Deposit-Refund Structure

Under PEI’s revised Environmental Protection Act Materials Stewardship and Recycling Regulations, the Beverage Container Program will transition from a half-back model to a full deposit-refund model. Setting the deposit amounts is the responsibility of the PRO in its Stewardship Plan.

Retailers must collect deposits on beverage containers at the point of purchase, and consumers will receive a full deposit refund when returning empty containers for recycling at designated return facilities (PEI’s network of beverage container depots).

Effective April 1, 2026, the deposit amounts, established by Encorp in its Stewardship Plan, will be as follows.

*Will apply to all beverage containers 5 L and under for products that fit the Regulations’ definition of “beverage.”

Container Recycling Fee

Effective April 1, 2026, the new Prince Edward Island Beverage Container Stewardship Program, managed by Encorp, will be funded by the sale of processed materials to commodity markets and from unredeemed beverage container deposits. Additionally, a CRF mechanism will be established on container material types.

This revenue will be utilized to support various Program activities, including administration and all applicable operating costs. The CRF will be calculated as the net cost of recycling beverage containers and will be based on these guiding principles:

• All material types must be self-sustaining.
• There can be no cross-subsidization of different material streams.
• Each stream is responsible for the direct costs of managing its containers as well as a portion of the indirect costs based primarily on market share.

It is important to note that the rates for CRFs will be adjusted on a yearly basis by Encorp, specific to the net costs associated with managing each beverage container material type. The rates will be revised annually based on three to five year forecasts to avoid major swings in the estimated net costs of managing UBCs and may be adjusted as necessary to ensure adequate funds for Program operations.

While adjustments to CRFs are expected to occur annually, taking effect on April 1 of each year, Encorp reserves the right to adjust the CRFs at any time in response to unanticipated financial events. Any changes to the CRFs will be announced at least 90 days before they become effective.

The CRF rates for each container type, effective April 1, 2026, will be set by Encorp as follows.

*Will apply to all beverage containers 5 L and under for products that fit the Regulations’ definition of “beverage.”