Whitehorse Daily Star

Image title

Photo by Vince Fedoroff

RECYCLING MAKES CENTS – The Tetra pack deposit area is seen at the Raven Recycling Centre off Industrial Road. New recycling regulations kicked in today.

Beverage container regulations take effect

More than a year after Yukoners had originally been set to see more deposits charged for drinking containers,

By Stephanie Waddell on August 1, 2017

More than a year after Yukoners had originally been set to see more deposits charged for drinking containers, the regulations have come into effect.

Today marks the first day milk cartons and jugs have been added to the list of beverage containers on which Yukoners will pay and receive a deposit if they recycle them.

Then, next Feb. 1, Yukoners will see a number of goods added to the designated materials list.

Under that, consumers pay a surcharge on certain purchases such as electronics, tires and more to help ensure they are disposed of properly.

Residents are then no longer charged tipping fees at landfills when they take the items there.

Under the changes that came into effect today, anyone purchasing milk and milk substitutes is paying a 10-cent deposit. They are being provided with a five-cent refund when they return the carton to a recycling centre.

Consumers will also continue to pay deposits on other beverage containers as they have in the past.

As with the milk containers, on any beverages that are between 30 ml and 750 ml, consumers will pay the 10-cent deposit and be refunded five cents.

Meanwhile, consumers purchasing beverages that are more than 750 ml will pay a 35-cent deposit and receive a 25-cent refund.

The funds go into the territory’s recycling fund, which helps finance recycling programs and diverts waste from dumps.

Sarah Chan, the acting manager of standards and approvals for Environment Yukon, said Monday, “Everyone has their part to play.”

The former Yukon Party government had initially planned to implement the changes last summer.

It opted to extend the timeframe after the Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce recommended providing additional time for consultation.

The chamber also expressed concerns about the impact it would have on local businesses.

Earlier this year, the now Liberal government announced it would implement the changes on Aug. 1 for the beverage containers and Feb. 1, 2018 for designated materials. The plan will see surcharges ranging from $1 to $15, depending on the item purchased.

Goods bought on-line will also be subject to the surcharges when the new regulations come into effect.

Comments (18)

Up 0 Down 0

Nile on Aug 7, 2017 at 12:34 pm

@max Mack. I bet you're right. Also as a government funded NGO Raven's books should be open to the public. Something they have refused to do. It should be public knowledge.

Up 7 Down 9

Josey Wales on Aug 3, 2017 at 8:57 pm

Hey BnR...thank you for stepping into my snare...surprised it was not quicker with all the OJW haters out there.
Yes I too noticed that buuuut they were going to does not mean they did.
Red team however is all over that, seems they hate dairy as of late?
Red team finally figured out how to tax our air, and worse?
So so many folks cognitively impaired are drinking it up like the absolute complete fools they are. Not inferring you BnR, but many others are drinking the kool aid.
I wish not to fall into "Justinetown" and the mass consumption of kool aid.

Up 15 Down 0

Max Mack on Aug 3, 2017 at 6:11 pm

"The funds go into the territory’s recycling fund, which helps finance recycling programs and diverts waste from dumps."

Gee . . . I wonder if Raven Recycling will be the big winner?

Up 16 Down 0

north_of_60 on Aug 3, 2017 at 2:47 pm

@Michelle seems somewhat misinformed. The article clearly states:

"consumers pay a surcharge on certain purchases such as electronics, tires and more to help ensure they are disposed of properly.
Residents are then no longer charged tipping fees at landfills when they take the items there."

Tipping fees will only be eliminated on surcharged items.

Up 17 Down 12

BnR on Aug 3, 2017 at 2:43 pm

Josey Wails, from the article: "The former Yukon Party government had initially planned to implement the changes last summer"
I know that doesn't fit with your tirade, but there it is.
And you better hope "they" don't start taxing stupid, it'll bankrupt you'bro.

Up 10 Down 11

Michelle on Aug 3, 2017 at 1:21 pm

ProScience Greenie and Northern_Me

I am not stupid, I know some of our taxes go to pay for recycling. But if your read the article, it says that dumping fees will end once these new fees are implemented. I have lived in the Yukon my whole life and before they started implementing recycling fees, you could not walk anywhere without finding pop and beer can/bottles in the highway ditches and trails. Now it is rare that I find these.
I do not feel this is a government money grab as some people were saying. This is a proven system that works. And there are a lot of people who have not been taking their items to the dump because they refuse to pay the dumping fees. They just dump their garbage in the woods. Yes, you can say why should we even pay dumping fees? My taxes should pay for that. Well we could just increase your taxes to pay these costs. Oh, but remember that everyone who lives outside of the city limits does not have to pay city taxes so everyone in the city has to cover the costs.
What I am sick of is people who post tirades without actually saying anything constructive. But based on what everyone is saying, maybe we should just close the dumps, not recycle just throw our trash on the streets. This has nothing to do with politics or money grab. It is the governments trying to manage our trash is the most cost effective way. If you have a better idea on how to do this, let's hear it.

Up 5 Down 6

yukonlibby on Aug 3, 2017 at 1:03 pm

Hey Karl - they're going to charge the fees online the same way they charge GST/HST/PST online. You enact a law or regulation, then it's up to retailers to comply, and then when you select your shipping province/territory it will add the fee. Neat hey? If retailers don't comply they can be fined as the law requires them to comply.

Up 8 Down 7

Elmer Vasko on Aug 3, 2017 at 10:39 am

milk is sold in plastic BAGS in Ottawa - why not here ?

Up 22 Down 1

Northern_Me on Aug 2, 2017 at 10:48 pm

Michelle, Michelle, Michelle....... um who do you think pays for the recycling centres to run, perhaps not directly, but indirectly. As for us not paying dumping fees anymore..........ummm I am really at a loss for words.

Up 12 Down 1

Karl on Aug 2, 2017 at 7:40 pm

How are they going to charge for goods purchased online?

Up 20 Down 7

ProScience Greenie on Aug 2, 2017 at 12:34 pm

So people that don't agree with this policy or maybe they have other ideas to reduce waste, are stupid idiots Michelle? If you really want to help make our planet a better place please remember that you can catch more flies with honey.

Up 15 Down 40

Michelle on Aug 2, 2017 at 11:11 am

I wish we could tax stupid as well as those who go on tirades about stuff they know nothing about. These recycling fees will replace the fees people have to pay at the dump. so now people can take their junk to the dump without having to pay. Currently people are too cheap to pay the nominal fee to take their crap and they dump it where ever they please. I have gone on many trails and found items like TV's just dumped in the bush because of these idiots are to cheap and lazy to take it to the dump. None of this money goes to the Government. It all goes to the Recycling centers to pay for the operation and pay staff who sort the stuff most people are too lazy to sort themselves. If you don't want to pay the fees, don't buy stuff that the fees are applied to. You will save lots of money that way.

Up 26 Down 0

Diane Freed on Aug 2, 2017 at 9:42 am

Seems like we "the consumer" are always "playing our part". What about the corporations and producers. What is their part? Course, if we made them take some financial responsibility, it would just get passed along to us "the consumer" anyway!

Up 28 Down 1

Darrell smartest neighbour on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:19 pm

Can I pour my own milk if I bring my 1960 GLASS milk bottle to the stores ?

Up 17 Down 8

ProScience Greenie on Aug 1, 2017 at 9:11 pm

Sadly OJW, all the teams, red, blue, orange and green are equally into these cash grabs. All for general revenue ie waste, bloat and feel good optics with a few pennies tossed back to us. Then we will have a carbon sin tax on it all.

If we could all get government jobs with stability, a good wage and benefits it would be easier to swallow but that's like winning a lotto. Expect more to edge closer to the gig economy poverty line no matter what team is at the helm.

Up 20 Down 7

Josey Wales on Aug 1, 2017 at 7:17 pm

Speaking of funding ngo's...look at that concrete lego wall?
At $250 a piece ( total guess as concrete is not cheap up here) that is some serious wealth redistribution to appease enviro fascists.
That folks is where a good deal of our monies go...funding ideological crusades.

Up 47 Down 17

Nile on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:56 pm

So what is the Liberal government doing with the money you don't get back from your deposit? Is it going into the same slush fund as their carbon tax? It's getting more and more expensive to live here under the Liberals.

Up 49 Down 22

Josey Wales on Aug 1, 2017 at 3:09 pm

Ahhh...still a few coins in the corners of our pockets eh?
Everyone must play their part we are told...really?
Do we not pay taxes to dispose of our refuse...yes we do.
So now team red steals more from us to participate in a ngo shell game many wish not to play?
Using that everyone must play a part crap...what surcharges on top of taxes are the many booze distributors coughing up to fund the circus we call our courts?
How many hundreds of dollars extra are the ORV sellers per unit sold being charged at pos...to appease the enviro-nazis?
How much of a levy does the 2nd ave fast food pay...outta concern for the countries obesity and diabetes issues?
Enough with your social engineering team red, you and your shiny pony are an international disgrace.
Free needles ...free anti overdose kits...free sex changes, free abortions...got milk?
Well our lords desire extra money for your choices.
Too bad we could not tax stupid, given what we now have devolved into...that pot would be huge and overflowing.
A stupid tax would never be advocated from a team red for certain...it would break them financially.

Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar

In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.

Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.