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Notes for remarks

By

The Honourable Laurel Broten
Minister of the Environment

At

The Beer Store Distribution Centre

(Check Against Delivery)

Thank you.

Hello, everyone.  As always, I’m very happy to be here with my boss, the Premier, as well as my colleague, Linda Jeffrey.  In my view, it’s a good day to be Environment Minister when you’ve got exciting news to announce and progress to report …

And I am proud to join the Premier in our announcement today.

We’re on the right track — I’m sure of it.

This is a good decision for the people of Ontario.  Like our world-class Ontario blue box system, we will begin to build a world-class deposit return system for the LCBO.

The environmental merits of deposit return are clear.

It will support the collection of clean cullet, which is used in the remaking of bottles.

It will make refilling glass or a type of plastic know as polyethylene terephthalate or PET possible.

And it will increase the capture of plastics and specific kinds of cartons and aluminum for recycling.

All Ontarians have a vital role to play in achieving our collective environmental goals.  Recycling is one of the fundamental ways.

We have truly come a long way over the past few decades.

Ontario's Blue Box recycling system was born 25 years ago in the booming 1980s, when public awareness of our environment, our depleting resources and our shrinking landfills was on the rise.

Today, millions of homes and thousands of schools and businesses across the province are dedicated subscribers to the “blue box” way of life.

It’s safe to say that in Ontario, the 3Rs — Reduce, Reuse,  Recycle — are very well established.  They’re ingrained in the public consciousness.  That’s thanks to the Blue Box.

The issue then becomes — how do we raise the bar?

How do we take our efforts to the next level?

How do we make a good system work even better?

Today’s announcement begins to answer those questions in a meaningful way.  Of course, there’s so much still to do.

Recently, I requested that we develop a new program to address the critical issue of household and hazardous waste.

Many municipalities have been dealing with their household hazardous wastes effectively for years, but we need a coordinated, province-wide approach.

Similarly, we need to tackle the problem posed by electronics that have seen their day.  It’s almost as if life has become unnavigable without cell phones, computers and printers.

But, just as you can’t live without them, you can’t get rid of them either!  It’s a familiar sight — a lonely old computer sitting on the curb.

To that end, we’re working with municipalities across the province, we’re listening to ideas that they bring forward and strengthening our rapport while we continue to develop the tools they need.

It’s important to note that the Association of Municipalities has long requested we move toward a deposit-return system for containers sold through our LCBO.

Taken together, I believe these, and other waste management tools will move us closer to our shared goal of a sustainable society.

It moves us towards becoming true stewards of our own environment, and reduces our individual ecological footprint.

I am proud that our government is providing tools like a deposit return system and supporting municipal efforts to increase diversion and manage wastes in an environmentally responsible manner.

Let’s continue to work together to create a future where sound waste management practices help to sustain a healthy, prosperous and strong Ontario.

Thank you.

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