Montreal boosts recycling efforts with new aluminium cans deposit centre in Consignaction

On Earth Day, a new drop-off point was unveiled at 1301 Beaubien St. in Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, offering a convenient way to recycle aluminium cans and bottles. This Consignaction Centre, the first of many planned for Montreal Island and across the province, is equipped with recycling machines and staffed with knowledgeable personnel. It's a hassle-free way to instantly exchange your bottles and cans for cash.

The modernisation of Quebec's deposit-refund system means an increase in the number of accepted containers for recycling, with nearly 2.5 billion containers expected to be included. Plans are underway to expand the acceptance to a staggering five billion containers by March 1, 2025. Consignaction has already established a larger centre in Granby, catering to approximately 250 individuals daily who wish to exchange their containers for cash.

According to the Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association, the province currently boasts a commendable 73 per cent return rate, with ambitions to elevate it to 90 per cent by 2032. To achieve this, hundreds of additional neighbourhood recycling kiosks will be scattered throughout the province. Furthermore, commencing March 2025, glass bottles sized 500 ml and above will also be eligible for a $0.25 deposit refund, further incentivising recycling efforts.

Importance of recycling aluminium cans

Aluminium beverage cans have been at the forefront of realising the complete recycling potential of the metal across the world. Apart from packing carbonated soft drinks and beer, aluminium cans are now being used for various other beverages, including water, hard seltzers and so on. Globally, the consumption of aluminium cans by beer and soda is around 180 billion cans per annum. In 2020, global aluminium beverage can production reached around 360 billion units and is projected to surge to over 430 billion units by 2024.

Recycling aluminium cans is immensely significant for both environmental sustainability and resource conservation. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable without losing its quality, making it one of the most valuable materials in the recycling stream. Recycling aluminium cans significantly reduces the energy and resources required for their production compared to extracting raw materials. Overall, recycling aluminium cans is crucial for a sustainable future because it contributes to conserving natural resources, reducing energy consumption, and minimising environmental pollution.

Did you know that the recycled aluminium usage across the world increased from 27.1 million tonnes in 2022 to 28.3 million tonnes in 2023? Well to know more about such interesting numbers, grab AL Circle's latest industry report, "Global ALuminium Industry Outlook 2024", highlighting how the recycled aluminium sector has performed and will be performing in the coming days ahead.