Bottles and Cans
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Bottles and cans with refund value
In the province of British Columbia, all beverage containers, including milk and plant-based milk substitutes, have a deposit on them. All returnable cans and bottles that are collected at BIRD fall under the auspices of the Bowen Island Refundables Assist Program. This program is a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to help local community organizations raise funds by sorting and returning the refundable materials that are collected at the Bowen Island Recycling Depot. These local community groups send volunteers who help to sort and pack the refundables that you donate. In return they get the financial benefit when the refundables are taken to the bottle return depot in North Vancouver. The Bowen Island Refundables Assist program raised $85,000 in 2021 that went back into the community. Bowen Waste Solutions helps this program by transporting the refundable bottles, cans, and cartons to the mainland. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours, or run a laptop computer for 11 hours, or vacuum for 6 hours. Recycling a soda can saves 96% of the energy used to make a can from ore and produces 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution. An aluminum can recycled today will be back on the grocery shelf in 90 days or less. There is no limit to the number of times an aluminum can can be recycled. |
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Milk, Soup Cartons and Tetra Packs
All non-refundable Tetra Pak type packaging are now recyclable.This includes all sugar, broth, egg, cream (both dairy and plant-based substitutes), and soup cartons.
As of February 1, 2022, the province put a deposit on all milk and plant-based milk substitute containers.
Milk cartons are made from Polycoat – lightweight, high-grade paperboard sandwiched between two thin layers of polyethylene film. Polycoat is a high-value material that can be converted into new material using an enormous blender, where a combination of heat, water and agitation break down the material to produce raw fibre, or pulp. The pulp is then used to make new paper products such as corrugated medium (the inner layer of corrugated cardboard), liner board and household tissue products. The small amount of residual polyethylene can be screened off for use in other plastic and composite materials.
As of February 1, 2022, the province put a deposit on all milk and plant-based milk substitute containers.
Milk cartons are made from Polycoat – lightweight, high-grade paperboard sandwiched between two thin layers of polyethylene film. Polycoat is a high-value material that can be converted into new material using an enormous blender, where a combination of heat, water and agitation break down the material to produce raw fibre, or pulp. The pulp is then used to make new paper products such as corrugated medium (the inner layer of corrugated cardboard), liner board and household tissue products. The small amount of residual polyethylene can be screened off for use in other plastic and composite materials.