Modernization of deposit systems: pilot projects extended by three months
Bottles of wine to deposit.
The seven projects led by Recyc-Québec aimed at modernizing the deposit system have been extended until March 31. Quebec wants to collect more data to determine which type of system is the most effective when the deposit will be extended to more types of containers at the end of the year.
Remember that these pilot projects consist of testing innovative concepts with different configurations depending in particular on population density, with the aim of recovering beverage containers that will be recorded by future regulations, explains Recyc-Québec in a press release.
Each pilot project brings us its share of learning and data that will contribute to the achievement of an overall objective, namely that of equipping us with a system of accessible, efficient and efficient deposit.
Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change
The pilot projects which were to end at the end of January will be extended until March 31, 2022, in particular to allow equipment to be tested over the entire winter period and to compensate for the lack of data caused by the pandemic months. Recyc-Québec has invested $1.3 million to set up the pilot projects, and is supporting the extension to the tune of $175,000.
New containers involve modernizing the deposit system
Indeed, the deposit system will expand to all bottles and cans, and should be in place by December 2022. The law mainly amending the Environmental Quality Act in terms of deposit and selective collection was adopted in March 2021.
“Ready-to-drink” beverage containers from 100 milliliters to 2 liters are covered by the extended deposit: bottles of wine and spirits, water bottles, plastic containers currently not returnable, aluminum cans not currently returnable. The deposit will be set at $0.25 for wine and spirits containers and $0.10 for all other returnable containers.
In its preliminary report, Recyc-Québec notes that more than 8 .5 million containers were recovered during the first six months and the contamination rate is below 3%. Automated equipment seems to facilitate and speed up operations in addition to reducing the need for ongoing customer support.
