RESOURCES
Québec Bottle Bill
Everything you need to know about the container deposit system in Québec, including eligible containers, refund values, and collection locations.
Program Information
Name
Québec Deposit Return System (Consigne Québec), formally governed by the Regulation respecting the development, implementation and financial support of a deposit-refund system for certain containers (Q-2, r. 16.1) under the Environment Quality Act.
Date Implemented
Initial deposit system for beer and soft drink containers established in 1984. Modernization began in 2022, with Phase 1 expanding to all aluminum beverage containers on November 1, 2023. Phase 2, effective March 1, 2025, includes all ready-to-drink beverage containers from 100 mL to 2 L, excluding multilayer cartons.
Reclamation System
Managed by the Québec Beverage Container Recycling Association (QBCRA) under the Consignaction brand. The system includes over 1,200 return locations as of March 1, 2025, with a target of 1,500 locations by March 1, 2027.
Fees
Handling commissions are set at $0.025 CAD per container, with $0.01 CAD for refillable glass beer containers. No publicly disclosed per-container operating fee.
Unredeemed Deposits
Retained by the designated management body, QBCRA, to fund system operations and improvements.
Eligible Containers
Québec's deposit system accepts the following containers, with more types being added through 2025:
Aluminum Cans
Uncrushed, tab on
| SIZE | CRF FEE | REFUND |
|---|---|---|
| 100 mL – 2 L | 1¢ | 10¢ |
Plastic Bottles
Caps on, labels intact
| SIZE | CRF FEE | REFUND |
|---|---|---|
| PET 100 mL – 2 L | 1¢ | 1¢ |
| HDPE 100 mL – 2 L | 1¢ | 10¢ |
Glass Bottles
Labels on, caps off
| SIZE | CRF FEE | REFUND |
|---|---|---|
| 50mL – 500mL | 1¢ | 10¢ |
Multilayer Cartons (2027)
Rinse, straw pushed in
| SIZE | CRF FEE | REFUND |
|---|---|---|
| 100mL – 2L | 2¢ | 10¢ |
Bag-in-Box (2027)
Leave wine or spirit bags in box
| SIZE | CRF FEE | REFUND |
|---|---|---|
| 100mL – 2L | 2¢ | 25¢ |
Wine & Spirits (2027)
Cap on, label on
| SIZE | CRF FEE | REFUND |
|---|---|---|
| 100mL – 500mL | 2¢ | 10¢ |
| 501mL – 2L | 5¢ | 25¢ |
What's Not Accepted
Size Restrictions
Containers smaller than 100ml or larger than 2L
18 L Water Jugs
Large reusable water containers typically used with dispensers.
5 L Beer Kegs
Miniature kegs often used for home consumption.
Family-Size Juice
Large canned juice products exceeding 2L.
Tin Cans
Metal cans used for food items like soups or vegetables.
Condiment Containers
Containers for sauces, dressings, and similar products.
Flexible Packaging
Pouches or bags used for various liquids or semi-liquids.
Detergent Containers
Plastic bottles or containers for laundry or dishwashing detergents.
Stock Containers
Containers for cooking stocks or broths.
Vegetable Oil
Plastic or glass bottles containing cooking oils.
Yogurt Containers
Small plastic bottles containing drinkable yogurt.
Nutritional Drink Containers
Bottles containing meal replacement or nutritional supplement drinks.
Program Performance
Québec's container recycling program performance varies by container type:
| Category\Year | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Absolute Recovery Rate | 66%+3.0% | 63%+2.0% | 61%+2.0% | 59% |
Relative Recovery Rate | 87.5%+0.5% | 87%+0.4% | 86.6%+0.5% | 86.1% |
| Aluminum | 68.9% | 65.2% | 63.5% | 64.8% |
| Plastic | 54.1% | 51.3% | 50.2% | 51.8% |
| Glass | 17% | 15.5% | 15.1% | 15.9% |
References:
Regulations & Resources
Key legislation and resources for Québec's container recycling program:
Environment Quality Act (EQA) - Chapter Q-2
Quebec’s overarching environmental law, forming the legal foundation for waste management, including the deposit-return system and selective collection regulations.
Regulation respecting the development, implementation and financial support of a deposit-refund system for certain containers (Q-2, r. 16.1)
Regulation under the EQA mandating producers to create and finance a modernized deposit-return system for beverage containers from 100 ml to 2 L.
Regulation respecting a system of selective collection of certain residual materials (Q-2, r. 46.01)
Companion regulation to the deposit-return regulation. Establishes rules for a modernized curbside recycling system using an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model.
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