For more than four decades, Recycle Plus has combined recycling, employment opportunities and community support in Grande Prairie
By Haylee Winger
For many people, returning bottles means getting a little money back.
For Recycle Plus, it means much more.
Recycle Plus operates two bottle depots in Grande Prairie, Plus I and Plus II, and is owned by Signature Support Services, a local not-for-profit organization that supports people with developmental disabilities in Grande Prairie and the surrounding area.
The connection between Signature Support Services and Recycle Plus dates back to 1980, when Signature purchased its first bottle depot as an initiative to provide employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
“As the city of Grande Prairie continued to grow, so did its recycling needs,” said Nikki Arsenault, Operations Manager for Recycle Plus.
In 2004, Signature Support Services applied for and was granted a licence to operate a second bottle depot.
It took nearly two years to site and develop the new location, but the wait was worth it.
“When we finally opened our second depot, we were able to proudly unveil a state-of-the-art facility,” Arsenault said.
The operation continued to grow and change with the community.
In 2019, Plus I moved into a much larger building and began using automated counting technology.
Arsenault has been part of that growth since 2016, when she started at Plus II as an assistant manager. In early 2017, she was promoted to Operations Manager of both depots.
Since then, she has watched the operation grow from a small depot where employees counted everything by hand into two modern facilities using automated sorting and counting technology.
“Plus II was the first depot in North America to implement automated sorting and counting technology in its front and back-end operations,” Arsenault said.
“In 2019, Plus I had the biggest Tomra sorting technology in North America.”
But for Arsenault, the technology is only part of the story.
The People Behind the Operation
One of the things Arsenault is most proud of is the retention of Recycle Plus employees.
“Most of my employees have been here six years or more, with our longest employee being here for 24 years!” she said.
The depots continue to provide employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Arsenault said one client has been working there since 2007, while another has been there since 2009.
“My employees are what make this place special,” Arsenault said. “They really are fantastic people.”
That employment opportunity is connected to the larger work of Signature Support Services.
The organization was established by a parent group in 1956 and serves people with developmental disabilities in Grande Prairie and the surrounding area. Its services include day programs, residential services and employment opportunities.
The bottle depots are one part of that work.
“Every dollar that both depots make goes back to the clients to support them in their daily living. We also provide employment for some of the individuals,” Arsenault said.
When a Bottle Becomes Community Support
The impact of Recycle Plus extends beyond the depot doors.
“For many people in the community, Recycle Plus means putting food on the table when people are going through a hard time,” Arsenault said.
“It means paying off an unexpected bill that they didn’t have the budget for.”
For others, returning bottles can mean raising money for a child’s sports team or supporting a local organization.
“It means fundraising for their child’s sports team,” she said. “It means raising money for dozens, if not hundreds, of local non-profits and charities.”
Arsenault said the money generated by the depots goes back into the community.
“100% of the money made at the depots goes back into the community.”
Bottle drives are another important part of the work.
“We love a good bottle drive!” Arsenault said. “We love seeing the kids coming down and working hard for their team!”
Recycle Plus also partners with Aquatera on a bottle donation program. Each month, a non-profit or charity that supports youth in and around Grande Prairie is selected as a recipient.
“We present them with a giant cheque each month and I love seeing the different teams and organizations receive much needed funds!” Arsenault said.
Coming Together When Communities Need Help
One of Arsenault’s favourite community stories happened when Jasper was affected by wildfire.
“My favourite community story is when Jasper had their big fire,” she said. “All depots across Alberta got together to raise funds for the community.”
According to Arsenault, the Government of Alberta stepped up and said it would match what was raised.
“Alberta depots raised over $2.2 Million dollars for Jasper!”
Grande Prairie’s two depots alone raised more than $14,600 in just a few days, she said.
But the fundraising wasn’t only about the money.
“It was so heartwarming to see the community come together and share their personal stories about their experience in Jasper with us,” Arsenault said.
Recycle Plus has also supported other communities in times of need. A similar bottle drive for Slave Lake following its wildfires raised approximately $11,000, according to Arsenault.
Changing the Bottle Depot Experience
Arsenault said Recycle Plus has worked to change the way people think about bottle depots.
“Recycle Plus puts service, cleanliness and convenience above all else,” she said.
“We know a lot of people think of bottle depots as dark, stinky and an unpleasant place to be. We want to change that perspective and show that bottle depots can be bright and clean!”
Convenience has also become an important part of the operation.
Recycle Plus offers pickup and drop-off services through the Depot Express app. Customers can use the service without waiting in line and receive an e-transfer for their returns once their order has been counted.
The depots also have cameras above every counting station.
“If they think an employee has miscounted an order, we have cameras above every station, and I will review their order and recount it to ensure it was correct,” Arsenault said.
“We also want every single customer to leave here happy.”
Bringing Recycling Beyond the Depot
Recycle Plus has started travelling to Wembley for mobile drop-offs.
Residents can drop off their containers using the Depot Express app and receive an e-transfer once their order has been counted.
Arsenault said the mobile service allows residents to skip pickup fees while still receiving their refund.
“We are planning on doing this in areas of town where it is more difficult to get to the depots without a vehicle and possibly other close-by communities like Wembley in the future,” she said.
No Sorting Required
For anyone who has never visited Recycle Plus, Arsenault said some of the most common questions are also the easiest to answer.
Do customers have to sort their bottles?
“No! We will do that for you!”
Do they have to take the lids off?
“No! We will take them with lids!”
Do they have to pre-count their bottles?
“No! We will count them for you!”
And what about crushed containers?
“Absolutely!”
Arsenault said crushed cans and water bottles are accepted, although she recommends not crushing them because they can take longer to process through the machinery.
There is one request she has for customers bringing in milk containers.
“Please rinse your milk containers out!” Arsenault said. “It makes the depot smell a little more pleasant.”
A Local Operation With a Larger Purpose
One thing Arsenault wishes more people understood is that bottle depots are not operated by the government.
“Most people do not realize that we are not run by the government, we are locally owned and operated,” she said.
She also said customers may not realize that the depots operate under governance that includes mystery shops and regular audits.
“We absolutely have to be correct with our counts or it could affect our licensing,” she said.
Arsenault also explained that the depots can only accept beverage containers that are empty, have their original labels and have been registered through the BCMB, or Beverage Container Management Board.
For customers who have a positive experience at Recycle Plus, Yoxall encourages them to share their experience at applaudadepot.ca. Customers can also have the opportunity to win a prize for submitting a review.
But for Recycle Plus, one of the best ways the community can help is simply by spreading the word.
“The best support for us is letting your friends and community members know how easy it is to recycle your beverage containers, while getting that money back in your pocket!”
For those who don’t want to keep the refund themselves, Arsenault said there are also community initiatives where the money can be donated.
After more than four decades, Recycle Plus has grown from a single bottle depot into two modern facilities.
The technology has changed. The buildings have grown. The services have expanded.
But for Arsenault, the people remain at the centre of it.
“We are committed to providing the best service possible through state-of-the-art depots, seasoned personnel and an interest in innovation and new technologies,” she said.
And if a customer ever has a problem, Arsenault has one final message:
“We never want a customer to leave unhappy so if you have an issue, please ask for a manager! We will definitely do our best to have you leave happy!”
