By rinsing your empty beverage containers, you help make the Depot a cleaner, more inviting place. Cleaning your beverage containers means less odor and germs. Leave tabs, labels and lids on plastic containers. While it is okay to squish plastic milk jugs, please don’t crush cans or bottles, they need to remain as is.
Remember to remove items like plastic rings, carton boxes and other extra packaging that may have come with your beverage containers. Beer bottles however, should be brought to the Depot in the case they were purchased in. Depots use these cases to return the bottles so they can be recycled or refilled.
Some Depots have an automated sorting system that makes the process more efficient. Although you are not required to pre-sort your containers by size (1L and less or over 1L) or type (glass, cans etc.) pre-sorting can help speed up the processing time at a Depot.
With the exception of beer bottles that can be returned in the cardboard boxes they came in, most Depots in Alberta only process empty beverage containers. Unless the Depots offer recycling areas for other material like garbage bags and cardboard boxes, please take these with you when you leave.
Consider donating your refund from the Depot to a charity in need. Last year, charities raised millions through the generosity of Albertans just like you.
Alberta has more than 220 Depots that provide a refund in exchange for the return of used, empty beverage containers. After sorting, counting and providing a refund, Depots ship the used beverage containers to be recycled.
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