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Partnerships with Éco Entreprises Québec: A New Era for Curbside Recycling To Be Launched Soon on the Côte-Nord

Montréal, February 21, 2024 – Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) is proud to announce its partnerships signed on the Côte-Nord. In accordance with the extended producer responsibility (EPR) principle, ÉEQ is responsible for planning, supervising and financing the curbside recycling system. Over the past few weeks, Sept-Îles, Port-Cartier and the Régie de gestion des matières résiduelles de Manicouagan have signed agreements, formalizing the role of ÉEQ in the management of recyclable materials.

The excellent collaboration of the elected officials on the Côte-Nord will ensure the optimization of the curbside recycling ecosystem by introducing streamlined operations and improving logistical efficiency, while maintaining a citizen-centered approach. In addition, the implementation of EPR by ÉEQ will allow all Quebecers to recycle the same materials by using blue bins, regardless of where they are in the province. As the producer responsibility organization (PRO) for curbside recycling, ÉEQ will now be accountable for the system’s performance across Québec.

For ÉEQ, these new partnership agreements are the latest in a series of some 50 agreements signed with municipal organizations (MOs) in recent weeks, representing more than 60% of the population of Québec.

Highlights

  • Effective January 1, 2025, ÉEQ will assume all the costs of collecting and transporting containers, packaging and printed matter collected by means of curbside recycling throughout Québec;
  • As a result, there will be only one list of recyclable materials in Quebec, regardless of the region or municipality;
  • ÉEQ will compensate the signatory MOs for the associated management fees and the costs of public information services;
  • The partnership agreements have been customized to take into account the particularities of curbside recycling services in the targeted MOs on the Côte-Nord;
  • The terms of the partnership agreements with the MOs on the Côte-Nord are mainly intended to:
    – State the respective responsibilities of each party;
    – Oversee the implementation of curbside recycling services;
    – Establish a list of materials accepted in recycling bins;
    – Set the parameters for reimbursement and compensation by ÉEQ.
  • These agreements are in addition to those recently signed with many cities and MOs in compliance with the Regulation respecting a system of selective collection of certain residual materials and other regulatory provisions.
  • The agreements signed on the Côte-Nord announced today cover curbside recycling services for 59,340 people;
  • To date, ÉEQ has reached agreements with MOs representing nearly 460 municipalities and 5.1 million Quebecers.

Quote

“These partnerships mark an important turning point in the establishment of the EPR principle of curbside recycling on the Côte-Nord. They reflect our willingness to transform our approach to recycling management, make the system more efficient and, ultimately, foster the circular economy.”

– Maryse Vermette, President and CEO of Éco Entreprises Québec

About Éco Entreprises Québec

Since 2005, Éco Entreprises Québec, a private, non-profit organization, has been representing producers who market packaging, containers and printed matter in their responsibility to finance curbside recycling. Appointed as a producer responsibility organization (PRO) in 2022, ÉEQ is in charge of managing curbside recycling in Québec from a sustainable development perspective.

As the leader in extended producer responsibility (EPR), ÉEQ develops, manages and advises its producer members on circular economy solutions to reduce their environmental footprint. To achieve this, ÉEQ places ecodesign, recyclability and traceability at the heart of its actions with its partners. ÉEQ will continue to fulfill its role as a PRO during the transition from the compensation plan to EPR curbside recycling.

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Source
Marie-Claude Rivet
Manager, Strategy and Public Affairs
514-987-1491, ext. 237
mcrivet@eeq.ca

For more information
Maximilian Fiorante
Advisor, Public Affairs
514-375-0174
maximilian.fiorante@hillandknowlton.com