At the June 22 meeting Pickering Council carried a motion to seek to implement a deposit-return program for non-alcoholic beverage containers.
It also directed that a copy of the motion be sent to Durham MPP Todd McCarthy.
The motion was triggered by a request from Richard Linley, Vice-president of the Canadian Beverage Association to consider expanding Ontario’s Deposit Return Program (ODRP) to include all beverage containers, including non-alcoholic drinks such as water, juice, and soft drinks.
In the letter sent to Pickering Council, Linley stated that municipalities across Ontario continue to face growing pressure from rising waste management costs, increased litter in public spaces, and the urgent need to improve environmental outcomes.
He said Ontario has made progress on producer responsibility through the new Blue Box framework. The current system captures only about 50 per cent of beverage containers, many of which still end up in landfills, parks, or waterways. A Deposit Return System (DRS) for non-alcoholic beverage containers offers a proven, effective solution including:
• Over 75% recovery rates in provinces like B.C., Alberta, and Nova Scotia
• Reduced municipal waste and litter management costs
• Cleaner public spaces and natural areas
• Support for local charities and community bottle drives through refundable deposits
• Complementary to the Blue Box program, not competitive
Ontario is currently one of the only Canadian provinces without a full DRS for all beverage containers. It also has the lowest beverage container recovery rate in Canada – at roughly 50 per cent. An average of 75 per cent of all empties return to Beer Stores each year, and the deposit return provides a consumer incentive to consciously recycle.
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