More and more jurisdictions are opting for legislation that encourages refillables and
levies deposits. Prince Edward Island has one of the most progressive policies as it
bans non-retillable beer and pop containers. in some jurisdictions retail outlets are
required to take back deposit containers while in others, bottte 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. Unless the deposit levy is very high there will always be people who prefer
to use the convenience of the blue box rather than take their containers back to a
ratail outlet or a depot. An expanded deposit Strategy vould not mean the end of
municipal recycling programs. The blue 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 aiuminum from the tin/steel food
cans so we oniy receive scrap value. Glass currendy has a negative value and the
plastic pop bottles are so few that it takes months to receive enough for a shipment
to South Carolina. The freight costs take away much 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 the first Step toward removing more beverage containers
from the waste stream. If indeed waste reduction is the goal then it must also
consider a policy of deposits on all beverage containers including milk and juice with
increasingly high levies for disposables and non-refillables. This policy wouid
encourage & move toward sts dardization of containers and further experimentation
with refillable PET and polycarbonate plastics.

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

ay Prone

MUNICIPAL MANAGER