Get ready to pay ten cents more for milk.

As of Feb. 1, people in B.C. will be able to return milk and milk-substitute beverage containers for a refund at recycling centres.

At the time of purchase, a refundable deposit of 10 cents will be paid for each eligible container. Consumers will get their deposit back when they return their containers.

Clean and rinsed milk and milk-substitute (e.g., oat, almond, soy) beverage containers purchased on or after Feb. 1, 2022, will be accepted by the deposit-refund program. These containers should no longer be placed in the residential blue box.

Shifting milk containers to the deposit-refund system will capture the millions of additional plastic and fibre-based containers that were otherwise being thrown out, such as those from restaurants, schools and offices that did not have access to the residential recycling system, a Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy media release noted.

Residents are encouraged to continue recycling containers that are not being added to the deposit-refund system, such as infant formula, meal replacement/dietary supplements, coffee cream, whipping cream, buttermilk or drinkable yogurt, through curbside, multi-family or depot services.

See a full list of accepted containers and the province-wide network of depots accepting them.

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