OCC Recycling Center

So it is a drive from Long Beach, but I always feel that this recycling center, appearing to be a student-​staffed venture, is run well and they take most everything. They will take your corrugated boxes and newspapers, household batteries, and even used cooking oil.
I don’t ever feel like I’m being shorted my cash and they are efficient. I feel like I can trust the scales here rather than a converted shipping container operation.
Make sure you de-​cap your plastic bottles and be nice to the kids.

At 13 I was extremely bored and my mum’s friends decided that my time would best spent at EOPS
*they worked there* getting tutored. EOPS is a wonderful program that helps disavantaged college students *to qualify they must have low income and not so great grades plus the urge to better themselves*
They offer a great deal of support with counseling, tutoring, and even a little something to help cover the outrageous costs for books.
Dora Couzard wanted to provide more, and I recall how excited she was when they fulfill the needs of students. One year it was a computer. Another year a used car.
And what does this have to do with recycling you ask?
EVERYTHING!!!
By taking your recycling over to OCC, the funds they gain go to fund EOPS. Now, if you donate bottles/​cans/​cardbox you’re contributing to funding education for those in our community. We all benefit from education, it positively impacts an area when people grow intellectually.
And also, just imagine all that good karma!
I’m no Mother Theresa and you don’t have to be either, but it’s the little things that count. We are capable of improving our surroundings with minimal effort.
So how about it?

I used to bring my recycling here when I had classes at OCC. I stopped after moving and not taking classes at OCC any more. But having visited other recycling locations now, I felt compelled to write because this location is so much more efficient and a more *pleasurable* experience (if that is the proper adjective!) than at other locations. Yes, it has sticky grounds and dirty trash cans — but heck, it’s a recycling center. I like that the workers are helpful. Even though sometimes it’s been crowded, I’ve never had problems finding a parking space and they work fast. And you get your money right away (instead of having to stand in line at a grocery store to cash in).

OCC Recycling Center is great! They are always there to help unload and are even open on Saturdays! Keep up the good work!

I have brought my recyclables here many times. I have always received prompt and courteous service. The guys who work there were very friendly, the cashier was awesome and everyone seemed happy to work there. I will definitely go back there with all my recyclables!

Drop off is easy enough. Parking is limited but if you go middle of day then it’s not so bad. Sometimes I have to show them on containers that there is CRV for CA.
I like that I can take my CRV and some eWaste or home batteries to one location.

The entrance is on Adams between Habor and Fairview. The workers there are really helpful and they get you in and out with cash in hand. There’s only a few parking spaces and sometimes people crowd up the place by not paying attention to the line of cars behind them.
You have to make sure to unscrew all your plastic bottles and make sure there are no liquids, because that’s cheating the scales. Everything is weighed, tallied and you walk up to the cashier for some cashola. =)
They have a whole list of electronic items or metal scraps that can be recycled here. Check out their website for full listing and details.

Growing up in Costa Mesa, I have always seen this place for recycling. It’s kind or ironic that I was having such a devil of a time trying to find a recycling center in my area that I ended up going on a Costa Mesa errand/​run.
I decided to start recycling when I started taking note of my roommate and I using a ridiculous amount of water bottles that could be recycled. So finally I decided to check this place out.
I was greeted by a woman who helped me sort out my wares, gave me a little lesson on what they want/​expect, and sent me on my way.
Although this place has a small parking lot, they are very quick and efficient. I like them lots!
And really, where they’re located is along Adams Street so don’t go traipsing along Fairview Road looking for a recycling center unless you make a turn on Adams.
Once again, they’re quick and no nonsense. Yes I received 3.31 for the plastic bottles but then again, I don’t care for the money anyway, I ended up giving it as a donation.

They are the only place within a short drive that recycle batteries and for that alone they get five stars

I would give OCC Recycling center 5 stars but parking is terrible. Tip get there early or your waiting out in the street it gets backed up and it can be a little gnarly especially because there is a lot of traffic on that street and you’re stopped in the right lane, be careful.
I always go early before 9:30 on weekends, the students are all nice and helpful, I’m in and out in 10 minutes on a bad day. They pay for plastic bottles and cans and glass beer bottles, they do not give money for wine bottles :(not good for us vino lovers.

Yes, this place is small! The parking kind of sucks sometimes, but like other reviewers have mentioned they take virtually ALL of your recyclables. Yeah recycling! Be forewarned that you have to remove all of the caps from your plastic bottles. Why is that? It seems to be getting more common at recycling places. Anyway, lots of people standing outside their cars taking off their bottle caps, hogging up the parking spots that I could be in. The «Russian» cashier (actually Bulgarian) has not worked there for over a year, but was the friendliest person at the place. The other workers are all OCC students, and generally seem to be helpful. Like others have mentioned, they only pay for bottles and cans but the donations of the other stuff helps OCC and the environment. Yeah environment!

Oh, let me at this place!
I have told more stories about my trials and tribulations at OCC Recycling Center than I could even begin to remember. Suffice it to say, I have come home many times from this hellhole swearing I would never return.
Well, I mean it this time.
As Unilocal as my witness, I will never suffer this place again!
Let’s get one thing straight right now. Recycling is garbage. Look up John Tierney’s seminal article on the subject if you don’t believe me. Why do I go? Because she makes me. I don’t know why I can’t be the one to shop at Target because I like shopping there and she hates it. I’ll save that review for another time.
Anyway, here’s what happens when I go to OCC Recycling Center. First, I’m lucky to get a parking space. I’ll never know why this place is so popular. Who has nothing better to do at 11 AM on a Tuesday than to go to a recycling center? Sometimes I have to just drive away in frustration. When I’m lucky, I get a parking space. I get out, and soon I’m swarmed by workers chanting «Donation? Donation?» No donation for you! Aren’t my tax dollars and my old OC Registers enough? I first give them my paper, plastics, aluminum, and wine bottles (why can’t I get money for those?) Then, I give them my pathetic bags of Japanese beer cans (a case at most). Invariably, the next thing I hear is «Is that it?» YES, THAT’S IT! I’m not one of these %$#&%$ with their SUV’s full of plastic water bottles. Why would I drink from a water bottle? I drink beer like a man! Furthermore, I live in an apartment and I don’t have a garage where I can store 937 plastic water bottles like all of these other %$#*@. I put my cans (and beer bottles if I have them) in the pathetic, beat-​up trash cans. Sometimes I have 25.9 oz bottles from The Bruery (another future review). «No money for wine bottles!» They’re not wine bottles, they’re beer bottles! I get incredulous looks from the worker. When it’s my turn for the tabulation, they count my bounty (rarely do I get enough to be weighed) and get in line for my money. I hand in the slip and take out my hemp wallet. The Russian cashier says «Hey, the wallet guy!» (I wonder if you can legally grow hemp in Russia.) She actually gives me a receipt to sign, where I write «Al Gore» or «B. Goode». She then counts out my pathetic payout, usually around $ 1.20 or so. I once got about $ 8.00 (I think they made a mistake on my sheet) and she said «Big payout for you!» I then walk across the disgusting, sticky floor to my car.
I’ll say it again: recycling is garbage. For further information, see
Don’t worry. I’ll never link to the NY Times again. Nor, will I ever go to this stinking, fetid, festering sewer ever again!
How will I get out of it? Don’t worry. I won’t be dumping my precious commodities in the back bay. Starting Thursday, my apartment complex will be collecting recyclables. I guess I’ll save the CRV stuff and try one of these independent entrepreneurs who dwell in supermarket parking lots.
Give a hoot! Don’t pollute!

the good:
–they are much, much faster than most recycling places, like the dude in the parking lot at Stater Bros. unless there’s an overflow crowd, on a weekend during peak hour, this place is a good bet.
–pretty fair prices. I can’t tell any difference between what they give me back and any other recycling joints.
–they take just about anything that’s recyclable (even things like AA batteries), so even if it’s not worth money they’ll take it off your hands and therefore you can help the environment.
–open 7 days
bad:
— the crowds of sort of random /​clueless people taking up all the limited space, sorting their bottles and cans one at a time
— the ground is VERY sticky…
— (sometimes) sorta pushy employees
— a bit out of the way and pain to get to, but not THAT much worse than most. I always have to go down to the light and make a u-​turn
— short hours. they close AT 5, which means yes they’ll be locking the gate on you and your 12 pack of cans at 4:59.
luckily they have a few giant 5-​gal bottled water things to wash your hands when you’re done. get in get out get on with your life.

Wow, $ 3.36 for my recyclables? I took LESS stuff to another facility last month and got back DOUBLE the money! No wonder nobody recycles and our landfills are overflowing with plastic water bottles. I’m sticking to those big ugly eyesores in grocery store parking lots from now on– I figured because this was at OCC it would have a better rate than those places at the supermarket, but I was WRONG! I won’t make that mistake again!