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(Toronto, ON) Today, the One Billionth liquor container
was returned to The Beer Store under the Bag it Back
program, the Ontario government's highly successful deposit
return program for wine, spirit and beer containers sold through
LCBO and Ontario winery retail stores.
The Bag it Back milestone was celebrated by a reception
committee for the One Billionth Bottle made up of Ontario
Environment Minister, John Wilkinson, The Beer Store President,
Ted Moroz, and Executive Director of the Conservation Council of
Ontario, Chris Winter. They were assisted in selecting the One
Billionth Bottle by The Beer Store employee Victoria Trueman
from the Bathurst and Dupont Beer Store who helps process
incoming beer, wine and spirit containers every day.
Chris Winter delivered a collection of empty liquor containers
to The Beer Store mid morning at a time when Beer Store business
analysts had calculated the One Billionth container would enter
the system. The selection of containers returned included
coloured and clear glass wine, spirit and cooler bottles,
plastic liquor bottles, tetrapak wine containers, and beer
bottles and cans sold through the LCBO.
From all the containers returned, Minister Wilkinson and The
Beer Store employee selected a coloured glass wine bottle as the
One Billionth Bottle returned. The Bottle was signed by each
member of the reception committee and placed in a display
container custom-made from Ontario maple in Stratford, Ontario
in the Minister's riding of Perth-Wellington. The remaining
containers were set aside and Ted Moroz, President of The Beer
Store suggested that Minister Wilkinson and Chris Winter return
with the containers in early 2011 and follow them on a tour
through the recycling process where they could watch them be
re-manufactured into new products. Minister Wilkinson and Mr.
Winter gladly accepted the invitation and invited interested
media to join them.
Ted Moroz went on to say, "The Bag it Back program has
been a tremendous success. Thanks to the participation of
Ontario consumers and the dedicated efforts of front line Beer
Store employees, the program has met or exceeded its container
return rate goals in each of its first three years. Last year,
77 per cent of all containers sold under the program were
returned including an impressive 87 per cent of large glass
containers, and based on current return rates we're confident
we'll achieve our 4th year recovery rate goal of 80 per cent."
He went on to say, "A billion bottles and containers recycled is
truly an impressive number. If you were to stack them one on top
of the other they would reach almost three-quarters of the way
to the moon!"
Chris Winter, from the Conservation Council of Ontario,
observed, "The Bag it Back program is a real success and
a natural and efficient fit with The Beer Store's very
successful beer bottle return program. When the Bag it Back
numbers are added to those for The Beer Store's beer container
deposit program, the total system diverts an eye-popping 2.1
billion liquor containers from Ontario landfills each and every
year. Deposit return programs clearly work. They not only reduce
strain on municipal recycling programs, they ensure that
recyclable materials are properly diverted and processed."
After being introduced by Ted Moroz, Minister Wilkinson
complimented The Beer Store staff for their service as the front
line workers in the Bag it Back liquor container
recycling campaign. He remarked, "The success of Bag it Back
proves Ontarians want to do the right thing. It's just one
example of the real and practical things people can do to reduce
waste. Together we are building a cleaner, healthier environment
for our children and grandchildren."
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