Consumers who buy bottles of water, glasses, plates and even containers of windshield washer fluid in the shops of Prévost, in the Laurentians, will have to put their hands in their pockets. They will be asked to pay a fee on these single-use plastic products at the checkout, a first in the country according to the mayor of the place, Paul Germain.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
The initiative, however, is not unanimous with local retailers, who fear losing customers to stores in surrounding towns. A little less than twenty merchants are affected by this municipal by-law.
A sum of 10 cents for a bottle of water, 50 cents for a pack of single-use dishes, 25 cents for a disposable tablecloth, 10 cents for a disposable coffee cup, these are examples of fees – called eco-contributions – what customers who shop at Prévost retailers will have to pay, starting on 1er July 2022. The money collected will go directly to the Responsible Consumption Fund and will be used to finance other green initiatives.
“We are the first and we are very proud of that”, launched Mr. Germain during a videoconference interview with The Press, tuesday. However, he added that he was not ready to “go into prohibition” by completely banning the sale of bottled water, for example.
This is the third phase of a municipal by-law aimed at reducing plastic consumption. The idea also aims to encourage traders to find alternatives by selling in particular products in bulk, which will not be subject to any royalty.
Already, since 1er September 2021, retailers can no longer sell plastic straws, coffee stirrers or cotton swabs. And from 1er May, those who want to continue to put plastic water bottles or containers of windshield washer fluid on their shelves will also have to offer a greener alternative solution to their customers, such as a water fountain or a filling.
The idea is to create a virtuous circle, says Mr. Germain. The more people who will use the bulk, the better it goes [réduire] the City’s waste bill.
Paul Germain, Mayor of Prévost
According to figures provided by the town hall, approximately one million bottles of water are thrown away annually in Prévost, a municipality of 13,300 inhabitants. With this initiative, Paul Germain calculates that each inhabitant will generate about 10 kg less waste per year.
Will the eco-contribution really have a deterrent effect on consumers accustomed to buying their can of windshield washer fluid or their disposable tableware for picnics, for example? “The important thing for me is to give the choice, answers the mayor. We didn’t want to cause our consumers to migrate to other cities. We tried to be very reasonable. You have to try to reduce to places where it doesn’t hurt too much. »
Growls at some traders
However, this is exactly the fear expressed by Prévost traders, on condition of anonymity. They declined to be cited for fear of reprisals. Unhappy, they claim to be “disadvantaged” compared to retailers in surrounding towns who do not charge a fee.
The Quebec Food Retailers Association (ADA) also opposes these new measures, says Stéphane Lacasse, Director of Public Affairs. He wants to assure that his association is in favor of the implementation of greener initiatives, but what the mayor is proposing is not desirable for traders.
We already pay a tax for recovery and soon, there will be the deposit put in place by the Quebec government.
Stephane Lacasse
According to him, this regulation will only overtax citizens. “The management of operations once customers have reached the checkout will also be complicated,” he apprehends.
Michel Fortier, editor-in-chief of Citizens’ newspaper, which notably covers the territory of Prévost, also confirms that “some merchants find it hard”, this regulation. Mr. Fortier adds that the last two years have been difficult for retailers. This initiative comes, according to him, to add a heaviness.
For his part, Paul Germain recognizes that his city “is in a management of change”. “But there is a majority of traders who agree with that,” he says.
Present during the interview, Hélène Alain, director of hardware store Patrick Morin, is one of the retailers who support the initiative. “It’s not a problem for us,” she said.
In February, his business installed a windshield washer fluid charging station. As an alternative to bottled water, which is always available at the hardware store, a fountain has been made available to customers.
Meanwhile, the mayor says that two other municipalities should soon announce that they are following Prévost’s lead. “Our goal is not to be the only ones, it is to be copied. »