Starting on February 1, 2022 milk and plant-based beverage containers will be part of the BC deposit program. This means a 10c deposit will be charged on “ready to drink” milk and plant-based beverages, like oat milk, soy milk or almond milk. Residents can receive the deposit refund when the container is returned to a participating return location. This change is a result of an amendment to the BC Recycling Regulation, made by the Province of BC.
You can continue to put milk and plant-based beverage containers in your blue box or container bin for recycling (it won’t count as contamination) and we will continue to collect and recycle them, just like we do with aluminum beverage cans or plastic beverage bottles. If you choose to do this, you will not receive your deposit refund.
The containers that are being transferred to the deposit program include:
- Milk and plant-based beverage cartons
- Milk and plant-based beverage plastic jugs and containers
- Milk and plant-based beverage metal containers
- Milk and plant-based beverage glass containers
The following product containers will not have a deposit added and remain in the Recycle BC program:
- Whipping cream
- Coffee cream or other coffee additives
- Buttermilk
- Drinkable yogurt
- Infant formula
- Dietary or meal supplement
- Any dairy concentrates
- Condensed or evaporated milk
- Modified milk-derived products (e.g. kefir)
- Yogurt, pudding, cheese, ice cream etc.
For more information, and educational resources visit Return-It.ca.