B.C.’s Return-It centres are going to make recycling so much easier

Changes are coming to British Columbia’s Return-It beverage container recycling system that should make beverage can returns a whole lot easier — no more sorting.

Encore Pacific, a non-profit corporation in charge of recycling in B.C., says it’s beginning a six-month pilot program at select Return-It depots with an eye to expanding it across B.C. That’s only possible because starting this fall, all beverage containers will be worth a 10 cent deposit so you won't have to separate beer cans from pop cans.

Encore Pacific President Allen Langdon says only Barriere is part of the unsorted cans project with Ashcroft and Logan Lake soon to join them. It’s not clear when it will be universal across the province.

The innovations are due, in part, to lessons learned through the COVID-19 pandemic. In a release, Encore Pacific says it had to adapt its system by reducing touch-points while improving convenience.

All refunds on returnable containers in B.C. are provided through a Return-It centre, Langdon says, adding the beer industry runs its own stewardship plan, but also uses Return-It depots.

He says up until now, roughly half of the province’s Return-It centres don’t have a license with the brewers, so traditionally they have discounted the refund to consumers.

One of the pilot project's objectives is to eliminate the discounted refund.

Return-It is also partnering with the Salvation Army to expand its textiles program, where consumers can safely drop off used clothing for recycling, but this initiative won’t be coming to the Thompson–Okanagan, Langdon says.

“It’s our hope to broaden out the program eventually. Its been really successful in the Lower Mainland, where we’ve diverted 200 tons of textiles in the past 18 months,” he says.

Langdon says Return-It is actively looking into more locations for contactless Return-It Express Plus and solar powered Express & Go stations in the Thompson and Okanagan.

Consumers can visit the Return-It.ca/nosorting cans website for a list of participating locations that will be updated over the coming weeks.


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Steve Arstad

I have been looking for news in the South Okanagan - SImilkameen for 20 years, having turned a part time lifelong interest into a full time profession. After five years publishing a local newsletter, several years working as a correspondent / stringer for several local newspapers and seven years as editor of a Similkameen weekly newspaper, I joined iNFOnews.ca in 2014. My goal in the news industry has always been to deliver accurate and interesting articles about local people and places. My interest in the profession is life long - from my earliest memories of grade school, I have enjoyed writing.
As an airborne geophysical surveyor I travelled extensively around the globe, conducting helicopter borne mineral surveys.
I also spent several years at an Okanagan Falls based lumber mill, producing glued-wood laminated products.
As a member of the Kaleden community, I have been involved in the Kaleden Volunteer Fire Department for 22 years, and also serve as a trustee on the Kaleden Irrigation District board.
I am currently married to my wife Judy, of 26 years. We are empty-nesters who enjoy living in Kaleden with our Welsh Terrier, Angus, and cat, Tibbs.
Our two daughters, Meagan and Hayley, reside in Richmond and Victoria, respectively.

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