Poly Cup Problems
ABCRC is experiencing very high return rates on poly cup containers. This is because a
similar container is being used for ice cream, pudding and other food products. Remember , as a depot operator, you are responsible for identifying the container as "reasonably having contained a beverage." The poly cup with juices in them are quite different from the ice cream, pudding and yogurt containers so please, watch what you are buying from customers. ABCRC is becoming upset at the high return rates (130%) and will not tolerate it too much longer.
Having a hard time understanding or knowing the difference between PVC plastic or PET plastic? A good rule of thumb is to pinch the plastic. If it turns white when you pinch it, it’s PVC. If it doesn’t colour at all, and stays the same colour it’s PET. So a method of determining the type of plastic a container is made of is by pinching it. This handy little rule can be applied whenever there is doubt whether the container is PVC or PET. It is especially important to separate these two materials. A very, very small amount of PVC can contaminate very large quantities of PET and is, in fact, the most common contaminant of PET in the market place today. It is also a requirement that PVC and PET be sorted separately in our industry and the ABCRC again requests that we pay more attention to these sorts and do a better job of sorting them. Contamination of loads leads to rejected product which leads to less revenue for the manufacturers which leads to more pressure for commission relief from us. So please do your best to sort out these two types of plastics, PET versus PVC.
Another quick way of telling the difference between these two plastics is to look on the bottom. If it has been molded with PVC plastic the plastic bottom will have a straight line across it where it’s formed, plus 2 brackets on each side forming a smile type of bottom on it. If it’s PET they’ll have a central blow mold ring that is small and centered on the bottom of the container. Pinch it, if it turns white it’s PVC, if it doesn’t it’s PET.
Now that mega bags have fully integrated into our system, it is vitally important that each and every bag be tagged properly when it leaves the depot full of product. Proper tagging will ensure proper payment to the depot for the right number of containers in the bag and will speed up processing of containers for the system as a whole. Tags ensure efficiency and accuracy of our system.The ABCRC in conjunction with the ABDA and its members will be pilot testing a two part tag for bottle depots. This two part tag will have a top tear off sheet which will remain with the bottle depot and a tag that goes with the transport company. This tag is again a step we are taking to ensure greater control and accuracy over product and to catch more potential errors between the ABCRC and the individual depots before the product leaves the depot. This is the first step in a development cycle that will lead eventually to greater use of bar coding and electronic downloading of information into ABCRC’s computers so that trucks can be off loaded in ABCRC’s plants faster and cheques and payments to depots can be processed more quickly.
Eventually tags will have a bar code on the bottom and bags will have the ability to be scanned by drivers and/or checkers with accumulated information downloaded to ABCRC’s computers for cheque processing almost immediately. Through a series of regional meetings, which happened in November the two part tag was introduced to members. Depots were asked to pilot the use of the tag. The experience of the pilot project will soon be revealed to depots. We look forward to this developmental step and are encouraged by the cooperation the ABCRC has shown in taking these next steps towards greater efficiency and collection from depots.
All in the Family - Newsletter Jun 1997
"All in the Family"
An excellent report called "All in the Family" emphasizing the importance of removing the exemption for aseptic containers was done by our Executive Director, Timothy Mastel-Marr. This report, vivid with pictures, showed the containers that are included in the system and those not. Reasons why aseptics should be included were heavily emphasized. This report was sent in color to all Ministers and in black and white to other MLA's in early May. It was a quickly readable and easily understood report. I'm sure this went a long way to getting our view on the issue in the hands of the Government. Congratulations go to Tim!
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