Milk Container Recycling Information

This voluntary milk container recycling program is delivered to you by the dairy industry. Services are provided by Encorp Pacific (Canada), the leader in environmental stewardship programs. Encorp, manager of the successful Return-It system for all beverage containers, is dedicated to providing recycling programs that recycle items in our communities into viable products, thus keeping them out of our landfills.

Zero Deposit Paid = Zero Deposit Refunded

Even though milk containers are part of the Return-It system, you do not pay a deposit when you purchase milk. Because no deposit was paid, no deposit is refunded, but you'll be doing the right thing.

To recycle milk containers, Return-It to the Depot

Many people are unaware of the best way to recycle their milk beverage containers.  Bringing them to a Return-It Depot, along with your refundable beverage containers,  guarantees they'll be turned into something useful like cardboard boxes or tissue paper.  Visit our Collection Sites & Services directory to see which depots are participating in the program. Please note that this industry program does not allow for returns to grocery stores.

What you can return at select Return-It Depots

All empty milk, cream, and milk substitute (soy & rice) beverage containers (plastic, cartons, and jugs) are included in this voluntary industry-run program. Cartons include both polycoated and paper board containers like tetra packs or aseptics and gable top cartons.

How do you return them?

It's easy!  Quickly rinse them out and crush them.

	Remove Caps   We recycle those too.
	Rinse   It stops the smell.
	Crush   The flatter the better.
	Repeat   Make it a habit.

Too many milk containers end up in landfills

That's wasting a precious resource. Now you can return your milk containers to select Return-It depots. We'll see that they get recycled into something useful. And you can feel good about helping your favourite planet. All the milk containers you return will be recycled into something new. Your plastic milk jugs and milk-to-go containers are recycled into plastic buckets and pails, while all other milk cartons are turned into cardboard boxes and tissue paper.