Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

Interior Freight & Bottle Depot Limited (IFBD) operates a beverage container redemption facility (bottle depot)x000D
at which the public returns recyclable beverage containers in return for the deposits paid on those containers.x000D
IFBD sorts the containers according to material type, and then ships them to recycling facilities. Currently,x000D
there is no known device for accurately counting used aluminum beverage containers (soda and beer cans)x000D
because many arrive crumpled, flattened, or otherwise distorted. Without a system for accurately counting thesex000D
deformed cans, IFBD cannot prove to aluminum recyclers the number shipped in each load. These uncountedx000D
cans represent a significant financial loss to IFBD and to the hundreds of other bottle depots across Canada.x000D
Moreover, without an accurate method for counting these cans it is difficult to tell how many cans are beingx000D
recycled and how many may be finding their way into landfills.x000D
This research project is intended to culminate into the development of a prototype device that can be installedx000D
onto a standard aluminum beverage container conveyer system to accurately count used recycled aluminumx000D
beverage containers, regardless of their condition. It is hoped that the prototype device, or a derivative of it,x000D
could be used by other container redemption companies for increasing efficiencies in their operations, and byx000D
extension, the recycling industry as a whole.x000D
The findings from this investigation will be of interest to a number of stakeholders including those who operatex000D
beverage container redemption facilities, aluminum recyclers, landfill managers, civil servants charged withx000D
environmental stewardship, environmental groups, engineers, educators, and members of the general publicx000D
who, after all, pay the deposits on the beverages purchased.