Companies wishing to make a change to their 2013 Company Report have until July 8, 2015, to send in their request along with supporting documentation to ÉEQ’s Company Services Department. According to Schedule rules, changes will not be accepted after that date. Check the related section of our website to verify whether you have all the required supporting information.

On May 13, 2015, ÉEQ launched the new bacs+ website with entirely revised and improved content! The review process provided an opportunity to add video capsules and reiterate the view that curbside recycling is the best system to recover recyclable materials. Special focus was also given to myths and facts about glass recycling.

A Facebook page was also created to reach a wider public and disseminate the latest information on bacs+ activities, while a video on glass recycling answers questions from the public and lets them know about some of the innovative ways glass can be reused.

Go to the bacs+ website

Teens who frequent member establishments of the Regroupement des maisons de jeunes du Québec (RJMQ) are creative and committed to the environment. Thanks to financing provided by the Curbside Recycling Ambassadors Program, they can take concrete action! One year after the Program was launched in cooperation with bacs+ and RJMQ, ÉEQ is proud of the impressive projects these young people came up with.

The team at Maison de jeunes La Baie au Saguenay deserves particular praise for the humorous short film they produced to raise public awareness about recycling both at home and in public places. Their video was even presented at the Festival du court métrage de Saguenay as well as in various media and schools in the city. Hats off also to La Maison des jeunes Trait d’Union de Victoriaville for creating their three mascots, Compostine, Gilbert Le Vert and Papoubelle!

See the video (in French)

See article in La Nouvelle on Maison de jeunes Trait d’Union (in French)

On June 3, 2015, ÉEQ took part in public consultations on the issues and impacts of a proposed ban on single-use shopping bags. Like a number of recycling and business association partners, ÉEQ filed a submission to the Commission sur l’eau, l’environnement, le développement durable et les grands parcs who held the consultations. The issue is highly complex and needs to be studied from all standpoints. ÉEQ’s submission highlighted the success achieved with the voluntary approach resulting from the 2008 Voluntary Code of Best Practices for the Use of Shopping Bags. In its submission, ÉEQ reiterated how using a voluntary approach to mobilize retailers and partners produced convincing results. In fact, adopting the code enabled Quebecers to reduce their shopping bag consumption by 52% between 2007 and 2012, i.e. two years before the target date. View the submission on ÉEQ’s website (in French)..

Although the link between the construction industry and recycling may not be obvious to most people, it certainly was to Jean-Paul Jansen when he decided to add glass powder to his concrete five years ago. After many tests and a fruitful partnership with Tricentris, the entrepreneur now offers a more ecological, aesthetic and waterproof product that is of great benefit to municipalities. Read the portrait Novae painted of this visionary and his architectural concrete bloc and outdoor furniture manufacturing plant.

View Novae’s article

One year after its launch, the Best Practices Initiative for Effective Curbside Recycling continues to impress. To date, fifteen workshops were held in eight administrative regions, bringing together a total of 200 stakeholders who shared their successes and discussed the issues they face in administering waste management services. With these free workshops for municipal managers, ÉEQ wishes to spread the word about their individual successes in order to improve curbside recycling according to regional issues and realities. For more information on the Initiative or to learn about the outcome of workshops held to date, go to ÉEQ’s website in the section on municipalities.

Go to ÉEQ’s web site

On June 15, 2015, the City of Beaconsfield announced the implementation of an automated residual materials pick-up service based on an incentive tariff system. Starting in the fall of 2015, residents will be charged a fee for the quantity of trash they produce, as determined by the volume of their bin and the frequency of collection.

ÉEQ contributed to the implementation of the project with communications, awareness raising, trash and recyclables characterization and monitoring of impacts on the quality of recycling. As trash and recyclables collection depends on what actions people take, the data from this innovative project will support the development of accurate information about consumer habits and result in more relevant public awareness materials. This partnership is consistent with our Best Practices Initiative for Effective Curbside Recycling, which seeks to help residual materials managers throughout Quebec identify measures to recover more and better.

View the press release

On June 22, 2015, the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) inaugurated its new eco-responsible store located in Jean-Talon Market in Montreal. The building’s sustainable indoor and outdoor finishes provide an exceptional setting for Quebec entrepreneurs who developed innovative products using recycled materials.

Several of the many eco-responsible innovations highlighted at the opening of the store give a second life to glass, particularly ecological floor tiles by Gaudreau Environnement, paving stones and an outdoor concrete slab made with Verrox glass powder by Tricentris, and a public bench made with ultra-high performance concrete containing recycled glass, offered by the Université de Sherbrooke’s Chaire SAQ and developed in cooperation with Bétons Génial. ÉEQ commends the SAQ for this impressive initiative to provide a showcase for entrepreneurs who contribute to giving a 2nd life to recyclables and raise public awareness about innovative advances!

On June 17, 2015, Gaudreau Environnement won the Novae Citizenship Prize in the Ecodesign category for the development of its ecological flagstones.

The result of many years of research, this material made from 100% recycled glass and plastic bags is as hard-wearing as concrete. ÉEQ congratulates Gaudreau environnement for its sustained efforts and contribution to creating outlets for materials produced from curbside recycling.

ÉEQ will take a summer break. We will be back in September to keep you informed about the latest developments in the industry. Until then, we hope you have a bright and sunny summer!