NLIS 5
June 7, 2001
(Environment)
 

The following is being distributed at the request of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board:

MMSB announces an increase in recycling rate for beverage containers

Recycling rates for beverage containers increased 32.4 per cent in May 2001 compared to the same month last year, according to figures released today by the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB). Recycling rates for March were up 10.3 per cent from the previous year, while those for April increased 13.3 per cent. Overall for the year, recycling rates were up almost eight per cent from January to May over the same five-month period in 2000. 

"Increasing the consumer refund to five cents per container is largely responsible for the increase,"said Gordon Seabright, MMSB chairman, "and there has also been an increase in consumer awareness of recycling." Seabright said MMSB will introduce new programs in the coming months to assist residents, businesses, fund-raising groups and Green Depots in their recycling efforts for beverage containers.

One such program is the summer events recycling program which will run from June to the end of August 2001. Over the past couple of years the MMSB has sponsored several organizations to establish recycling programs at events and festivals in our province. This year, the MMSB has committed $55,000 to provide financial assistance to Green Depot operators to establish recycling programs at special events happening in their communities this summer. Depot operators will be provided with plastic recycling bins, bags and promotional material, in addition to financial assistance to help offset wage and transportation costs for those events for which they establish recycling services.

The province's beverage container recycling program is administered by the MMSB, a Crown agency established by the Department of Environment to develop, implement and, where appropriate, manage a variety of waste diversion programs in Newfoundland and Labrador. The MMSB is currently responsible for the beverage container recycling program, a pilot household hazardous waste collection program, and the administration of the Newfoundland and Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund.

For more information contact: 
Karen O'Neill
MMSB
(709) 753-0949

BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECYCLING PROGRAM
VOLUME COMPARISONS: 2000 - 2001 

TOTALS

MONTH	VOLUME 2000	VOLUME 2001	PERCENTAGE CHANGE
JANUARY	5,517,516	5,501,946	-0.3%
FEBRUARY	5,751,271	4,013,660	-30.2%
MARCH	7,105,612	7,837,027	10.3%
APRIL	7,169,371	8,121,937	13.3%
MAY	8,104,066	10,731,021	32.4%
TOTALS	33,647,836	36,205,591	7.6%

Figures released by MMSB June 7, 2001

2001 06 07                                              2:50 p.m.