Encorp Pacific is testing a pilot program called "Return-It Express" at a Kensington Square location -- little more than a kiosk where people can drop off their pre-bagged containers.
Encorp Pacific, the industry-based group that oversees the Return-It bottle depot system, unveiled the new Express concept last year to depot operators, and described it as an important new way to further increase beverage container recycling rates. Encorp described the Express experience like so:
Payment is through the customer's online account.
Encorp say the Express concept will increase container recycling, and points to the success of similar systems in Newfoundland, Maine and Oregon. The key to the Express depot is a major change behind the scenes: a central counting centre.
Blah, blah, blah. Under this kind of scheme, recycling rates could increase dramatically, but so would costs. All the sorting that is currently done by customers for free, would become paid work. Is this where the binners come in -- as low-paid sorting labour? Because under this system they certainly can't be customers.
Another benefit Encorp envisions is reduced space requirements for depots (note that Encorp doesn't refer to bottle depots -- just depots).
How could centralizing sorting -- which will actually add new expense to the system -- increase "potential revenue streams" and profitability?
The 17 industry-based Product Stewardship groups are charged under legislation with implementing post-consumer recycling plans for a huge range of consumer products. Each group needs to have drop-off points. Naturally they're turning to the existing network of Return-It bottle depots. That's potentially a lot of money in handling fees for depot operators -- if they can make some room.
Encorp Pacific, the industry-based group that oversees the Return-It bottle depot system, unveiled the new Express concept last year to depot operators, and described it as an important new way to further increase beverage container recycling rates. Encorp described the Express experience like so:
"Return-It™ Express will offer a fast "in depot" experience. Customers create an online account from home, collect empties in a standard blue recycle bag, bring them to an Express location, confirm their name and the number of bags on a touch screen and drop off the bags at the Express window. The customers Depot visit is complete."
Payment is through the customer's online account.
Encorp say the Express concept will increase container recycling, and points to the success of similar systems in Newfoundland, Maine and Oregon. The key to the Express depot is a major change behind the scenes: a central counting centre.
"The goal of the Count Centre is to remove the depots' labour requirement to sort and count single stream material by leveraging efficiencies and technology for greater performance."
Blah, blah, blah. Under this kind of scheme, recycling rates could increase dramatically, but so would costs. All the sorting that is currently done by customers for free, would become paid work. Is this where the binners come in -- as low-paid sorting labour? Because under this system they certainly can't be customers.
Another benefit Encorp envisions is reduced space requirements for depots (note that Encorp doesn't refer to bottle depots -- just depots).
"Our goal is to help increase potential revenue streams for depot owners and increase their profitability."
How could centralizing sorting -- which will actually add new expense to the system -- increase "potential revenue streams" and profitability?
- Removing bottle sorting from individual depots reduces redundancies and increases throughput, allowing depots to handle more potential volume.
- Removing bottle sorting frees floor space so depots can earn fees accepting more kinds of recyclables on behalf of other B.C. Product Stewardship groups besides Encorp.
The 17 industry-based Product Stewardship groups are charged under legislation with implementing post-consumer recycling plans for a huge range of consumer products. Each group needs to have drop-off points. Naturally they're turning to the existing network of Return-It bottle depots. That's potentially a lot of money in handling fees for depot operators -- if they can make some room.
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