First $4 million investment made for Éco Entreprises Québec's Innovative Glass Works Plan

Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) recently announced its first investments in its Innovative Glass Works plan, which opens the way for the launch of demonstration projects to equip several sorting centres with innovative glass processing and cleaning machinery, in collaboration with partners in Québec and from abroad.

The selected technology has proven its worth abroad in mixed recyclable materials sorting and will be tested in Quebec sorting centres over the next few months. The first segment of the 5-year plan announced in June 2015 focuses on the modernization of glass sorting equipment in sorting centres: a concrete initiative that contributes to reducing GHG emissions. A request for proposals from Quebec's 24 sorting centres will be issued in January 2016 with the ultimate objective of implementing an avant-garde solution for recycling 100% of the glass collected in Quebec. ÉEQ plans to deploy other concrete measures over the next few months, including support for market outlets that use glass collected via curbside recycling.

According to Maryse Vermette, ÉEQ's President and CEO, "this announcement reflects ÉEQ's vision of being a curbside recycling optimizer and contributing companies' solid commitment to the cause. This measure signals the end of the climate of uncertainty that has been preventing glass recycling from moving forward in recent years. Tangible and realistic solutions for processing all types of glass in Quebec are at hand, and we are convinced that our step-by-step approach will ensure they are implemented," she added.

The Innovative Glass Works plan, which aligns well with the government's sustainable development strategy, will contribute to the development of a green economy thanks to the economic and environmental benefits generated by curbside recycling across Quebec. In the wake of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) that is wrapping up in Paris, it should be noted that, since 2005, companies have financed municipal curbside recycling programs to the tune of $1 billion, including $135 million in 2014. Contributions collected from companies have resulted in the recovery of 5 million tonnes of recyclable materials and avoided 2 million tonnes of GHG emissions.

"The modernization of sorting centres will confirm Quebec's leadership in the area of glass recycling collected via curbside recycling and will generate significant positive impacts in North America thanks to a major international partnership, the terms of which will be announced next January. The expertise Quebec develops could be exported all over the continent," said Denis Brisebois, Chairman of ÉEQ's Board of Directors.