A green circular economy is good for business
ABCRC’S role in the circular economy highlights the synergy between environmental sustainability and economic growth.
Sustainability efforts are cropping up in every part of our daily lives, but it’s easy to forget one of the easiest and most efficient ways to transform post-consumer materials into new raw materials — through recycling our used beverage containers.
According to the latest Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC) report, Albertans boasted an 85 per cent beverage container return rate in 2023, amounting to more than two billion non-refillable containers recovered by ABCRC and sold to recycling partners.
Not only does beverage container recycling help the planet by diverting waste from landfills, but it also provides a reliable and constant source of input material to industries that transform recycled products into secondary materials. For example, the construction industry uses fibreglass to insulate homes — a versatile material made right here in Alberta from glass beverage containers, like juice bottles.
“Following the journey of a single bottle returned to a depot can show you how the circular economy impacts every part of our communities,” says Guy West, president and CEO of ABCRC. “The financial incentive for both consumers and businesses has never been higher.”
The economic value of Alberta’s beverage container recycling program is manifold, according to a recent Recycling Council of Alberta report (Quantifying the Economic Value of Alberta’s Recycling Programs, 2019). A total of 4,500 jobs are tied to recycling activities in the province, with indirect roles tallying up to 7,500 jobs overall, according to the report. The beverage container recycling sector plays a large part in this number thanks to the more than 220 Bottle Depots in Alberta that collect and sort containers that ABCRC then processes and transports to end markets.
According to the same report, the value of material recycled in Alberta each year adds up to roughly $70 million, while the total gross value added (GVA) from the recycling sector in Alberta in 2018 was estimated at $700 million — a measure of all of the income earned by individuals or businesses involved in recycling processing. Based on the projected growth of the recycling sector, the potential value of the GVA could double to $1.4 billion — and these figures don’t even take secondary material usage into account.
“Since recycling itself is such a valuable market, it allows businesses to contribute to the circular economy in a way where both their customers and bottom lines benefit,” says West.
Just by sourcing raw materials from recycled sources, businesses can shave down operating costs while reinvesting in the circular economy. This strategy supports local job creation, sustainable practices and community well-being.
At the same time, a strong recycling infrastructure opens the door to innovation — for both businesses and communities.
“Alberta has such a high rate of beverage container returns because communities feel the benefits of the system,” says West. “Just imagine what we could do if that return rate hit 100 per cent.”
To learn more about ABCRC, go to abcrc.com.