PHYSICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE CANADIAN STEWARDSHIP PROGRAMS ON EMPTY PLASTIC BEVERAGE CONTAINERS IN SASKATCHEWAN AND ALBERTA PROVINCES

Abstract

Stewardship programs are gradually being phased out in favor of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, which are used in various forms in different Canadian provinces. An example is the British Columbia province's EPR program on empty plastic beverage containers. Provinces like Saskatchewan and Alberta, on the other hand, continue to rely on stewardship programs and are in the process of incorporating the EPR policy as a program into their waste management regulations. Therefore, this study will discuss how stewardship program policies have helped to solve a portion of the plastic waste problem; however, negotiations to fully integrate the EPR program into Saskatchewan and Alberta waste management policies are still ongoing. The significance of this study has demonstrated how stewardship programs in Saskatchewan and Alberta have promoted the reuse and recycling economy of plastic management to a limited extent in these respective provinces. A case study method was used to analyze and investigate the stewardship program, with a focus on plastic bottle management. Field observations were conducted at selected recycling companies (Sarcan recycling and Alberta beverage container recycling corporation) in Saskatchewan and Alberta to correlate the data gathered during the investigation, as presented in this research outcome. Implementing the EPR program, according to the study's findings, may be the most effective way for Canada to achieve a circular economy of plastic waste management.