Yellowknife (Oct 31/03) - Recycling in the Northwest Territories won't become a reality for at least a year.

Emery Paquin, director of environmental protection services for the territorial government, said

Nine crushed beer cans are almost equivalent in size to one that hasn't been squashed. - Colleen Moore/NNSL photo

more input from the public is required to establish regulations for the beverage container program.

"Our intention is to consult with residents in the NWT on what they want," said Paquin.

Paquin said one proposal for the beverage program is a deposit-refund system.

The government will levy a deposit fee which will be refunded when consumers return the container to a depot.

Ted Yaceyko, owner of the Sportsman Bottle Depot in Yellowknife, said it is crucial that the government moves ahead quickly.

"It has to be done. We can't go on like this," he said.

Start-up cost of the program is estimated at $800,000, but Paquin expects it will become self-supporting. Under the Waste Reduction and Recovery Act passed in the last session of the legislature, Paquin said the government has the authority to ban the distribution or sale of items that could potentially harm the environment.

"This would only happen if there was no other alternative to dealing with the material," he said.

There is no list of items that might be banned under the legislation.