ÉEQ Newsletter – Volume 129, May 23, 2017

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MAY 23, 2017
VOL. 129

Information and reporting
– 2017 Schedule of Contributions to be released very soon
– Secure access to the reporting system
– Webinar on the year’s highlights and future directions – sign in!

News and events
– ÉEQ’s annual general meeting
– BOD – reappointment by acclamation
– ÉEQ at the CTAQ conference
– ÉEQ at the Assises de l’UMQ
– Conference on Canadian Stewardship, in September – Early Bird Special
– Notice of appointment: Geneviève Dionne

Innovate and optimize
– Cutting-edge sorting centres
– The Innovation Glass Works plan shines as far as Norway
– The Best Practices initiative in Lévis

Editorial

ÉEQ’s annual general meeting on April 20 was the opportunity to take stock of the past year and present our latest annual report. The theme we chose, Together to transform innovation into concrete actions, perfectly reflects the spirit that drives our dynamic with our stakeholders.

This past year was one of many successes. The roll out of the Innovative Glass Works plan is currently underway and calls for the investment of $5.5M in the five sorting centres enrolled in the experimental pilot projects to process glass using implosion technology and $1.2M in measures to support the commercialization of ecomaterials made from recycled glass. With all eyes on us, our game plan is beginning to yield results and 2017 promises to be just as busy!

One of the highlights of the year is the news that the costs of curbside recycling are gradually becoming more stable and the estimated eligible municipal costs for the new 2017 Schedule of Contributions are lower than those for the 2016 Schedule. This will certainly be welcomed by our contributing companies, for which stability and foreseeability are critical.

In addition, the advertising campaigns featuring our spokesperson Éric Salvail found their target: this year, we focused our efforts on raising awareness among citizens on two themes: the importance of recovery at all levels and ecoresponsible product packaging.

Among our many accomplishments are also the strong demand for equipment by municipalities created through the Away-from-Home program and the success of the Best Practices initiative, which is in its third year.

Just as 2016 was a year of accomplishments, there is no doubt that 2017 will be just as full! Together, we will successfully tackle the many challenges that lie ahead.

Maryse Vermette, President and CEO

2017 Schedule of Contributions to be released very soon

The 2017 Schedule of Contributions is expected to be published in the coming weeks by the Quebec Government’s Gazette officielle du Québec. We will keep you informed as soon as we receive further details.

Secure access to the reporting system

ÉEQ is currently implementing security measures for reporting system log ins. All principal and secondary users will receive an e-mail containing a new system password that they may personalize. If you have not received a new password by May 26, start by checking your junk mail folder and if you cannot find it there, please contact us. We will be pleased to assist you.

Webinar on the year’s highlights and future directions – sign in!

At 3 p.m. on June 19, we will lead a webinar to detail our latest news and information on the 2017 Schedule of Contributions and our directions for one to follow next year. You may click here to register.

ÉEQ’s annual general meeting

On April 20 in Montréal, ÉEQ hosted its annual general meeting. Representatives from contributing companies attended a presentation on the highlights of the past year and received a copy of the annual report, which is also available here. (French only)

Partners and representatives from different associations then joined the group for a working lunch that included two activities: a Q&A with our spokesperson Éric Salvail, who discussed why he chose to get involved with ÉEQ and a very interesting talk by Stéphane Forget, president and CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, who spoke about the importance of combining growth and responsibility in a changing economy. He believes that there can be no sustainable development without economic development and that all major projects must rely on a model that fosters economic growth and respects the environment, people and communities.

For further details on the meeting, click here to read the press release.

BOD – reappointment by acclamation

For the board of directors, 2017 will be a year of continuity since the seven members were reappointed by acclamation.

They are:

Suzanne Blanchet, Cascade
Diane Bouchard, Groupe St-Hubert
Denis Brisebois, Metro – Québec
Johane Leclerc, Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust
Serge Proulx, Telus
Johnny Izzi
Ginette Pellerin

ÉEQ at the CTAQ conference

The annual conference of the Conseil de la transformation alimentaire du Québec (CTAQ) was a unique opportunity to discuss issues and take questions from our contributing organizations in the agri-food sector. This year, business services coordinator Isabelle Laflèche and senior ecodesign advisor Geneviève Dionne noted significant interest in the topic of packaging ecodesign. The reach of our advertising campaigns must have something to do with it!

ÉEQ at the Assises de l’UMQ

The annual conference of the Union des municipalités du Québec is a great way to reach a large number of elected municipal officials in a short time. At this year’s edition of the Assises, which was held in Montréal on May 4 and 5, we focused on glass-based ecomaterials and the ways they may be integrated into municipal infrastructures (for example, as an additive in cement for sidewalks and public squares, in water filters, in horticultural mulch and in sandblasting). A number of representatives showed keen interest in the topic, especially since the uses constitute tangible means to communicate the ways in which municipalities are contributing to the circular economy.

Photo: André Fortin, senior advisor, external relations and Pierre Bénabidès, advisor, materials and market development.

Conference on Canadian Stewardship, in September – Early Bird Special

The preliminary program for the 2017 Conference on Canadian Stewardship is available. More than 650 attendees are expected at this event, which will take place September 27-29 at the Sheraton Centre in Montréal. This edition, organized by ÉEQ, will be held under the theme of the Circular Economy. You may already register to take advantage of the Early Bird Special discount until July 15th.

Notice of appointment: Geneviève Dionne

Geneviève Dionne has thrived since she first arrived at Éco Entreprises Québec and her tireless work and innovative initiatives prompted the organization to promote her to Senior Advisor, Ecodesign. She oversees the OptimEco.ca – OptimAction portal, ensures ecodesign support and training, leads the Packplay 2 project and counsels the executive team on issues related to packaging ecodesign and the circular economy.

On May 11, Geneviève was a speaker at an event organized by Carrefour Logistique at HEC Montréal. With some 40 students and professionals in the packaging and logistics sector in attendance, her presentation on reconciling the logistical and ecological challenges in packaging management meets Carrefour Logistique’s mission, which aims to bridge the logistical needs of the business community and leading knowledge in the field.

Cutting-edge sorting centres

The five sorting centres selected to take part in the experimental pilot projects were especially busy this spring with the installation of cutting-edge glass sorting and cleaning equipment. Tests are already underway and the early results are very satisfactory. Together, the centres will process 25% of the glass collected through curbside in Québec.

In June, inauguration events will be held in each centre with municipal officials and managers, ÉEQ business partners, sorting centre representatives and stakeholders in the Innovative Glass Works plan.

Are you curious about the installations? Watch our new video to learn more about the project.

The Innovation Glass Works plan shines as far as Norway

The success of the Innovative Glass Works plan partly rests on its outreach at the local and international levels. Earlier this week, our CEO Maryse Vermette was invited to present ÉEQ’s plan for glass recycling as part of a circular economy panel at the 11th Society and Materials International Conference (SAM 11) in Trondheim, Norway.

Union leaders also interested by the plan

On April 25, Virginie Bussières, Director of communications and public affairs, had the opportunity to present the Innovative Glass Works plan to senior managers at the FTQ, which is among the stakeholders of the plan. The discussions with union representatives were very interesting, especially with regard to the development of the circular economy. She was joined at the event by Cédéanne Simard, Director of sustainable development at the SAQ.

The Best Practices initiative in Lévis

On April 28, the Best Practices initiative team held a second workshop for waste managers and officials in the Lévis area. A number of key themes were discussed, including services for institutional, commercial and industrial organizations and multi-unit residences and the analysis of specifications in calls for bids.

Éco Entreprises Québec is on Linkedin and Facebook!

Follow us to learn about the latest packaging optimization ideas, news from our partners and the many initiatives ÉEQ implements to improve curbside recycling.

Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) is the organization that develops the Schedule of Contributions and collects company contributions, which are then redistributed to finance municipal curbside recycling services in Quebec. ÉEQ also encourages innovation and sharing of best practices in order to optimize the recyclable materials value chain. To do so, ÉEQ cooperates, on the one hand, with companies to reduce quantities of materials at the source and encourage the use of recyclable materials, as well as with municipalities to increase recycling and the economic value of recovered materials.

ÉEQ is a private non-profit organization created by companies that put containers, packaging and printed matter on Quebec’s market to represent them. The organization was accredited by RECYC-QUÉBEC in 2005 in accordance with the Environment Quality Act.

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