Introducing our newest oldest recycling program
Who’s ready for spring? Who’s ready for the warmer weather, new leaves, apple blossoms and green grass?
Who is ready to start collecting full refunds on redeemable beverage containers?
Yes, you heard right. Starting April 1, New Brunswickers will be reimbursed the full deposit on all beverage containers sold in the province. If you paid 10 cents per bottle or can, you are now able to take the empty container back to a redemption centre and get 10 cents back. Prior to April 1, consumers could redeem their beverage containers for only half of the deposit.
Why the change? The short answer can be summed up in three words: Extended Producer Responsibility.
To give you the long answer, let’s start from the beginning. New Brunswick’s beverage container program is, in fact, its oldest recycling program. It dates back to 1992, when the Department of Environment and Local Government introduced a deposit system for beverage containers as a way of incentivizing New Brunswickers to recycle used beverage containers. You paid a deposit, and you received half of it back when you returned your bottles and cans to a redemption centre. The other half was used to cover the costs of collecting, transporting and recycling the containers.
The system worked well for many years, but then along came the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility, an environmental policy approach that obligates producers to pay for the collection, transportation and recycling of their products. That’s how, in 2023, the province’s oldest recycling program became Recycle NB’s newest EPR program under the Designated Materials Regulation. It officially takes effect on April 1, 2024. We should note that nothing changes for refillable beer bottles. You have always received a full refund on your 10-cent deposit and that will continue after April 1.
Encorp Atlantic/Atlantique will manage the program on behalf of producers in New Brunswick. Encorp, a not-for-profit organization located in Moncton, is planning to celebrate the launch of the new beverage container program on Earth Day (April 22) with a media event at Rothesay High School, one of the schools that participates in Encorp’s Recycling Heroes in School program. We are looking forward to celebrating with them, and with you on the new full-back system.
For more information about the changes to the Beverage Container Program, visit www.recyclenb.com or www.encorpatl.ca. Happy spring and happy redeeming everyone!