As a result of strong collaboration and cooperative efforts between the Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB), the more than 218 depots, and Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC), together with the collective efforts of all Albertans, a record recycling rate of 83.1% was achieved as of December 31, 2010.

The past ten years have seen a remarkable increase in the total number of containers recycled, from just over half a billion containers to a staggering 1.8 billion containers by the end of 2010, representing the current achievement.

However, our work is not yet done. Low-performing containers, including single-serve water bottles, milk cartons, plastic milk bottles, and meal replacements, as well as juice boxes, continue to be consumed in large amounts, away from home and require our attention and continued efforts, if we are to achieve the 85% recycling rate goal, by the end of 2011.

Together, we can make this happen!

Tell Us Where You Want a Bin

Albertans are enthusiastic recyclers when they're at home, but they fall short when out and about. Too often, they cannot find a recycling bin for their empty beverage containers. In fact, research continues to reinforce that the single greatest barrier to increased recycling participation out-of-home remains a shortage of recycling bins - make it convenient and recycling should not be a challenge for any of us.

To address this issue, the Place a Bin campaign was launched in Alberta at the end of April, empowering Albertan to help keep empty beverage containers out of provincial landfills, by having their say in where new recycling bins should be placed. Through the Place a Bin program, Albertans can request to have recycling bins placed where they feel they're needed most.

Albertans are being invited to the DontBeATosser.com website to place their bin using Facebook. The Place a Bin campaign runs through Alberta's busiest recycling season, the summer, and includes media support of transit advertising, radio advertising, geo-targeted online ads and guerrilla tactics including QR (quick response) mobile technology. The campaign's intention is to add thousands more new recycling bins across the province, in cooperation with the network of 218 Depots.

Through the support of ABCRC's Community Champion Program, bins will be serviced by these not-for-profit partners, thereby expanding their own bin infrastructure footprint. In return these partners will keep all revenues tied to the empty beverage containers yielded from servicing the new bins.