The Government of PEI will change provincial regulations requiring beer and pop to be sold in refillable bottles and introduce a deposit/return system for non-refillable beverage containers. Announcing the change in the provincial legislature today, Premier Pat Binns said the deposit/return system will result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in new funding that Government will invest in environmental projects. At the same time, the Province is working closely with stakeholders to secure jobs in PEI.
“Islanders have clearly told us – in surveys and in conversation in communities across the Province – that they want the choice of buying beverages in cans and plastic as well as glass bottles,” said Premier Binns. “The changes we are announcing today will respect consumer demand, while at the same time protecting jobs and our environment.”
The current regulations requiring beer to be sold in refillable containers came into effect in 1973, and in 1984 the regulations were expanded to include carbonated, flavoured beverages such as pop. Premier Binns said the regulations had a positive environmental impact for many years but have become less effective with changes in the marketplace.
“In recent years, we have seen rapid growth in the number of non-carbonated drinks such as water, juices and sports drinks available in cans and plastic bottles,” he said. “As a result, we can no longer prohibit certain beverages from being sold in cans and bottles, while millions of cans and plastic bottles of these other drinks are sold.”
Premier Binns said PEI will set up a deposit/return system similar to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia where consumers pay a 10 cent deposit on non-refillable containers such as cans and plastic bottles and receive five cents back when they return the empty containers.
“Based on the figures for returns in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and projected costs to administer the system, we expect the deposit/return system in PEI will generate proceeds of approximately $1 million each year. Government will create an environmental fund and all of those dollars will go directly to projects that benefit our Island environment,” said Premier Binns.
Minister of Environment, Energy and Forestry Jamie Ballem added that priority areas for funding will be watershed planning and management and litter prevention. The existing beverage container regulations were put in place because cans were becoming a roadside litter problem. Minister Ballem said the deposit/return system should address that because there will be an incentive to return the can for the refund. However, he said Government recognizes that litter continues to be an issue and will support ongoing efforts to keep Island roadsides clean.
“I am pleased that Government is committing these new dollars to protecting and improving our Island environment,” said Minister Ballem. “This is a significant, ongoing source of funding and it will be a big help in addressing environmental challenges from protecting our watersheds to preventing roadside litter.”
Premier Binns said Government has had extensive discussions with stakeholders to try to ensure that regulatory changes do not impact on jobs. To that end, Government will introduce regulations requiring that there be a 50/50 offering of pop in refillable and recyclable containers.
“Government has been negotiating on this issue since last October and we believe we have reached a good compromise that will protect jobs in Prince Edward Island.”
Details of the deposit/return system and the 50/50 offering of pop in refillable and recyclable containers will be finalized in the coming months. It’s expected the deposit/return system will be in place by fall. However, canned beer will be allowed to be sold in PEI by summer. Pop and other carbonated, flavoured beverages will be available cans and plastic bottles as of January 1, 2008.