Toronto, Ontario, September 1, 2022 – Carton Council of Canada (CCC) today announced it will extend its efforts to support the optimization of carton collection, sorting and recovery in Ontario, launching the second round of the organization’s recent Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI).

Municipalities and waste management companies operating material recovery facilities (MRFs) in Ontario, and other entities responsible for operating residential recycling programs are invited to respond to the REOI with their ideas related to improving the rate of carton recovery in the province.

“We are pleased and proud to continue to support creative thinking and smart educational strategies,” says Isabelle Faucher, Managing Director, Carton Council of Canada. “We know that when we collaborate with organizations across the province, we increase the reach and potential impact of these programs, so it’s important to keep the dialogue going – and the ideas flowing.”

CCC has set aside an aggregate amount of $70,000 to support projects brought forward through this REOI in 2022.

To be eligible for consideration, expressions of interest must be submitted no later than 6 pm ET on November 1, 2022.

Projects must be completed within a maximum of two years from the REOI’s launch (i.e., no later than May 4, 2024).

FIRST REOI PROJECT FUNDED

Today, CCC also announced the first recipient of this projects’ funding. The Municipality of Dysart et al has successfully requested support for a comprehensive public awareness campaign. The goal of the project is to increase the capture of cartons in Dysart’s containers recycling stream by 100% from the current (2022) 44% capture rate to 88% capture in 2023. The Dysart team will leverage print, online and social media, along with the distribution of reusable recycling bags, to reach more than 7,200 households and deliver local, recycling-focused information. A Waste Composition Study will help evaluate the success of the program.

ABOUT THE REOI

Expressions of interest pertaining to the following areas of focus will be considered:

• Consulting services to enable or to optimize, carton sorting processes. This includes any or all of MRF configuration, sorter placement, technology and storage.
• Financing for audits (e.g., inbound material, container stream, paper stream, bales, etc.), pilot projects and equipment. Example of the later include investments in automation (optical sorters, robots), extensions to existing conveyors and the splitting of bunkers to allocate room for sorted cartons.
• Awareness campaigns to increase the quantity of cartons in the stream.
• Any other focus area that would benefit carton recovery.

It is important to note that cartons do not have to be the sole focus of the project and can be part of a broader initiative.

Full details related to eligibility and the REOI application process

ABOUT CARTON RECOVERY IN ONTARIO

Over the last fourteen years, carton collection/recovery rates have more than doubled in Canada, increasing from 26% to 55% in 2022.¹ While the carton performance has doubled nationally, the carton recovery rate in Ontario has been declining.² In fact, the province’s carton recovery rate dropped from to 52.7% in 2019 to 40.3% in 2022.³ Challenges such as COVID, labour shortages, access to technology and market conditions have contributed to the decline in cartons’ performance.

CCC also believes that the impending transition to a producer-led framework under Ontario’s new Blue Box Regulation presents an important opportunity for future service providers – municipal and private. Cartons will be on the list of mandated items for collection, and there will most likely be a requirement to sort them into their own grade (ISRI Grade 52 spec bales). Implementing actions now can help actors get ready for the transition by positioning respondents as strategic long-term partners to Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) and their producers.

ABOUT THE CARTON COUNCIL OF CANADA

The Carton Council of Canada (CCC) is composed of four leading carton manufacturers – Elopak, Pactiv Evergreen, SIG Combibloc, and Tetra Pak. Formed in 2010, CCC works to deliver long-term collaborative solutions in order to divert valuable cartons from disposal. Carton Council of Canada provides a platform for carton manufacturers in Canada to benchmark and profile cartons as renewable, recyclable and low-carbon packaging solutions.

For the past 12 years, CCC has been working with all stakeholders in the recycling supply chain to increase carton collection and recovery. There is demand for feedstock from food and beverage cartons to make new products, including paper products and building materials.
For more information, visit recyclecartons.ca.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please direct questions to Isabelle Faucher at ifaucher@recyclecartons.ca or by phone at (647) 967-5881.

NOTES:

1. Some Canadian jurisdictions report a collection rate while others report a recovery (recycling) rate. For this reason, we cannot report a uniform national collection or recovery (recycling) rate.
2. The carton recovery rate in Ontario is currently measured as the tonnes of cartons sold to end-markets relative to the tonnes of cartons put on the market.
3. As per the Blue Box Fee Calculation Model for years 2019 and 2022, available through Stewardship Ontario upon request. Please note that there is a two-year lag in recovery performance reporting in Ontario. As such, the recovery reported in 2019 is based on 2017 data and performance reported in 2022 is based on 2020 data.

Up to $70,000 is available to support innovative ideas focused on optimizing carton collection, sorting, and recovery 

Toronto, Ontario, May 4, 2022 – Carton Council of Canada (CCC) today invited municipalities and waste management companies operating material recovery facilities (MRFs) in Ontario, and other entities responsible for operating residential recycling programs to respond to CCC’s Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) related to improving the rate of carton recovery in Ontario. CCC has set aside an aggregate amount of $70,000 to support projects brought forward through this REOI in 2022.

“Carton Council of Canada believes that collaboration among industry stakeholders is one of the most important ways we can help optimize the recovery of cartons,” says Isabelle Faucher, Managing Director, Carton Council of Canada. “The goal of this REOI is to encourage positive, productive and creative thinking about ways we can work together to achieve better carton recovery outcomes.”

ABOUT CARTON RECOVERY IN ONTARIO

Over the last fourteen years, carton collection/recovery rates have more than doubled in Canada, increasing from 26% to 55% in 2022.[1] While the carton performance has doubled nationally, the carton recovery rate in Ontario has been declining.[2] In fact, the province’s carton recovery rate dropped from to 52.7% in 2019 to 40.3% in 2022.[3] While some of this decrease may be attributable to the methodology used to calculate the carton recovery performance, challenges such as COVID, labour shortages, access to technology and market conditions have also likely contributed to the decline in cartons’ performance.

“It’s been a challenging time for the recycling industry,” says Faucher. “We hope that by offering an opportunity for recycling operators to put forward their ideas, we can support the development of successful grassroots solutions. We also hope that funding from CCC can reduce the financial burden and risk to REOI respondents as they test initiatives prior to a full-scale rollout.”

CCC also believes that the impending transition to a producer-led framework under Ontario’s new Blue Box Regulation presents an important opportunity for future service providers – municipal and private. Cartons will be on the list of mandated items for collection, and there will most likely be a requirement to sort them into their own grade (ISRI Grade 52 spec bales). Implementing actions now can help actors get ready for the transition by positioning respondents as strategic long-term partners to Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) and their producers.

ABOUT THE REOI

To be eligible for consideration, expressions of interest must be submitted no later than 6 pm ET on July 4, 2022. Projects must be completed within a maximum of two years from the REOI’s launch (i.e., no later than May 4, 2024).

Expressions of interest pertaining to the following areas of focus will be considered:

• Consulting services to enable or to optimize, carton sorting processes. This includes any or all of MRF configuration, sorter placement, technology and storage.
• Financing for audits (e.g., inbound material, container stream, paper stream, bales, etc.), pilot projects and equipment. Example of the later include investments in automation (optical sorters, robots), extensions to existing conveyors and the splitting of bunkers to allocate room for sorted cartons.
• Awareness campaigns to increase the quantity of cartons in the stream.
• Any other focus area that would benefit carton recovery.

It is important to note that cartons do not have to be the sole focus of the project and can be part of a broader initiative.

View eligibility and the REOI application process

ABOUT THE CARTON COUNCIL OF CANADA

The Carton Council of Canada (CCC) is composed of four leading carton manufacturers – Elopak, Pactiv Evergreen, SIG Combibloc, and Tetra Pak. Formed in 2010, CCC works to deliver long-term collaborative solutions in order to divert valuable cartons from disposal. Carton Council of Canada provides a platform for carton manufacturers in Canada to benchmark and profile cartons as renewable, recyclable and low-carbon packaging solutions.

For the past 12 years, CCC has been working with all stakeholders in the recycling supply chain to increase carton collection and recovery. There is demand for feedstock from food and beverage cartons to make new products, including paper products and building materials.

For more information, visit recyclecartons.ca.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please direct questions to Isabelle Faucher at ifaucher@recyclecartons.ca or by phone at (647) 967-5881.

[1] Some Canadian jurisdictions report a collection rate while others report a recovery (recycling) rate. For this reason, we cannot report a uniform national collection or recovery (recycling) rate.

[2] The carton recovery rate in Ontario is currently measured as the tonnes of cartons sold to end-markets relative to the tonnes of cartons put on the market

[3] Refer to the BB Fee Calculation Model for years 2019 and 2022, available through Stewardship Ontario’s web site. Please note that there is a two-year lag in recovery performance reporting in Ontario. As such, the recovery reported in 2019 is based on 2017 data and performance reported in 2022 is based on 2020 data.

Up to 15 organizations in Quebec can receive $2K each for recycling education efforts that include cartons 

Toronto, Ontario, April 22, 2022 – Carton Council of Canada (CCC) today announced the launch of the organization’s second Community Education Award program developed to support and enhance recycling education in Canadian communities. In 2022, the Community Education Award program will focus on the province of Quebec.

The award program is open to Quebec-based organizations that educate residents about local recycling programs, particularly those that include food and beverage cartons. This includes municipalities, sorting centres (both not-for-profit and for-profit), service boards, and any other organization that has recycling education as part of its mandate. To receive the award, participating communities must show that their websites accurately and clearly define carton recycling. They will also be asked to provide at least two other examples of communications activities conducted during the year that promote recycling in general, while also prominently including cartons. More information about how communities can participate is found here (available in French only).

The first fifteen organizations to sign up for the program will be eligible to receive $2,000 each by demonstrating their proactive recycling education efforts, featuring food and beverage cartons. Registration opens on April 22, 2022 and will close on June 3, 2022. The participating communities will then have until Friday, November 25, 2022 to showcase their efforts and submit their work to CCC.

In a survey done in 2021, recycling scored at the top of the environmental actions that consumers in Quebec undertake.^[i] “Interestingly, despite a demonstrated commitment to recycling in general, we also know that there is still confusion about the recyclability of food and beverage cartons,” said Isabelle Faucher, Managing Director, Carton Council of Canada. “We also know that local resources are important to support education as consumers tend to look first to their community websites for information about what they can and cannot recycle.”

In 2021, CCC launched the program to communities across Ontario where 13 organizations successfully completed the program by showcasing their proactive recycling education efforts featuring food and beverage cartons. “We had a good experience with the project and are pleased to have the ad and poster files for use in the future … because the campaign is far from over,” shared Cathie Green from the Township of Drummond/North Elmsley who was among the recipients of the grant. Campaign messages were shared on various platforms, including social media, communities’ websites, and in local newspapers.

“We are pleased and proud to kick off the second year of the CCC Community Education Award,” said Ms. Faucher. “We are excited to bring this initiative to Quebec and hope we can replicate the participation, enthusiasm and success we saw during our inaugural year.”

ABOUT FOOD AND BEVERAGE CARTONS

Food and beverage cartons are highly recyclable materials that come in two kinds: refrigerated cartons that store, milk, juice and egg substitutes; and shelf-stable cartons that are packaged for broths, milks, juices, soups and even wine. When sorted by themselves at materials recovery facilities (MRFs), cartons are a valuable material in high demand. Made mostly from paper, a renewable resource, cartons have become popular containers for food and beverage products as they are lightweight and compact, with a low carbon footprint. When recycled, they are used to make office and writing paper, tissues, paper towels, and even sustainable building and construction materials.

ABOUT THE CARTON COUNCIL OF CANADA

The Carton Council of Canada (CCC) is composed of four leading carton manufacturers, Elopak, Pactiv Evergreen, SIG Combibloc, and Tetra Pak. Formed in 2010, CCC works to deliver long-term collaborative solutions in order to divert valuable cartons from disposal. Carton Council of Canada provides a platform for carton manufacturers in Canada to benchmark and profile cartons as renewable, recyclable and low-carbon packaging solutions.

For the past 12 years, CCC has been working with all stakeholders in the recycling supply chain to increase carton recovery and recycling. There is demand for feedstock from food and beverage cartons to make new products, including paper products and building materials.

For more information, visit recyclecartons.ca.

[i] https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2021/06/07/barometre-les-gestes-ecologiques-adoptes-par-les-quebecois

In June 2021, the Carton Council of Canada (CCC) launched our first Community Education Award program developed to incentivize and improve recycling education in communities across Ontario.

The award was initiated because there is still a great deal of confusion about the recyclability of food and beverage cartons. Research also suggests that consumers look first to their local community websites for information about what they can and cannot recycle.

CCC is pleased to announce that 13 organizations completed the program. Successful participants include:

• County of Wellington
• Municipality of Mississippi Mills
• Municipality of Dysart et al
• Municipality of Trent Lakes
• Rexdale Women’s Centre – Share and Reuse Spaces (Toronto)
• Town of Carleton Place
• Township of Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan
• Township of Drummond/North Elmsley
• Township of Montague
• Township of Nipissing
• Township of Southgate
• Township of Southwold
• Wollaston Township.

Each of the participants will be awarded $2,000 for successfully showcasing their proactive recycling education efforts featuring food and beverage cartons. In addition to promoting recycling in general, each organization’s website was required to accurately and clearly define carton recycling.

The program closed on November 26, 2021 and the results have been impressive. From flyers, posters and postcards to social media content to after-school programs and contests (carton sculptures anyone?) focused on recycling education to engaging local waste diversion educators, the participating organizations demonstrated tremendous creativity and a deep commitment to sharing carton recycling messages.

Looking at the activity undertaken by the award recipients, there are a few notable trends:

1. 85% of the organizations leveraged social media channels as both an education and community engagement tool
2. 92% used more than one communication platform for their awareness-building activity, extending the reach of their efforts to social, digital and traditional media along with other hard copy-focused marketing efforts such as posters in public spaces, tax and water bill inserts and other mail-out initiatives
3. Four organizations/municipalities were able to pair their online efforts with campaign-focused content placed in local newspapers
4. All organizations ensured their websites reflected accurate carton recycling-related information and many updated their sites to incorporate more consumer-friendly language.
5. Images and illustrations proved very helpful and most participants took advantage of CCC’s free Advertising and Image Bank. As an FYI, the image bank is open to anyone looking for new imagery to support their educational efforts.

Feedback from participants has also been very positive. Cathie Green from the Township of Drummond/North Elmsley shared her team’s enthusiasm for the campaign – and their commitment to continuing the effort. She says: “We had a good experience with the project and are pleased to have the ad and poster files for use in the future … because the campaign is far from over!”

Throughout the campaign, Carton Council has also been able to develop and offer additional resources for use both by Community Education Award participants and anyone else interested in updating their own online carton recycling information.

These resources include the slides from and recording (passcode: Km7L4T*d) of a Web Site Best Practices & Effective Recycling Messaging webinar CCC hosted at the outset of the Community Education Award program, along with a sorting guideline visual  CCC has developed and can help customize to individual program needs.

CCC extends their congratulations to each of the successful award recipients.

Stay tuned for details about the 2022 Community Education Award program coming soon!