Publications

 

 

CRI Reports

BCcasestudycoverThe Environmental and Economic Performance of Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling in British Columbia, Canada

The Container Recycling Institute (CRI) undertook this case study of British Columbia’s container deposit-refund law (CDL) for two reasons: first, to expand CRI’s existing body of research on best practices for the recovery and quality recycling of packaging materials; and second, to investigate recent increases in container recycling fees (CRF) in the province, especially for glass containers.

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bottleduptnailBottled Up (2000-2010) - Beverage Container Recycling Stagnates

Three pronounced trends in American beverage consumption and recycling patterns have emerged since CRI’s first BMDA looked at year 2000 data: overall sales growth, non-carbonated sales growth, and stagnating recycling rates—all of which are resulting in higher rates of landfilling, incineration and littering, and other negative environmental impacts.    

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A_Common_ThemeA Common Theme: Single Stream Recycling

Is single-stream recycling service the salvation of all recycling programs or is there a better way forward? Our author digs into the untold story of real residue rates and a PREFERABLE METHOD to truly recycle more materials at materials recovery facilities.

 

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CRI JobsReturning to Work:
Understanding the Domestic Jobs Impacts from Different Methods of Recycling Beverage Containers

December 2011 | While the recycling's impact on jobs has been the subject of several studies in recent years, Returning to Work is the first report to  take into account the vital importance of material quality, throughput quantities, processing dynamics and end-user needs to analyze the net gains in domestic jobs when beverage containers are recovered through recycling.By Clarissa Morawski and Jeffrey Morris for the Container Recycling Institute

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Cover of single stream reportUnderstanding economic and environmental impacts of single-stream collection systems

December 2009 | While single-stream recycling is more convenient for consumers and results in lower costs than other collection systems, it also results in more contamination of collected materials, lower material quality, and increased waste. Using data from industry reports and interviews with recyclers, this report that highlights the economic and environmental impacts of switching to a single-stream system.
By Clarissa Morawski

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wasterecyclingWasting and Recycling Trends:
Conclusions from CRI’s 2008 Beverage Market Data Analysis

January 2009 | Three pronounced trends in American beverage consumption and recycling patterns have emerged since 2000: overall sales growth, non-carbonated sales growth, and stagnating recycling rates—all of which lead to increasing wasting. Using data from the 2008 Beverage Market Data Analysis, CRI has compiled a report discussing those trends.By Container Recycling Institute

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waterwaterWater, Water Everywhere:
The Growth of Non-carbonated Beverages in the United States

February 2007 | Sales of bottled water in the U.S. are going up, up and up.  In the three years between 2002 and 2005, sales doubled from from 15 billion units sold, to 29.8 billion. This is almost seven times the 3.8 billion units sold in 1997.  At the same time, traditional fizzy drinks are losing market share. What does this all mean? More PET bottles produced, more wasted, and a smaller percentage recycled.By Jennifer Gitlitz and Pat Franklin

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the10centThe 10¢ Incentive to Recycle

Augus 2006 | This "bottle bill primer" sets the record straight on the environmental and economic impacts of beverage container deposit systems (bottle bills), and uses documented evidence to rebut the arguments made by the anti-bottle bill, beverage industry lobby. The 10¢ Incentive to Recycle, revised with 2004 data, also contains updated facts, figures, charts and graphs.By Container Recycling Institute

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trashcanTrashed Cans: The Global Environmental Impacts of Aluminum Can Wasting in America

June 2002 |This exciting report from CRI documents the sharp rise in aluminum can wasting over the last thirty years and draws a detailed picture of the environmental impacts of extracting energy and resources to replace wasted cans. The report presents reasons for the recent decline in aluminum can recycling rates, and offers solutions to reverse the wasting trend.By Jennifer Gitlitz

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extendedExtended Producer Responsibility - a Primer

1997 | Extended Producer Responsibility is the concept that the primary responsibility for waste generated during a product's manufacturing and after the product is discarded, is that of the producer of the product.  This primer goes on to explain the ultimate goals of EPR and the different forms of EPR policies, and discusses the reasons that manufacturers are reluctant to adopt these policies.By Pat Franklin

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Other Publications

Beverage Containers: Summary of the Stewardship Initiative for Minnesota and Wisconsin

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, 2009 | Summary of the voluntary stakeholder initiative between Minnesota and Wisconsin to achieve statewide goals of 80% beverage container recycling.  The report includes information about current beverage container sales and recycling data for the state, disposal data, end market data, and summary of voluntary actions that were developed. [PDF,2MB]

Waste and Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container Recycling Scorecard and Report

As You Sow, 2008 | Rates 23 beverage companies on environmental performance. [PDF,1Mb]
2006 Edition, by As You Sow and CRI [PDF,1.24Mb]

Economic & Environmental Benefits of a Deposit System for Beverage Containers in the State of Washington

Dr. Jeffrey Morris, Bill Smith, and Rick Hlavka, 2005 | Useful cost/benefit analysis for any locality contemplating a bottle bill. [PDF,807kb]

Understanding Beverage Container Recovery: A Value Chain Assessment Prepared for the Multi-Stakeholder Recovery Project (MSRP) Businesses & Environmentalists Allied for Recycling

2002 | An objective analysis of the state of U.S. beverage container recycling, and of the costs and success rates of various recycling systems.
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