Deposit on beverage containers | Possible solutions neglected by bottlers

Social economy companies have solutions to the difficulties affecting the deployment of Quebec’s new deposit system on beverage containers, but they deplore the lack of transparency and openness of the bottlers responsible for setting it up.

Sorting centers, resource centers and other waste management companies in many regions of Quebec, with a total of more than 600 employees and already having storage and transportation infrastructure, say they are ready to recover containers now .

But discussions are difficult with the Quebec Association for the Recovery of Beverage Containers (AQRCB), the private organization created by bottlers to manage the new system, under the principle of “extended producer responsibility” (REP).

“We don’t have all the information,” laments Jacob Homel, director of public affairs for the Chantier de l’entreprises sociale, a non-profit organization dedicated to the development of collective entrepreneurship in Quebec, which says it has discussions with the AQRCB since the end of December.

“A good process must include stakeholders in a transparent manner,” he insists, saying that social economy companies need to prepare to respond to possible calls for tenders.

The fact that social economy enterprises are well established in their environment is another reason to include them in the management of the new deposit system, argues Jacob Homel.

“There, we have the option of encouraging companies anchored in their territory, which generate local jobs, which are often social integration companies; to ultimately encourage regional vitality, [car] social economy companies invest in the community, they are not in the privatization of profit,” he says.

The reform of the deposit system represents a “great social transformation”, and the consequences of failure would be “serious”, warns Mr. Homel.

“If there is a loss of confidence in REPs, it will increase landfill costs and move us away from our targets [environnementales] “, he warned, nevertheless believing that there is still time to readjust the shot.

“It has to be a success and for it to be a success you have to include the community,” he said. And these are social economy enterprises. »

The AQRCB did not wish to respond to these concerns, which follow the revelations of The Press on its delays and financing problems.

Quebec maintains confidence

The Legault government is following “very closely” the preparations for the deployment of the second phase of its reform of the deposit system, indicated the Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlife. Parcs, Benoit Charette, in a statement sent to The Press by his office.

“This is a necessary change that requires all stakeholders to put their shoulders to the wheel to be successfully completed,” he affirmed, recognizing that this reform “brings its share of challenges” .

Minister Charette also said he was “satisfied with the work that was done for the first phase of the instructions by the AQRCB last November.”