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Circular Economy
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A FRAMEWORK FOR SUCCESS:
Canada’s Path to a Circular Economy Canada’s beverage industry is calling for a national recycling framework to harmonize system design and build a stronger circular economy.
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Krista Scaldwell, CBA President
hether consumers realize it or not, they’re taking part in the circular economy every day. When a used beverage container goes in a blue box or is dropped off at a retailer or a depot, it enters a circular economy that transforms the material into new products and packaging. Krista With more than 50 years of successfully operating Scaldwell beverage container recycling programs, high consumer President, Canadian adoption and the move to extended producer responsibilBeverage ity (EPR), several Canadian provinces are global leaders in Association enabling a circular economy for packaging. EPR requires producers take full or partial financial and operational responsibility for collecting and recycling their products and packaging. The widespread adoption of deposit return systems (DRSs) and public policy initiatives to drive up recycling rates in Canada are proven examples of recycling leadership in action. In a DRS, consumers are incentivized to return their beverage containers with a modest deposit — typically 10 cents. Provinces with established DRSs With more than 50 achieve high recovery rates for non-alyears of successfully coholic beverage containers, with operating beverage container programs in Alberta and Saskatchrecycling programs, high ewan recovering over 80 per cent of consumer adoption and the all containers. Inconsistency across move to extended producer the regulatory landscape in provinresponsibility (EPR), several cial recycling regulations, notably Canadian provinces are Ontario’s lack of a DRS program for global leaders in enabling non-alcoholic beverage containers, has a circular economy for limited the national beverage container packaging. recovery rate.
A framework to improve beverage container recovery rates Through partnerships like the Canada Plastics Pact, beverage companies are collaborating to improve pack-
aging recyclability and meet recycled content targets. But without a stable domestic supply of recycled content, beverage producers cannot source the required volume of recycled material from domestic end markets alone. The solution is bringing a national focus to the circular economy with a national recycling framework. Common definitions, data and reporting standards, and a shared understanding of system design would transform the recycling landscape in Canada. This would harmonize recycling policy across provinces and territories, reducing trade barriers and aligning EPR principles to enable economies of scale and minimize disruption for Canadian beverage companies. A collaborative approach built around shared principles would have the added benefit of fostering resilience and much-needed business Visit certainty for a sector still facing increased canadianbeverage.ca system costs due to tariffs. It would also keep to learn more. provinces in control of program design while Canadians benefit from the sharing of enhanced design principles, building on best practices for This article is sponsored convenient and effective beverage container recycling. by Canadian Beverage Canada’s beverage sector has already shown that the Association. circular economy is not an abstract idea — it is a practical system that Canadians participate in every day. By working together on shared principles and proven solutions, we can reduce waste, strengthen our economy, and give Canadians the modern recycling system they expect and deserve. The path forward is clear: it’s time to close the loop, together.
Publisher: George Zhao Business Development Manager: Michaela Gallagher Country Manager: Samantha Taylor Content & Client Success Manager: Nicole Kansakar Creative Director: Kylie Armishaw All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The National Post or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.