Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to congratulate the people of the Northwest Territories on their major success in taking up the challenge of recycling. Yesterday, the Minister of ENR added seven new beverage container types to the list of containers that can be recycled. Responsible citizens can now return 20 types of drink containers for return of deposits. In three short years, the number of communities with recycling depots has risen to 32 and over 100 million containers or 81 percent of drink containers sold are being returned for deposit.
We can see the benefits everywhere. Not only has beverage container recycling brought four out of five containers back for responsible disposal or recycling, the major nuisance of litter from spent drink containers has almost disappeared from our streets. Volunteer groups have found a new source of income to reward their initiative. I predict that the community cleanups that are coming this spring will be the last time we see major numbers of littered plastic bags included in the cleanup.
Perhaps the most important aspect of all this is that children are learning from early on that resources are precious and that every act can either be an act of respect for the environment and a contribution to the common good or an addition to the burden placed on the environment. By putting any revenues back into the recovery, what was once a major source of waste, we are building a capacity across the Territory to expand these efforts on other forms of waste.
Through recycling programs with the margin of return we have spurred development of local businesses and facilities needed to begin recovering more and different types of waste. Through government support, communities can look farther afield at controlling the handling of additional waste materials like cardboard and paper, tires, lead acid batteries, electronics and fuel drums. Nothing happens overnight, but we are taking firmer control of this challenge every day and disposing of the wasteful psychology that fuels the disposable society.
On the subject of the recent expansion of our drink container deposits, I would like one improvement. Mr. Speaker, we shouldn’t be taxing essential nutrition like milk. While I support the waste reduction aspect, I will suggest that we should roll back the 10 cents spread between the deposit paid and the deposit refunded on milk containers. Congratulations to all on a great success story and our determination for greater achievements. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
