Here it is. I used a trippage rate of 10 TRIPS. I assume it is higher than
that and the numbers will have to be adjusted. I also wonder if the word
'commissioner' in the title of the press release should be 'commissioner's'?
In addition to any factual changes you may have I would welcome your
thoughts on rewording, format, etc. My original idea was to send this out
on GreenYess and some other listserves. Now I am having second thoughts
about that and thinking there may be a way of getting it to a larger audience.
Attachments are verbotten on listserves. This would of course look better
if it were in word. I am sending it as an attachment to you in word.
Talk to you soon.
Pat
Talk about a refillable system!!!!!
The Brewers of Ontario have a SHOWCASE refillable system
that many GreenYes readers may not be aware of. If
Ontario's brewers had RECYCLED the beer bottles returned
to them through the deposit system last year instead of
REUSING them, 1.7 billion bottles would have been kept
out of landfills. However, new bottles (and cans) would
have had to be manufactured to replace the bottles and cans
that were recycled, causing more pollution, use of raw
materials and waste.
(NOTE: There is some closed loop recycling -- in the US
about 55% of aluminum cans are recycled into new cans and
about 24% of glass bottles are made into new bottles and
jars, and a tiny fraction of green PET soda bottles are
made into new soda bottles).
Because the beer bottles in Ontario are 'REUSED',
1.7 billion bottles did not have to be 'MANUFACTURED' to
replace the refillable bottles. This year Ontario's
brewers will keep another 1.7 billion bottles out of the
waste stream, and again this year another 1.7 billion
bottles will not have to be made.
If you've gotten this far, go a little farther and read
the Brewers of Ontario's press release. Then, go a little
farther still and find out why the Container Recycling
Institute supports a refillable beverage system.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
THE BREWERS OF ONTARIO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE BREWERS OF ONTARIO APPLAUD ONTARIO
ENVIRONMENT COMMISSIONER EPR RECOMMENDATION
TORONTO, May 25, 1999 --- The Brewers of Ontario today endorsed the
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario's recommendation for the provincial
Ministry of the Environment to implement an Extended Producer Responsibility
(EPR) program for consumer products sold in the province. Ms. Ligeti's
recommendation for manufacturers and brand owners to assume greater
responsibility for the management of the wastes associated with their
products was part of the Environmental Commissioner's recently issued 1998
Annual Report.
The Report identifies the Beer Store's container deposit return system and
its 98% packaging recovery rate and 92% sales ratio in refillable containers
as a leading model of a cost effective and environmentally sound sustainable
product stewardship program. The Beer Store, owned and operated by Ontario's
brewers, is the primary retail and distribution sales channel for beer sold
in the province. The Beer Store currently offers for sale over 220 brands of
beer in 227 communities across the province through 430 retail stores and 69
distribution centres which service 600 liquor stores and 17,000 licensed
bars and restaurants.
"Ontario's brewers are willing to share their expertise garnered from
operating one of the world's largest private sector consumer packaging
management systems to help the Ministry of the Environment design and
implement an effective product stewardship plan for the beverage alcohol
sector" explained Mr. CJ Helie, VP Corporate Affairs of The Brewers of
Ontario. "In addition to redeeming the deposit on over 1.7 billion beer
containers each year, our Beer Stores are already handling numerous
non-deposit empty wine, spirit and cooler bottles returned to our stores in
error by LCBO customers".
The Brewers of Ontario, the Brewing Industry's provincial trade association,
remains fully committed to its 1991 public commitment to recover for Reuse
or Recycling 100% of all beer related consumer packaging at no cost to
taxpayers through the industry owned Beer Store retail and distribution
network. The Beer Store's deposit return program diverts from landfill over
450,000 tonnes of beer consumer packaging each year.
--- 30 --
For more information : Mr. CJ Helie (416) 971-4094
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
To appreciate the magnitude of the refillable system
let's compare a RECYCLING SYSTEM with a 50% recycling
rate to a REFILLABLE SYSTEM.
Assume a population of 2 million that purchases
500 bottles and cans of beer and soft drinks per capita
or a total of 1 billion bottles and cans each year.
RECYCLING SYSTEM: If the 1 billion one-way, no-deposit
bottles and cans are recycled at a rate of 50%, then
500 million bottles and cans would be recycled and
500 million would be landfilled (or littered) each year.
But, 1 billion new cans and bottles would have to be
manufactured to replace the original 1 billion bottles
and cans.
In five years a total of 5 billion bottles and cans would
have to be manufactured to fill the needs of the 2 million
thirsty consumers.
The social and environmental costs of manufacturing,
recycling and disposing of the 5 billion cans and bottles
would be borne by government and taxpayers which would
include the 2 million beer and soda drinkers AND anyone
doesn't drink beer or soda, but NOT the producers of the
containers or the producers of the beverages.
REFILLABLE SYSTEM: With a refillable system, assuming
a trippage rate of 10 trips per bottle and a return rate
of 95%, then only 100 million bottles would have to
manufactured to deliver the equivalent of 1 billion
servings of beer and soft drinks to thirsty consumers.
About 5 million bottles (5%) would be recycled and
virtually NO bottles would be landfilled or littered.
In five years a total of 525 million bottles would have
to be manufactured to fill the needs of the 2 million beer
and soda drinkers.
The social and environmental costs of manufacturing,
recycling and disposing of the 525 million (.5 billion)
bottles would be borne NOT by government and taxpayers,
but, by the brewers and the 2 million consumers who
bought the beer and soft drinks.
COMPARISON OF ONE-WAY SYSTEM TO REFILLABLE SYSTEM
Containers Containers Containers
Manufactured Recycled Landfilled
or Littered
(over a 5 year period)
One-way bottles/cans 5.0 billion 2.5 billion 2.5 billion
Refillable bottles 0.5 billion 25 million none
Container Recycling Institute
1911 Ft Myer Drive, Suite 900
Arlington, Virginia 22209
703/276-9800 fax 276-9587
www.container-recycling.org
NEW EMAIL ADDRESS
cri@container-recycling.org