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 redeemable cans in recycling machines, commonly known as tumblers.

In the same vein, Recyc-Québec Consignaction have asked people to keep their redeemable containers home and postpone trips to drop-off points.

Why keep containers at home and not throw them away?

There are many reasons why you should temporarily keep your redeemable containers at home. The first is environmental: the returnable cans and bottles you bring home 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 the pockets of Quebecers in the form of loose change, and reinjected into the economy. What's more, deposit-refund money provides financial support to many people in need, as well as to numerous community organizations. Don't know what to do with those redeemable containers cluttering up your cupboards? Donate them to a local organization.

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

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