Deposit Values & Descriptions
Deposits are charged when products are purchased. They are returned in full when you bring back the empty container for recycling.
Our Pick Up Service is available for businesses and for larger items. Fees are dependent upon the type of service, your location and what items you are requesting to be picked up. Please contact us for details.
Deposit values:
Most Bottles and Cans of all sizes
¢10
¢10
Express Beer Containers and Sleemans
¢5
¢5
Beer bottles and cans – REVERSE VENDING MACHINE ONLY
¢10
¢10
Below are the types of used beverage containers included in the Return-It system.
Plastic Bottles
The familiar plastic soft drink and water bottles, including coolers and some spirits. Containers may be clear or coloured.
Aluminum Cans
The most commonly used individual serving container. Please leave the pull tabs on. Separate alcohol from non-alcohol containers.
Glass Bottles
The everyday glass juice and beverage bottles, as well as wine, spirits, imported beer and coolers. Tinted and clear.
Polycoat Containers
Aseptic “drink boxes” and coated “gable-top” drink cartons
Bag-in-a-box and Pouches
Large “bags” of wine in a cardboard carton, usually with a spigot for in-fridge use. Both the bag and the box must be returned. Single serve drink pouches are also in this category.
Other Plastic Jugs, Cups, and Bottles
Clear, tinted and opaque plastic and vinyl containers.
Other Metal Cans
Any metal container. Other than aluminum ranging from small single-serve tins to large tomato and apple juice cans.
Washing Instructions
& Fun Facts!
ALUMINUM CANS
PLASTIC BOTTLES
GLASS BOTTLES
BI-METAL CANS
DRINK BOXES
GABLE TOP CONTAINERS
BAG IN A BOX
ALUMINUM CANS
Please wash and separate pop from beer and place them onto flats (flats are supplied by the depot)
Fun Fact:
Aluminum cans are crushed into biscuits and compacted into a large block. Then they are transported in bales weighing over 20 tonnes containing over 1.2 million containers. These bales are sold as a commodity and then melted down and reformed into new aluminum cans. Turnaround for this process is only 60 days from when you return it until it’s back on the store shelf.
PLASTIC BOTTLES
Please wash, remove caps and separate alcohol from non-alcohol and 1 litre and under from greater than 1 litre
Fun Fact:
Clear plastic beverage containers are compacted, shredded and sold as a commodity. Some plastic is then put through a process turning into a fibre that is used to make fleece jackets like the one pictured here. Most plastic collected is used to make new bottles for things like motor oil.
GLASS BOTTLES
Please wash, remove lids and separate alcohol from non-alcohol and 1 litre & under from the greater than 1-litre items
Fun Fact:
Glass Containers are collected, crushed into pieces and ground back into the sand, which is what glass is made of. The sand is then sold for use as a mix in sandblasting material or made into fibreglass used to insulate homes.
BI-METAL CANS
Please wash and separate 1 litre & less from the greater than 1-litre items
Fun Fact:
Bi-Metal containers are compacted, melted down into scrap metal, and then used to make construction rebar and fencing.
DRINK BOXES
Please wash and separate 500 ml and under from 501 ml to 1 litre
Fun Fact:
Drink boxes and gable top containers go through a hydra-pulping process to separate the material they’re made of. This material is used to make cardboard boxes and industrial paper products.
GABLE TOP CONTAINERS
Please separate 500 ml and under, 501 ml to 1 litre and over 1 litre
Fun Fact:
Drink boxes and gable top containers go through a hydra-pulping process to separate the material they’re made of. This material, along with the pulp from the box of a bag in a box is used to make cardboard boxes and industrial paper products.
BAG IN A BOX
Please separate alcohol from non-alcohol
Fun Fact:
Drink boxes and gable top containers go through a hydra-pulping process to separate the material they’re made of. This material, along with the pulp from the bag in a box is used to make cardboard boxes and industrial paper products.
Important Notice on U.S Containers:
Most But Not All Bottles Have A Deposit. U.S. containers are not subject to a deposit.
Please call us if you are unsure
If bottles were purchased outside of BC or Canada a deposit may not have been collected within the Encorp program.
We can accept materials but cannot pay out a deposit for them.
The deposit is reduced, only BDL licensed Depots can pay 10¢ for beer bottles.
Please Contact you local MP and/or Brewer’s Distributors Ltd. to request that all depots be licensed.
We need the publics help for this…