Beyond Recycling: Why Circular Systems Matter in Canada

It’s time to rethink waste at the source.

Canada ranks among the highest waste generators per capita globally.

Every year, the country generates over 35 million tonnes of waste. That is nearly 700 kg per person. Yet only about 27% of that waste is recycled. The rest is landfilled, diverted, or incinerated.

The Hidden Limits of Recycling

Even in provinces with well-established recycling systems, large volumes of recyclable material never get a second life.

Why?

• Contamination from incorrect sorting

• Inconsistent recycling rules between regions

• Limited processing capacity

As a result:

• Up to 30% of materials collected for recycling are rejected at sorting centres

• More than 10,000 landfills across Canada are filling faster than expected

Despite decades of effort, recycling systems are under growing pressure. They are reaching their limits.

When the Numbers Speak: Plastic Waste in Canada

Although Canadians make up less than 0.5 % of the global population, we use 1.4 % of all plastic produced.

In 2021 alone, Canadians generated almost 5 million tonnes of plastic waste.
Of that:

• Only 7% was actually recycled into pellets or flakes for reuse

• 92% was landfilled or incinerated

• 3.3 million tonnes ended up in landfills
  

• 40,000 tonnes of plastic waste leaked into the environment, polluting ecosystems nationwide 
  

Single-Use Packaging at the Core of the Problem

Single-use packaging represents one of the largest categories of plastic production in Canada and is a major source of landfill waste, particularly in food and beverage service.

In Canada:

• Nearly 50% of all plastic waste comes from single-use packaging

• Almost two-thirds of plastic production is used for packaging
• Plastic bottles production are the fastest-growing category, increasing by nearly 100,000 tonnes between 2012 and 2019 — the only packaging product to rise every single year during that period

And even when bottles are recyclable, their environmental impact starts long before they reach a bin:

• Energy-intensive production

• Long-distance transportation

• Complex sorting and processing systems

Each step adds environmental cost before recycling even begins.

The takeaway is simple : Recycling is essential — but it’s no longer enough.

What if the waste never existed?

As part of its national commitment to address pollution, the Government of Canada has set a clear objective: zero plastic waste by 2030. Achieving it won’t rely on recycling alone — it requires reducing waste at the source.

Every choice matters — especially the ones made every day in food and beverage service.

Instead of producing, transporting, and recycling single-use bottles, BE WTR offers a circular alternative:

• Locally filtered water, produced directly on site

• Served in reusable glass bottles

• No long-distance transport

• No single-use packaging

BE WTR is designed for restaurants and hotels looking to reduce their environmental footprint in a tangible, measurable way.

Less waste to manage. Less pressure on recycling systems. More alignment between values and everyday operations.

Rethinking water – Turning Sustainability Into Action

BE WTR helps hospitality venues move from intention to action — simply, elegantly, and sustainably.

Because the most sustainable bottle is the one that never becomes waste.