The Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA) and its Recycle Everywhere program are thrilled to announce that the recovery rate of empty beverage containers in Manitoba increased to 70% by the end of 2016.

“I am thrilled that CBCRA has achieved a 70 percent recovery rate – the largest increase between  2010 and 2016 of any jurisdiction in North America,” says the Hon. Cathy Cox, minister of sustainable development. “The Province of Manitoba congratulates CBCRA and Recycle Everywhere on their tremendous progress towards reaching the government-mandated target of recovering 75 percent of empty beverage containers sold in this province. But it’s also Manitobans who have reason to be proud for their contribution to more recycling and a cleaner environment.”

Manitoba now has the fastest, steadily-growing beverage container recycling recovery rate anywhere on the continent, and in some ways this is simply a marker for a much larger and lasting impact that CBCRA and its Recycle Everywhere program are having in this province. With over 55,000 Recycle Everywhere bins distributed for free to public spaces across the province, more Manitobans have access to beverage container recycling at work, home, and at play than ever before.

“We achieved a record high of 70 percent of all beverage containers being recycled across the province – and are closer than ever to reaching our goal,” says Jim Goetz, chairman of the CBCRA board of directors. “The beverage containers recycled in Manitoba last year would fill over 1,042 rail cars. What’s more is Manitoba’s third party litter audits show that year after year, litter is decreasing in major centres, including Winnipeg, Brandon, Steinbach, Flin Flon and Thompson.”

Over a six-year period, the recovery rate has gone from 42% to 70%, an increase of 28 percentage points. Millions and millions of beverage containers are being recycled, turning empty beverage containers into new materials such as books, bicycles, and new bottles and cans.

“All of our initiatives combined allow CBCRA to fuel a circular economy where materials are not treated as waste, but as a resource, and packaging is considered in the full product life cycle,” says Ken Friesen, CBCRA’s executive director. “This allows beverage containers to have a new life after its contents are done. CBCRA is proud to be a part of this cycle, and will continue to increase beverage container recycling for the benefit of Manitobans, their communities, and the environment that we live in.”