The Ford government will not bring in a deposit and return system on non-alcoholic drink containers such as pop cans and bottled water, CBC News has learned.
Ontario was considering such a system – similar to what the province has in place for beer cans and wine and liquor bottles – to try to boost the recycling rates of drink containers.
The system would have seen customers receive a refund for returning used beverage containers to promote recycling and reduce litter.
But a senior government official told CBC News on Thursday that’s no longer under consideration because the cost would be too high.
Instead, the province will continue with the status quo of recycling bottles, cans and drink boxes through Ontario’s blue box system, which is itself in the midst of a transition toward making producers cover the full cost of municipal recycling programs.
Environmental advocates have been calling for a deposit-return system for non-alcoholic beverages in Ontario because less than half of the containers sold in the province are recycled, the lowest rate in Canada.
The non-profit group Environmental Defence estimates that 1.7 billion plastic beverage containers end up in Ontario’s landfills or incinerators every year.
Last year, Ontario’s then-minister of environment David Piccini established a working group to explore options for implementation of a deposit and return system for non-alcoholic drinks.
The working group was to consist of representatives from government, environmental organizations, consumer advocacy groups, recycling industry experts and business leaders.
In a June 27, 2023 letter, Piccini said: “Such a system would enable consumers to receive a refund for returning used beverage containers, promoting recycling, reducing litter, and encouraging sustainable practices.”
On Thursday, the senior government official said that working group has now been dissolved.