Quebec has the benefit of a number of processors of container glass for recycling. The four main companies are C.V.V.Q., Gerico Inc., Tri Gaudreau and Berou Transvick. The markets are very competitive. Material is not only brought into the province from the States, North American container glass is shipped as far away as Italy.
Sources of recycled container glass within the province comes from a deposit return system and "la collecte selective" the Quebec Blue Box program.
In 1995 the CSQ reported that access to multi-material recycling grew more than 35%. Curbside or drop-off programmes are now available to two-thirds of Quebec residents.
A study of Canadian stakeholders by EPIC revealed that most surveyed placed solid waste as their number one concern.
The top three reasons included:
C.V.V.Q. is considered one of the leading recycling operations in Canada in its use of innovative technologies. In late 1994 C.V.V.Q. incorporated eddy current technology to address aluminium contamination. In September 1996, C.V.V.Q. acquired an optical scanner from Italy to solve the persistent problem of ceramic contamination and to support colour sorting. Long time recycler Julien Peloquin believes to this technology to be revolutionary, and it will prepare him for large volumes of mixed glass he anticipates from less sophisticated programmes. His 1996 capacity for processing glass is 100,000 tonnes with plans for expansion to include an additional 50,000 tonnes in 1997.
Peloquin's vision is to supply an international marketplace, and is now preparing for ISO 9000 to meet global expectations of quality. Some of his challenges require some very down to earth solutions, such as the washer he had to install to clean the dirt that came with U.S. sourced container glass. His next step will be to establish an operation in Brooklyn, right next to the harbour. Peloquin said he always wanted waterfront property.
C.V.V.Q.'s modern facility
*1996 estimated based on August YTD actuals.
Copyright © 1996 Glass Works