QBCRA/Consignaction partner with TOMRA to equip beverage container return sites with technology solutions
by CM staff
Toward 2025: deposit-refund modernization.
MONTREAL — The Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association (QBCRA)/Consignaction has reached an agreement with TOMRA to acquire recovery equipment for redeemable beverage containers.
The equipment provided under the agreement will meet a portion of expected needs in the approximately 400 Consignaction return sites, with the rollout beginning in the coming months.
The advent of this equipment will result in a change in recovery methods in Quebec. With the first phase of deposit-refund modernization having begun on November 1, this agreement is just one of many steps on the way to rollout of Phase 2.
“Consignaction is delighted by this partnership with TOMRA Canada, a trusted equipment supplier with a presence in Quebec going back 40 years,” said Normand Bisson, President and CEO, QBCRA/Consignaction. “The resulting innovative, high-performance and reliable solutions will contribute to the build-out of a robust network of return sites and enhance the experience for Quebecers who return redeemable beverage containers.” He concludes: “Making it easier to return beverage containers and improving the customer experience are major factors in helping us achieve our ambitious goal of achieving a 90% recovery rate within 10 years.”
When the deposit-refund system is expanded in 2025 to include wine bottles, plastic water bottles and multi-layer cartons, the number of redeemable containers will double to five billion units. That expansion is one of the main reasons why QBCRA/Consignaction is opening new return sites that will occupy storefront spaces in every region of Quebec.
The reverse vending machines for bottle and can recycling installed on retailer premises will also have to be replaced by March 1, 2025, to enable the efficient handling of up of the new types of redeemable beverage containers.
Because of the significant increase in the volume of redeemable containers, deposit-refund modernization is being rolled out in two phases. With Phase 1, which began on November 1, the deposit-refund system was expanded to include all aluminum beverage containers of between 100 mL and 2 L. Phase 2 will target plastic and glass containers of between 100 mL and 2 L that are not yet redeemable, including water and wine bottles as well as containers made from multi-layer materials, like juice and milk cartons.
