Nestlé Waters Canada has announced a donation of $22,000 worth of public spaces recycling infrastructure for use in Guelph-Eramosa’s new Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre at Marden Park.
Recycling and waste bin technologies, featuring large pictograms on each container to help consumers determine where to deposit their recyclables and garbage, were installed at the facility in September, just prior to its official opening.
A similar public spaces recycling system will be installed by Nestlé Waters Canada around the outdoor Sports field when it is ready for play next Spring.
“We are very pleased with this donation from Nestlé Waters Canada, as it has enabled Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre to make meaningful environmental progress in managing recyclables and waste throughout the facility and surrounding grounds,” said Mayor Chris White. “The establishment of the public spaces recycling program at this facility represents the first such implementation of this very effective form of recycling in our community.”
John Zupo, president of Nestlé Waters Canada, said, “a number of employees … call Guelph/Eramosa home and, thus, we are very proud to be associated with this community. “Royal Distributing Athletic Performance Centre is a unique facility in this part of the province and that stature is further enhanced by the establishment of what we know to be a very effective public spaces recycling program.”
Public spaces recycling involves the collection of recyclable materials, including plastic beverage containers, in public spaces such as Sports parks, arenas, cultural facilities, streetscapes, transit stops, schools, convenience stores/gas stations and bars and restaurants. According to facts compiled by independent environmental consultant StewardEdge from the provincial stewards responsible, the recovery rate for plastic beverage containers was about 66% across Canada last year.
Plastic beverage containers represent less than 1/5th of 1% of the waste stream. Bottled water packaging represents 40% of that figure.
