• The Ministry of the Environment announced that the recycling consignment system is expanding in Quebec to include larger bottles and, eventually, cardboard.
• By 2022, people in Quebec could receive $0.25 for wine and liquor bottles and $0.10 for other containers.
• Visit MTLBlog for more headlines.

Quebec Premier François Legault and Minister of the Environment Benoit Charette announced Thursday that the recycling consignment system is expanding in Quebec. "Very proud to announce the expansion of our deposit system. From now on, all beverage containers from 100 ml to 2 litres made of plastic, glass, metal & multi-layer cardboard will be refundable," said Legault on Twitter. "This includes wine bottles, juice & milk cartons."

"This will make it possible to achieve a very high recovery rate for these containers, which too often end up in nature or in landfills while improving the quality of the materials recovered through this form of source separation," the Ministry wrote in a press release.

"More than four billion containers will now be refundable annually, including more than one billion plastic water bottles."

"To give you an idea of how much this may represent, if we were to put the plastic water bottles consumed each year in Quebec end to end, we would travel about six times around the Earth, going around the equator."

"The proposed deposit will be set at $0.25 for wine and spirits containers and $0.10 for all other returnable containers, refundable amounts that will encourage good recovery practices. This standardization will simplify the process for the retailers concerned and the public."

The National Assembly still has to approve this measure, the press release makes clear. But if all goes well, the new consignment system could be in place by 2022.

Quebecers will have to wait a few additional years before they can return multi-layered cardboard for consignment.

"It's a bit of a shame, the amount of plastic and glass bottles that are being dumped in landfills, or even in our own waterways [and] the beaches of the Magdalen Islands! Quebecers want to do their part for the planet. But it has to work," says the Premier.

"Today, we are announcing a vast reform of the recovery system with an expanded deposit; a new system that wins for Quebec and wins for the planet."

"Our government is acting where previous governments have been negligent," Charette adds.

"We are choosing to govern in the interests of Quebecers through this concrete and pragmatic action. With this reform and those to come, Quebec is on its way to becoming a major player in environmental protection around the world."

More information on the changes to the consignment system is available on the website of the Ministry of the Environment here.