Jeff McDaniel, a senior environmental scientist at CalRecycle, detailed competitive loan programs (Recycling Market Development Zone loans, greenhouse-gas-reduction loans, beverage-container recycling loans and tire-equipment loans) and several grant programs designed to expand reuse and recycling infrastructure. He said RMDZ loans support recycling manufacturers, GHG loans focus on quantifiable greenhouse-gas reductions (with reporting requirements), and beverage-container and tire programs provide targeted funding to processing and redemption infrastructure.

McDaniel provided available-fund estimates for loan tracks: roughly $22 million for RMDZ loans, $5.2 million for greenhouse-gas loans and about $30 million in a nonrevolving beverage-container fund (expires 2027). He also described grant opportunities for reusable beverage-container infrastructure, redemption innovation and glass-recycling pilots. CalRecycle loan approvals are two-step (project eligibility, then financial eligibility) and staff use the "5 C's" of credit (character, capacity, capital, collateral, conditions) to assess applicants.

Why this matters: CalRecycle programs can finance equipment and facilities that turn waste materials into manufacturing feedstock, organics processing, and beverage-container redemption and processing capacity. Applicants should contact CalRecycle loan officers early to assess project and financial eligibility and use the biz-assist email or program inbox for inquiries.

Practical details: Loan interest rates and terms are negotiated; CalRecycle cited typical loan terms of five-year amortizations at an approximate 4% example in some loan tracks and pointed attendees to program contact emails and a shared inbox for initial eligibility checks.