Coffee cups and aluminium pods join Ontario’s EPR recycling efforts

Canada is intensifying efforts to combat plastic waste by expanding Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs to address the nation’s pressing environmental concerns.

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A 2018 World Bank report highlighted a stark reality: Canadians generate over 4 pounds of waste per person daily, more than double the global average. By 2050, this rate is projected to climb further. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) reveals that Canadians discard over 3 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, with plastic packaging constituting half of this total. Alarmingly, only 9 per cent of this plastic is recycled.

In response to these statistics and under the pressure of climate change, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment advocates for significant reforms. The council strongly emphasises the necessity of policies like EPR, which shift the responsibility of waste management from consumers to producers, to improve Canada’s waste management record.

ECCC is championing a shift from the traditional ‘take-make-waste’ model to a more sustainable ‘make-use-return’ system. As part of this strategy, Canada has set an ambitious and inspiring goal of achieving ‘zero plastic waste’ by 2030. This goal encompasses federal, provincial, and territorial efforts to reduce and recycle plastic waste, demonstrating Canada’s strong commitment to sustainability.

Samantha Bayard, an ECCC spokesperson, said, “These shared stakeholder commitments are leading the initiative toward our 2030 zero plastic goals and are being implemented through two Action Plan phases.”

“Noting the potential for Canada to save $500 million of annual costs, create 42,000 direct and indirect jobs, and prevent 1.82 megatonnes of CO₂ equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.”

The 2019 plan by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment described Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a key strategy for advancing a circular economy. It set targets for collection and recycling performance for organisations running programs, positioning EPR as a leading, cost-effective method for responsibly reducing plastic waste.

Circular Materials has partnered with Nespresso to introduce the Green Bag recycling program in London, Ontario, a city with over 423,000 residents. Nespresso, known for its fair trade coffee sold in disposable aluminium capsules for custom coffee machines, launched a consumer recycling program in 2016. This program includes complimentary recycling bags with all orders and allows customers to return used capsules for free through Canada Post.

Now, Circular Materials CEO Allen Langdon announces an enhancement to this program for London residents. They can conveniently recycle their used capsules by placing them in the free Green Bag provided by Nespresso and including them in their curbside residential Blue Box recycling bin.

Langdon highlights this initiative as a significant step towards simplifying recycling for residents. He notes that aluminium prices have doubled over the past decade, emphasising the material’s growing value. Miller Waste Systems, the recycling facility partner, will sort the bags, send them to Nespresso’s recycling partner for aluminium recovery, and divert used coffee grounds for composting.