Is California's recycling system in a sustainability crisis?

Saw this recycling drop off point from across a parking lot, with the mid-day sun hitting the colors of the cans. It was begging to be captured.

The state's recycling program is one of the most successful in the country. Yet it's processing more than it can actually afford to.

Now that the holiday weekend is over, your garbage bin might be overflowing with empty bottles and cans.

Most of it will be recycled.

To give you an idea: Last year, Californians bought 23 billion bottles and cans. Over 18 billion were recycled. That's a recycling rate of 78 percent.

The state’s system, CalRecycle, is one of the most successful in the country, yet it's processing more than it can actually afford to and this is putting the agency in something of a sustainability crisis.

Last summer, we spoke with Susan Collins about this phenomenon, and now she gives us an update. She’s the executive director of a research organization called The Container Recycling Institute.

To listen to the full segment, click the blue play button above.