New containers will be deposited from November 1

All aluminum containers from 100 ml to 2 liters can be recovered from 1^er In Quebec next November, the deposit will now be standardized at 10 cents, excluding those made of glass, the Quebec Association for the Recovery of Beverage Containers (AQRCB) announced Tuesday.

By increasing the deposit from 5 to 10 cents for most containers, theAQRCB Wanted to add an incentive for recycling, while simplifying the process for citizens and retailers. Glass bottles from 500 ml to 2 liters carry a 25 percent deposit.

However, consumers can avail the current 20 percent deposit benefit on certain containers till November 15.

This is the first step in the modernization of the deposit system in Quebec. The second and final phase, planned from 1^er March 2025, includes deposit for all plastic, glass and multi-layer cardboard containers from 100 ml to 2 litres. Plastic carbonated water bottles, wine and spirits bottles, for example, are among the new eligible products.

The current deposit system is very efficient. It achieves a recovery rate of 73%. The goal is to get to a 90% recovery rate.

Necessary adjournment

Although the extension of the deposit has been postponed several times in recent years, Normand Bisson believes it is a wise decision by the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Combating Wildlife and Parks.

Wine and water containers have a much larger volume and completely different materials. So, processing these containers takes up a lot of space at the retailers. We must work on return infrastructure, consider appropriate equipmentHe says.

By March 2025, the company wants to install equipment that allows glass to be crushed on site, at retailers, to optimize the transport of the material.

No news Gobblers By now

The association estimates that the first expansion of the deposit will affect 300 million containers, but does not plan to add equipment to collect cans in stores.

rate of consumption [des machines] Currently it is around 20%. The park is not being used to its maximum capacity, so we believe the equipment in place is adequate. If we see needs, we will respond to themNormand Bisson argued.

However, new equipment will be added in 2024, anticipating the final phase in 2025.

All retailers who sell returnable containers and have a sales area of ​​more than 375 square meters must have the necessary facilities to ensure their return. Small retailers are not forced to accept empty containers, but are required to display the nearest return points to their customers.

This is the first time that Quebec’s deposit system has been significantly revised since it came into effect in 1984.AQRCB.

To bring the changes to fruition, the association reported that nine pilot projects were implemented in eight Quebec municipalities in 2021 and 2022.

Concern among grocers

Almost a month before the first change in instructions, many questions for grocers are still unanswered.

The owner of Marché Tradition on Saint-Joseph Street in Quebec City believes that expanding the deposit is not conducive to grocery store operations.

Our job is to sell food products. We should be a clean place. Then we bring in the dirty stuff. People bring 2 liters of juice, milk, maybe still funds, or it grows and we add aroma to it.Eric Courtemanche Baril says.

It also assesses the noise of equipment used to break glass.

Imagine the sound of someone bringing their 12 bottles of red wine and crushing them. We already have the noise of cash registers, customers, ambient noise. In terms of noise, I think it’s not really interesting for customers and my employeesHe adds.

Mr. According to Baril, the deposit of containers should no longer be done in grocery stores, but also in sorting centers or designated drop-off points in cities.

He expressed his anger that no information has been received till now even though it has been almost a month since the project started. For the bins to work, we are entitled to a royalty, but we don’t know what it is. We have no contract withAQRCB. We don’t have a list of barcodes, we can’t program our cash registers. There is still a lot of work to doHe laments.

According to him, the awareness campaign to be launched in the coming days to inform the population about the deposit extension must be effective, otherwise grocers will be left behind. There may be disappointment with containers ranging from 20 to 10 cents. We have to manage itHe \ he said.