All beverage containers sold in Alberta must be registered with the BCMB. This includes non-alcohol, alcohol and cannabis beverages. Scroll down to learn more.

Alcohol Container Registrations - *New Process

Alcohol container registrations have transitioned from AGLC to the BCMB. Click here for important information you need to know as a liquor agency or alcohol producer (manufacturer). 

Beverage Container Review

If you are unsure if the container you wish to register is considered a ready-to-serve beverage container and must be registered, please contact registrations@bcmb.ab.ca. Products such as soup broth, jelly shots, frozen containers, etc. are not part of the Alberta Deposit System at this time.

If you are unsure if your beverage container is recyclable and would like confirmation, please view the BCMB Approved Materials List If you are unsure if the container you wish to register is composed of material(s) that are acceptable for recycling purposes in the Alberta beverage container recycling system, a Beverage Container Review will be required by the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC):

Labeling Requirements

To be registered, beverage containers are required to note the brand, flavour, size and material  in English. UPCs (barcodes) are not required at this time. However, if you are registering a beverage container and the container itself (not any external packaging) has a UPC it must be noted during registration.

Beverage containers with these requirements (brand, flavour, size, material, and UPC (if applicable)) only on a removable lid (cap) will be denied. Without the lid, all information including confirmation that the container held a beverage is removed. In order to sell and/or distribute these beverage containers in Alberta, additional labeling needs to be added to the container itself to meet the requirements (i.e. etching or printing required information on the side of the container).

"Return for Refund" or "Return for Refund Where Applicable" notes are not required on beverage containers. However, negative connotations of recycling are not allowed, and the container would be denied in these cases.

Submitted beverage container registrations that do not meet the above requirements will not be accepted.  If a submitted registration is not accepted, the Registrant will be notified of the deficiency, and the beverage container must be registered again once the deficiency has been corrected.

To remain compliant with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), please ensure the labeling on your beverage containers follows the CFIA standards. The CFIA offers an interactive tool designed to assist here 

Registering Your Beverage Containers

Manufacturers decide if a container will be registered as non-refillable or refillable. If the beverage container is registered as non-refillable, it must be managed by the Collection System Agent (CSA), also known as the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC), using the Common Collection System. If a manufacturer wants to register their beverage container as a refillable container, they have the option of managing the beverage container on their own by acting as a Collection Service Provider (CSP) or contracting an independent third-party to act on their behalf.

All beverage containers are collected through the province-wide depot network. If refillable, beverage containers are prepared by the depot to be collected by the CSP.

Only individual beverage containers need to be registered, not packages or cases. In the case of a variety pack, please ensure the individual beverage containers are registered.

All beverage containers differing in brand, flavour, size, material, and/or UPC are required to be registered separately. The BCMB has 15 business days from the date submitted to approve registrations. 

Submitted beverage container registrations that do not meet the requirements noted below will be removed from the system, the registrant will be notified, and the beverage container must be registered again once the deficiency has been corrected.

To register your non-refillable beverage container(s), you will need to complete the following:

  1. Prior to registering your beverage containers, you must ensure that your company is registered with the BCMB 
  2. Register your container through the SIMS Registrations Portal   ; in order to register, you will need the following information: 
    • Brand (in English characters)
    • Flavour (in English)
    • Size (Metric)
    • Material
    • UPC 

The beverage container recycling industry is a UPC based system, where UPCs are relied on as unique identifier to an efficiently confirm container registration and recyclability within Alberta. If your containers do not have a UPC, please visit the GS1 Canada website for more information on obtaining UPCs.

  • Images of the Beverage Container
    • Front and back images of the label, displaying the brand, flavour, size, material, and UPC (as noted above), must be uploaded. If there is no UPC, please continue to send an image of the back of the container. If the beverage container is made of plastic, please upload an image of the container noting the recycling symbol and the resin (material) identifier (this is usually molded into the container on the bottom or side bottom).
    • Image Requirements Guide 
  • In order to assist you in registering, please review the Portal User Guide

Once the beverage container has been approved, the registrant will be notified via email.

Manufacturers who wish to register a refillable container are required to implement one of the following as a method of collection for the refillable container:

  • manage the container on their own by acting as a Collection Service Provider (CSP); or
  • contract an independent third-party to act as a CSP on their behalf.

A CSP is defined as:

  •  a manufacturer of refillable containers that collects empty, refillable containers that contained a beverage manufactured by that manufacturer, or empty containers that were refillable, but are no longer refillable that contained  a  beverage manufactured by that manufacturer; or
  • an independent third-party contracted by a manufacturer of refillable containers to collect empty, refillable containers that contained a beverage manufactured by that manufacturer or empty containers that were refillable, but are no longer refillable that contained a beverage manufactured by that manufacturer.

To register your beverage container(s) as refillable, you will need to complete the following:

Discontinuing Beverage Containers

When a registrant is no longer selling and/or distributing a beverage container (i.e. the product is discontinued), the registrant is required to enter the stop sales date for that beverage container.

For assistance, please contact us at registrations@bcmb.ab.ca 

BCMB Mandate - to regulate and enhance a leading beverage container system that protects Alberta’s environment.