Right from the start of the pandemic, many consumers were denied access to the deposit-refund service normally offered by grocers and convenience stores, or were unable to deposit their returnable cans in recycling machines, commonly known as tumblers.

In the same vein, Recyc-Québec and Consignaction invited people to keep their refundable/returnable containers at home and postpone their trips to the drop-off points.

Why keep containers at home and not throw them away?

There are many reasons why you should keep your refundable/returnable containers temporarily at home. The first is environmental: cans and returnable bottles, which are returned to the merchant, are 100% recycled. By reusing recovered materials, we reduce energy waste and the polluting emissions associated with the extraction, transportation and processing of raw materials needed to manufacture new containers.

The benefits of deposit-refund are also economic. In a single year, close to one hundred million dollars is returned to Quebecers' pockets in the form of loose change, and reinjected into the economy. What's more, the money from deposit-refund provides financial support to many people in need, as well as to numerous community organizations. Don't know what to do with the refundable/returnable containers cluttering up your cupboards? Donate them to a local organization.

What's more, the refundable/returnable containers recovery and processing system provides employment for hundreds, if not thousands, of people in Quebec.

"The deposit-refund system has long proved its effectiveness. Every year, 1.35 billion containers from soft drink are recovered thanks to Consignaction and its partners across the province, which is a huge amount. Imagine if so much of it ended up in landfill... The crisis we're currently experiencing is temporary, so it's worth waiting and maintaining our good ecological habits," explains Normand Bisson, President of soft drink Environnement and Consignaction.