More and more jurisdictions are opting for legislation that encourages refillables and
levies Geposits. Prince Edward Isiand has one of the most progressive policies as it
bans not-refillable beer and pop containers. in some jurisdictions retail outlets are
required to take back deposit containers while in others, bottle and can depots have
been set up to handle these containers.

Legislation to encourage or require refillables has led to some innovative pilot
systems that include centralized receiving and sorting facilities. centralized washing
facilities and a move towards standardization of containers. These is also a trend
away from glass containers and towards durable polycarbonate plastic which can
be refilled up to 100 times.

Municipal recycling collections programs should still play a major role in any deposit
system. Uniess the deposit levy is very high there vrill always be people who prefer
to use the convenience of the biue box rather than take their containers back to a
retail outlet or a depot. An expanded deposit strategy would not mean the end of
municipal recycling programs. The biue box is just one of the North Shore
Recycling Program initiatives and in fact the containers collected in the blue box
comprise only 24% of the total material collected. Newspapers and inserts make
up the other 76%. :

It is not cost effective to manually separate the aluminum from the tin/stee! food

cans so we only receive scrap value. Glass currently has a negative value and the

plastic pop bottles ara so few that it takes months to receive enough for a shipment:
to South Carolina. The freight costs take away mvsch of the revenue received from

their, sale. Eliminating beverage containers from the collection system would also

free up space on the recycling vehicles to handle other materials such as mixed

paper.

SUMMARY:

The government has taken tha first step toward removing more beverage containers
from the waste stream. !f indeed waste: reduction is the goal then it must also
consider « policy of deposits on all beverage containers:including milk and juice with
increasingly high levies for disposables and non-refillables. This policy would
encourage a move toward standardization of containers and further experimentation
with refifable PET ard polycarbonate plastics.

Cost is an obvious consideration and the Ministry must look into the issue of
corveniently located depots or “enviro-centres” versus raturmto retail for the return
of usad beverage containers. The Beverage industry should be encouraged to buy
in to the program to cover some or all of these costs.

A PROVE”

MUNICIPAL MANAGER