk has since been completed and is waiting for external company signage to be added, she said.

Several drop windows for different types of recyclables are shown, with large, easy-to-read instructions displayed on the front of the kiosk.

A Clynk mobile recycling unit seen in operation in the Northeast features an overhang that includes lights, which would protect customers from the elements.

Once operational, customers will be able to create a personal account, accumulate a balance and use funds at their discretion (for cash, groceries, or electronic donations to community organizations), according to Clynk.

The planned opening of a new mobile recycling center on the east side of Citrus Heights is a complimentary addition to the couple’s existing facility on the west side of the city near Lichen Drive and their second center in Fair Oaks, they said.

The new recycling facility also satisfies the city’s planning requirements “for a responsible, secure, and community-friendly solution that aligns with the city’s goals to reduce litter, improve environmental outcomes, and to serve local residents on the east side of the city.

Ivan’s Recycling at 8002 Zenith Drive in Citrus Heights is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The company accepts aluminum, plastic and glass CRV containers only, offering fast, friendly service with a streamlined drop-off experience.

For more information about Simply Recycle, visit simply-recycle.com. For general information about recycling, visit calrecycle.ca.gov.