Yellowknife (Feb 06/04) - A deposit fee may be added to all ready-to-serve drinks in the NWT pending the government's decision to on a recent proposal.

Titled the Beverage Container and Recovery Program, the new proposal will not be mailed out to every household in the NWT, but Emery Paquin, director of environmental protection services with the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, said it has been delivered to all communities, schools, aboriginal organizations and is also available on department's Web site.

It calls for a deposit and refund program, requiring consumers pay a fee on each ready-to-serve glass, plastic, aluminum, tin and waxed cardboard drink container. Milk jugs are not included.

"The amount of the fee will depend on the size and type of the container," said Paquin. "It can be anywhere between five and 25 cents."

Residents would return empty containers to a community depot in exchange for a refund.

RWED said the program could be running by the fall.