Montreal, November 13, 2023 - The Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association (QBCRA)/Consignaction has signed a major agreement with supplier TOMRA to acquire equipment for the recovery of returnable beverage containers. The equipment covered by the agreement will meet a significant proportion of the needs anticipated at some 400 Consignaction return sites, which will begin to be deployed in the coming months. The arrival of this state-of-the-art equipment will mark a change in recycling methods in Quebec. While the first phase of the modernization was launched on November 1, the conclusion of this agreement is one of the many steps leading up to the deployment of the second phase.
"Consignaction is delighted with this partnership with TOMRA Canada, a trusted equipment manufacturer that has been present in Quebec for 40 years. The proposed innovative, high-performance and reliable solutions will help establish a robust network of return locations and enhance the customer experience for the return of beverage containers," said Normand Bisson, President of the Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association. Facilitating the collection of returnable beverage containers and improving the customer experience are important elements in achieving our ambitious goal of a 90% recovery rate within 10 years," he added.
"It's inspiring to see that Quebec is making tremendous progress in modernizing its beverage container deposit program, promising to become one of the most efficient systems in the world. TOMRA is excited to be a major supplier of automated collection technology for this expansion," says Alain Nault, Senior Vice President, General Manager, TOMRA Canada.
A hybrid network of return locations
The extension of the deposit to wine bottles, water bottles and multi-layer cartons will double the number of beverage containers subject to the deposit to 5 billion units. This expansion necessitates the opening of Consignaction return locations, which will be established in all regions of Quebec. The customer experience will be facilitated by state-of-the-art recovery equipment, rapid service points, an electronic refund application and on-site assistance. Reverse vending machines at retailers will also have to be replaced by March1, 2025, to enable efficient management of the new types of beverage containers that will be covered by the deposit.
A two-phase rollout
Due to the significant increase in the volume of returnable beverage containers, the modernization of the deposit system is being rolled out in two phases. The first, launched on November1, extends the deposit to aluminum beverage containers from 100 ml to 2 litres. The second phase targets plastic and glass beverage containers from 100 ml to 2 l that are not yet returnable, such as water and wine bottles, as well as multi-layer cardboard containers like juice and milk cartons.
Consignaction and the Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association (QBCRA)
Since 2001, Consignaction programs have been promoting the recycling of beverage containers among citizens and businesses. Consignaction is the official brand promoting the activities of the Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association (QBCRA) to the general public and stakeholders. The QBCRA is the designated management organization responsible for developing, implementing, financing and managing the modernized deposit-refund system based on the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR). It brings together beverage producers involved in the recovery, reuse, recycling and revalorisation of beverage containers in Quebec. For more information, visitwww.consignaction.ca
About TOMRA Canada
TOMRA Canada is part of the TOMRA Group, which provides automated recovery systems for clean-loop recycling, to transform society's habits and keep valuable resources in a continuous loop of use and reuse. The company's solutions collect beverage containers of all types, including aluminum, plastic, glass and cardboard, for continuous reuse and recycling into new containers. With around 82,000 installations in more than 60 markets, TOMRA technologies recover more than 45 billion used bottles and cans every year. This reduces dependence on raw materials and helps reduce the number of containers that end up on our streets, in our oceans and in our landfills. Visit tomracollectioncanada.com to learn more about our technologies and services across Canada.