Pitt Meadows residents purchasing milk and milk-substitute products after Feb. 1 will now have to deposit a refundable amount of 10 cents on every container purchased.
People can still leave the milk containers for curbside pickup like they usually do; however, in that case, the refund will not be given, explained a spokesperson from Recycle BC – a non-for-profit overseeing recycling operations. Residents wanting to get their deposit back will have to head to any Return It centre. There’s on located at 19090 Lougheed Hwy.
The deposit and refund process was already in place for beverage cans; however, under the provincial government’s CleanBC Plastics Action Plan, the program was expanded to include milk and milk-substitute packages. B.C. government believes that the program could capture millions of additional plastic and cartons and keep them out of landfills.
READ MORE: Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows milk drinkers will now have to pay a deposit
Pitt Meadows does not have its own recycling society like Maple Ridge, which operates materials recycling. The Ridge Meadows Recycling Society will take milk containers but will not pay put deposits. Instead, the containers will be cashed in and the funds used to run its programs.
Only those milk containers dated Feb. 1 or after are eligible for a refund at Return-Its. For more information, people can call Return-It Pitt Meadows at 778-895-8625. It is open from 9 a.m. till to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. On Sunday, the centre opens its doors at 10 a.m.
Return-It is owned and managed by Encorp Pacific, a non-profit organization, which manages the recycling of beverage containers and electronic devices in British Columbia.
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