SARCAN is reminding its valued customers that as of Friday, April 1, it became officially necessary to remove all bottle caps from plastic and glass bottles prior to receiving deposit refunds.
Bottle caps do not get recycled with bottles because they are made of different materials than the containers themselves. To maximize the value of the recovered materials and minimize the cost of the system for consumers, plastic bottle containers are flattened directly at SARCAN depots before being sent for processing and bottle caps can cause jams in the flattening equipment. Flattening containers at the depots increases space and allows for the transportation of the containers to be more efficient. This allows SARCAN to continue its mandate of protecting the environment by significantly reducing carbon emissions. With an average of 6,000 semi-loads of recyclables being transported from SARCAN depots across Saskatchewan annually, not flattening containers would double the frequency of transporting containers. When SARCAN employees do not have to remove caps at the depot before flattening containers, service is faster and accuracy is improved. Furthermore, not having to remove bottle caps drastically reduces the chance of wrist injuries to employees from repetitive strain.
As SARCAN begins its 23rd year of operation, it continues to be a leader in environmental protection, employment creation and economic development. The SARCAN name is beginning to receive national recognition; with over 70% of our staff having a disability or previously being on social assistance, it is amongst the largest affirmative enterprise employers in Canada.
SARCAN employees receive competitive wages, full benefits and a pension plan. Saskatchewan's beverage container return rate is 84.6%, making SARCAN the most successful beverage container recycling system in Canada. Over $35 million dollars in deposit refunds are returned to the people of Saskatchewan annually.
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