Mississauga, Ont. (October 2, 2009) – The Beer Store (TBS) today released its seventh edition of “Responsible Stewardship”, reporting on the remarkable performance and continued improvement of its world renowned deposit return based packaging recovery system. As the single largest collection system for consumer packaging in Canada, The Beer Store has once again set a global benchmark for the collection, reuse and recycling of beer packaging.

For the 12 month period May 1, 2008, through April 30, 2009, the following environmental landmarks were achieved:

• Ontario beer consumers returned over 1.86 billion of the 1.97 billion beer containers sold in the province for an impressive 94 per cent return rate -- a one percentage point increase over the previous year’s rate of 93 per cent;

• 1.4 billion refillable beer containers were returned setting an incredible recovery rate of 99 per cent of all refillable bottles sold – a one percentage point increase over last year’s rate of 98 per cent. The Canadian brewing industry’s standard refillable beer bottle enjoys the highest return rate of any package in the world. Refilling beer bottles rather than manufacturing new bottles for each serving also helps avoid the creation of 131,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each and every year;

• Aluminum can returns posted an encouraging 5 percentage point increase rising from 74 per cent last year to 79 per cent this year. All aluminum collected is recycled back into new aluminum cans or other products manufactured from aluminum sheet;

• Non-refillable glass bottles were returned at an 89 per cent rate also up by one percentage point over last year.

“Globally, societies are seeking ways to “green” their economies – that is, to reduce the environmental impact of the economy while creating green jobs. The Beer Store packaging management system is the perfect example of a cradle-to-cradle environmental management system that does just that”, says Ted Moroz, president of the Beer Store, adding, “When you recover, reuse and recycle 94 per cent of everything you sell, you replace energy use, raw materials and greenhouse gases with jobs – jobs dedicated to effectively and efficiently recirculating materials in the economy. It’s environmental sustainability at its very essence.”

The Beer Store recovers more than just beer packaging. Since February 2007, all wine, spirit and beer containers sold by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and winery and distillery operated retail stores have been subject to a province-wide deposit and refund system under the Ontario Deposit Return Program (ODRP). With the introduction of ODRP all beverage alcohol containers sold in Ontario can now be returned for a deposit refund at any of The Beer Store’s 437 retail outlets, 131 empty bottle dealers or 216 agency stores (823 total redemption locations). The
Beer Store also accepts for refund empty beer, wine and spirit containers from Ontario’s 17,000 licensed bars and restaurants.

During the 12 month period ending April 30, 2009, Ontarians returned 259 million or 73 per cent of all wine and spirit containers sold in Ontario to The Beer Store (up from 67 per cent in 2008). Large glass containers (greater than 630ml) were returned at an impressive rate of 83 per cent (up from 77 per cent in 2008). “These results demonstrate that Ontarians continue to embrace the deposit return program,” said John Gerretsen, Minister of Environment. “I encourage Ontarians to continue their support of this worthwhile program by returning all their beverage alcohol containers to The Beer Store,” added Gerretsen.

“Together The Beer Store deposit system and the ODRP provide a valuable source of recyclable glass”, stated Paul Smith, Manager of Global Sourcing Cullet for Owens-Illinois Canada (OI). “The Beer Store and ODRP deposit programs recovered almost 145,000 tonnes of non-refillable glass containers last year and we were able to use much of that in the manufacturing of new glass bottles. Our glass packaging manufacturing plant in Brampton, Ontario now enjoys a recycling rate of 70 per cent - one of the highest glass recycling rates in North America,” added Smith.

OI’s glass production operation in Brampton, Ontario employs 376 full-time employees in highly skilled jobs.

Smith also notes that, “Using recycled glass – what we call “cullet” - to produce glass packaging reduces energy use and greenhouse gases. Moreover, having local access to clean, colour separated and competitively priced cullet is a critical factor in efficient plant operation.”

The Beer Store is the primary distribution and sales channel for beer in Ontario selling 85 per cent of the beer sold in the province. Open to all brewers, TBS operates 437 retail stores, serves almost 17,000 licensed customers, 604 LCBO retail locations, 141 Retail Partners, and 75 Northern Agents. Customers can choose from more than 346 beer brands from over 89 brewers from around the world. The Beer Store is proud of its 82-year history of social responsibility and environmental leadership including its bottle deposit return system and commitment to recover 100 per cent of beer packaging, as well as all wine and spirit containers through the new Ontario Deposit Return Program.

To download a copy of Responsible Stewardship 2008-2009 please visit:

http://www.thebeerstore.ca/AboutUs/environmental_leadership.asp