Sorting Beverage Containers
All non-refillable deposit-bearing beverage containers must be sorted for Encorp according to our official Sort List (in effect as of April 1, 2023). Redemption centres are provided large Sort List posters from Encorp to hang in their centres for quick/easy staff reference. Our Sort List can also be downloaded and printed anytime by clicking on the image below.
Note that we encourage redemption centres to be particularly vigilant in correctly identifying containers that belong in sort 6, particularly HDPE-pigmented containers. Sometimes PET and HDPE translucent containers are mistaken for this type of plastic. A handy visual aid regarding sort 6 is available below.
Encorp Sort List
Sort 6 Visual Aid
Important Update on Ceramic Beverage Containers
Notice - Clarification Regarding Steel Cans (Alcohol)
Bulking Beverage Containers
Non-glass beverage containers (sorts 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 15/16, 23/24, 25/26) must be bulked and prepared for pickup using Encorp bulk bags. The bulk bags are supplied to redemption centres by Hebert’s Recycling.
Glass beverage containers (sorts 2, 4, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22) must be bulked and prepared for pickup using plastic tubs. The tubs are supplied to redemption centres by Rayan.
Illustrated Guide - Sorting & Bulking Non-Glass Beverage Containers
Clarification – Wine Box Bladders
Encorp’s Illustrated Guide: How to Sort and Bulk Non-Glass Beverage Containers says that wine bladders must be removed from wine boxes and that they can be placed in the same clear plastic bag as alcohol pouches. Note that this is optional. Redemption centres can choose to simply continue discarding wine bladders, or, if they want us to collect them, they can place them in the same clear plastic bags as other alcohol pouches (however, wine bladders must not be counted/included as part of any total unit counts).
Clarification – Alcohol Steel Cans
There is currently no sort in Encorp’s Sort List dedicated to alcohol beverage steel cans. Since the volume of alcohol beverage steel cans redemption centres (RC) receive is very low, these cans should be placed with non-alcohol beverage steel cans in Sort 8. For each large (> 500ml) alcohol beverage steel can with a 20¢ deposit placed in a sort 8 bulk bag, RCs can add two 5¢ refund units to the total unit count on the bulk bag’s yellow shipping tag in order to be reimbursed the 10¢ refund. View our poster on this topic here.
Illustrated Guide - Sorting & Bulking Glass Beverage Containers
Clarification – Ceramic Beverage Containers
Encorp has been made aware that Alcool NB Liquor (ANBL) has sold certain alcohol beverage products in ceramic containers. Ceramic is not an acceptable container type as per the rules and regulations of the New Brunswick Beverage Containers Program. We will work with ANBL to rectify this situation.
Ceramic is also a contaminant for glass and should under no circumstances be placed in tubs with glass beverage containers, as it is stated in our Illustrated Guide: How to Sort and Bulk Glass Beverage Containers.
Redemption centres that receive ceramic beverage containers for alcohol beverage products can accept them from their customers and pay them the deposit refund. However, we ask that you set them aside for now in your centre. We will be issuing a communication in a few weeks with specific instructions related to ceramic containers.
Illustated Guide - How to Close Encorp Bulk Bags
Instructions – Closing Tubs
Plastic tubs filled with bulk glass beverage containers can remain open. Redemption centres should be careful however not to overfill the tubs in order to prevent losing glass containers during transportation.