Manitoba will introduce an enhanced beverage container recycling program in government buildings, provincial parks and roadside stops. This announcement was made by Conservation and Water Stewardship Minister Gord Mackintosh.
“While we have worked hard to improve energy and water efficiency, and make department operations more sustainable, there is still more work to do,” said Mackintosh. “We continue to green government and encourage more recycling by increasing recycling opportunities for beverage containers in our buildings and parks, and along our highways.”
The province will partner with the Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA) to implement a pilot project later this year at the Legislative Building and Memorial Park in Winnipeg. The program will then be rolled out across the province.
“Improving beverage container recovery is a key objective for Manitoba,” said Mackintosh. “The province established a target of 75 per cent recovery for beverage containers and I’m pleased that CBCRA has committed to achieving the target by 2016.”
“Providing an improved recycling opportunity in public spaces is good for the environment and will help us achieve the province’s 75 per cent recycling target,” said Ken Friesen, executive director, CBCRA. “We’re pleased to work with the province to improve recycling services throughout Manitoba.”
The minister noted the pilot project is part of the overall greening government initiative, which complements existing government policies and initiatives on sustainable development and green procurement. Recent initiatives include:
• banning the purchase of bottled water in government offices,
• rolling out an all battery recycling program with Call2Recycle, and
• reducing paper use through electronic information services.
All Manitoba government offices have had multi-material recycling services for paper and used beverage containers in place since 2007, Mackintosh said, adding recycling services are available in many provincial parks. The CBCRA program was launched at Birds Hill Park in 2010 to improve beverage container recycling in the park and recycling services will continue to be expanded throughout the provincial park system, he said.
Green Manitoba also provides public information on recycling activities available in Manitoba through the agency’s website at www.greenmanitoba.ca.
