The project to launch a deposit for glass, plastic and multi-layer cardboard in Quebec will have to wait until March 2025. As of March 1er Next November, however, new cans will be added to the containers accepted at retailers.
The Quebec Association for the Recovery of Beverage Containers (AQRCB), the organization mandated by Recyc-Québec to complete the modernization of the deposit, presented on Thursday the next major stages of its revision of the Quebec deposit model. Postponed several times, the expansion to glass alcohol bottles and all plastic bottles will finally take place on 1er March 2025. The addition of multi-layer juice or milk cartons is brought forward at the same time.
The Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, had already announced this spring the postponement of the extended instructions to “the beginning of 2025”. Its plan to deposit wine bottles and water bottles, for example, was originally supposed to come to fruition in 2022.
“It is wise, in my opinion, […] to carry out the modernization in two phases,” summarized the president and CEO of the AQRCB, Normand Bisson, when questioned about Mr. Charette’s decision. “Wine containers and water containers have a lot more volume and they are also completely different materials. »
Over the past year, while a series of pilot projects on the extended deposit came to an end across Quebec, the Association of Food Retailers of Quebec repeatedly warned Minister Charette that it was still too much to revise the instructions also widely.
“To be able to process these containers, it takes more space. There is currently no space at participating retailers to receive two and a half billion more containers,” agreed Mr. Bisson on Thursday. “We must consider that, given that there are a lot of new materials, it also requires appropriate equipment. »
The AQRCB will take advantage of the next year to provide retailers with cupping machines adapted to the containers that will be added in 2025. “During 2024, there will be the installation of new equipment in anticipation of the expansion. Because obviously, the current machines would no longer be adequate,” said Mr. Bisson.
10 cent deposit
For the moment, in grocery stores, the machines will not change. Although from 1er November, a series of previously refused aluminum cans are added to the returnable containers: slender cans of Perrier or Montellier and small cans of V8, for example.
“The machines currently in place are already capable of accepting returns of aluminum containers. So, at 1er November, it’s the same equipment,” indicated the CEO of the AQRCB.
The major change that will take place in a month rather concerns the value of the deposit. From there, all containers, regardless of size, will be subject to a 10 cent deposit. The only exception: a few glass bottles already returned.
Bottles and cans returnable at 20 cents will also drop to 10 cents. Those wishing to obtain the full refund will have to return their containers to the retailer by November 15.