4 Collection System and Facilities
- The success of the Return-It depot network.
- How the collection system works after consumers return their empty containers.
- Map of British Columbia pinpointing the depots and the processing sites.
4.1 Building On Our Success
Encorp’s collection network consists of 170 privately owned Return-It depots. Over the past several years, this network has become the backbone for many community-based recycling programs around the province.
Nine approved stewardship programs utilize our successful Return-It depot network for collecting and managing their recyclables. From electronics and batteries to used paint and motorized yard tools, our depots have become the recycling hub of their respective communities.
The stewardship plan sets a standard for depot coverage of 97% of B.C.’s population. Encorp Return-It depots provide services to 98.6% of the British Columbian population and when the beverage retail collection locations are included, coverage increases to 99.5%. To view the coverage maps visit return-it.ca/locations/coverage-2018
Our integrated transportation system uses 38 transporters to move our material into 15 processing sites throughout the province. Within urban centres, we use dedicated transporters that pick up from depots, retailers and other collection sites. In rural areas, Encorp utilizes transporters that provide back-hauling resulting in environmental, logistical and financial savings.
Encorp is responsible for managing a large volume of valuable containers and significant funds in the form of deposits and fees. We take this responsibility very seriously, so a key function in our day-to-day operations is continuously monitoring the integrity of our systems.
Our Quality Assurance division is a central part of this, sampling bags of containers collected across the system to ensure that container counts are correct and that only acceptable containers are present.
We also monitor trends and activity within our depot, logistics and processing network and share tools and experience with other beverage container stewardship organizations across the country. Finally, we use an independent auditor to carry out both financial and non-financial audits, presented in this annual report, to test the integrity of our reporting.
4.2 How the Collection System Works
Consumers take their empty containers to a variety of places to collect the deposit refund, and ensure they are recycled.
4.3 Collection, Transportation and
Processing Map
Encorp contracts collection, transportation and processing through a regularly reviewed request for proposal (RFP) procedure. Routes are consistently monitored and adjusted for optimal efficiencies. Transporters pick up beverage containers from depots and deliver them to the nearest approved processor. They are then compacted and prepared for shipping to various recyclers. This step ensures that on a weighted basis, 81% of the kilometers a container travels will be in a compacted state keeping the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at a minimum.
Return-It Depot
Processing Plant
Consolidation Site
Note: Map outlines collection, transportation, and processing for all commodities except glass.
Routes between depots and their respective processors are indicated in colour.
For detailed location search, please visit return-it.ca/locations.
