30 Years Young – The Enduring Strength of Curbside Recycling in Ontario, Canada

1. 30 Years Young – The Enduring Strength of Curbside Recycling in Ontario, Canada Lyle Clarke Vice President, Innovation & Blue Box

2. A Brief History • Started in 1981 • Expanded to larger cities/towns – with help of beverage industry • UN award for innovation • More voluntary industry support in late 1990s • Legislated industry obligation in 2001

3. Cultural Imperative • Comprehensive • Newspaper • Cardboard & Boxboard • Beverage/detergent • Yogurt tubs/lids • Gables/aseptic • Film/ Clamshell • Ubiquitous • All towns population 5k+ • 90% participation • Successful • 95%+ for newspaper • 80%+ OCC/OBB • 68%+ overall

4. What We Are • Creature of legislation • Governed by industry • Funded by industry • Ensure legal obligations of retailers and CPG companies are met • Mission to make blue box recycling even better

5. Consumers Still Committed • 90% looking for more friendly choices • 70% consciously choose friendly products Companies Products • 67% say “friendliness” influences purchases • 77% deterred from companies deemed harmful • 67% deterred from companies not trying hard enough

6. Brand Endures • 57% of consumers still “feel good” about blue box recycling • 75% say the blue box is their primary environmental effort • 89% say blue box is the main driver of recycling

7. Brand Drives Behaviour • 82% say being “friendly” depends on blue box • 83% will buy blue box friendly products over those that are not • 44% are okay with “wasteful” packaging, as long as it can go in the blue box

8. Lessons • Convenience is by far the main driver of recycling behaviour • Once behaviour takes hold, consumers expect others to join in • Joining in is good for business, but only if the recycling model is sound • Test your soundness!

9. Thank You! Lyle Clarke Vice President, Innovation & Blue Box