As editor of Some provincial legislators in Alberta, Canada, must be very serious about boosting plastics recycling, because they've proposed putting a 10 cent deposit on milk containers. That's according to this story from the Calgary Sun newspaper's Web site.
The story says the province is suffering from "poor recycling rates," but the numbers cited are actually pretty decent: a 52 percent recycling rate for plastic jugs, 28 percent of cartons and 24 percent of juice boxes.
Also part of the proposed plan: doubling the province's existing nickel-per-container deposit to a dime.
"Above all, the committee recognized that primarily this is an environmental issue," Denis Ducharme, a member of the legislative assembly. "Throughout its deliberations the committee was focused on the goal of ensuring that the recycling program is convenient and effective for the Alberta public."
Milk jugs certainly have recycling value, and putting a deposit on them would probably make the recycling rate skyrocket. Still, putting a deposit on milk seems like a big step. If Alberta slaps a deposit on milk, will other communities follow?