The plastic beverage containers our sector uses are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a safe, durable, 100% recyclable plastic material. Canada’s beverage container recycling programs collect and recycle more than 7 billion containers annually, including PET beverage bottles. Nationally overall, about 75% of all types of beverage containers are recovered through these programs for recycling.
The national recovery rate is based on available regional data derived from a combination of external (publicly available) and internal (not publicly available) data, that is then weighted based on the population of the covered jurisdictions. The data were provided to CBA courtesy of the applicable provincial and territorial recycling organizations.
BC: In British Columbia, Encorp Pacific reports that the 2019 recovery rate (including aluminum, plastic, glass, gabletop, and poly coat containers) province’s beverage container deposit-return system (DRS) stands at 78.1%. This 2019 data is publicly available.
AB: The Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC) reports that 84.9% of beverage containers were recovered by Alberta’s DRS in 2019. This 2019 data is also publicly available.
SK: SARCAN reports that 88% (three-year average) of beverage containers are recovered through Saskatchewan’s DRS, according to their publicly available 2019 annual report.
MB: According to Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA) internal data, 68.5% of beverage containers were recovered for recycling in 2019 through curbside and public space collection programs in Manitoba. The 2019 annual report is available https://cbcra-acrcb.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CBCRA_AnnualReport2019_FINAL-web.pdf.
ON: Based on waste audits conducted by Stewardship Ontario on behalf of CBA, 74.1% of non-alcoholic beverage containers are recovered for recycling from residences in Ontario. This material may be made available upon request.
QC: According to internal data provided to CBA by Boissons Gazeuses Environnement (BGE), 71.4% of beverage containers covered by Quebec’s deposit return system were recovered for recycling in 2019.
NB: Based on internal data provided to CBA by Encorp Atlantic, 70% of beverage containers covered by New Brunswick’s DRS were recovered for recycling in 2019.
NS: DivertNS, the organization overseeing Nova Scotia’s recycling programs, reports in their publicly available 2019-2020 annual report that 80.9% of beverage containers were recovered for recycling.
PEI: Based on internal data, Prince Edward Island’s deposit return system recovers approximately 81% of beverage containers.
NL: According to Multi-Materials Stewardship Board’s (MMSB) 2018-2019 annual report, 68.2% of beverage containers covered by Newfoundland’s DRS were recovered for recycling.
Information on beverage container recovery rates in the Yukon Territory, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut is not currently available.