Unique Deal Will Lead to More Recycled Milk Cartons

A made-in-Nova Scotia agreement among the Department of the Environment, the dairy industry and municipalities will see more milk cartons recycled in the future.

Starting today, the Atlantic Dairy Council, representing the province's four dairies, will begin providing funds to Nova Scotia's solid waste management regions based on the number of milk cartons collected. The cartons are collected through the municipal blue bag recycling program.

"This initiative is going to reduce the number of milk containers going to our landfills. The more people recycle, the better it is for everyone," said Environment Minister John Chataway.

This is the first voluntary arrangement of its type in Atlantic Canada. It is one of the few stewardship arrangements that includes a combination of financial assistance for municipal solid waste management programs and an in-kind advertising campaign by the dairy industry.

"All Nova Scotians need to manage their waste. In the dairy industry, we want to deal with recycling responsively and do it co-operatively. We're proud to be involved in this program," said Mel MacConnell, chair of the Dairy Council's Milk Processors' Division.

"Municipalities are already running successful blue bag programs. The dairy industry will be taking advantage of a successful program with this agreement," said Ritchie Cotton, Warden of Richmond County and chair of the Waste Management Regions Committee.

The more cartons collected, the more municipalities earn. Currently, about 25 per cent of cartons are recycled but that rate can go as high as 50 to 60 per cent in the near future.

The program will also see promotional messages encouraging recycling, composting, and anti-littering on the side of milk cartons.