ABCRC: Beverage Container Recycling Digitization

Partner Overview

The Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC) is the designated agent for the collection and recycling of non-refillable beverage containers in Alberta, appointed by the Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB) under Alberta Environment and Protected Areas. In partnership with depots and industry stakeholders, ABCRC manages the recovery of over 2.3 billion containers annually.

The Challenge

Before Diversys, ABCRC’s systems were:

Highly customized, rigid, and expensive to maintain
Lacking real-time material traceability across depots, haulers, and processors
Burdened by manual data workflows and limited analytics capabilities
Difficult to scale or integrate with future EPR streams or national programs

The Diversys Solutions

Selection Criteria

ABCRC selected Diversys as a track and trace partner based on:

End-to-end traceability: Ability to digitally track container movement across Alberta’s decentralized depot system.

Regulatory compliance fit: Seamless integration with BCMB standards and reporting requirements.

Future-ready architecture: Scalable SaaS platform.

Diversys Provided

A future-proof, cloud-based SaaS platform tailored to Alberta’s regulatory model.

Real-time tracking and material verification from depot to processor.

Automated workflow enforcement and quality control checks.

Seamless API connectivity with legacy and operational systems.

A scalable model designed for multi-stream expansion and performance reporting.

Why it Worked

Trust-Based Decision: ABCRC bypassed pilot testing, signing a 5-year contract after initial meetings.

Proven Success: Diversys’ track record with CalRecycle and Encorp demonstrated immediate fit.

Tailored to Alberta: The system supports regional depot models, BCMB compliance, and stakeholder data needs.

Aligned with Strategy: Supports ABCRC’s mission of maximizing return rates and operational excellence.

Key Results

2.3B+ non-refillables managed through Diversys
Early projections estimate >$3.8M/year in improved operational efficiency

“Working with Diversys gives us the tools to meet our recycling goals while positioning us to grow. Their system is flexible, accurate, and built for the future.”

-Guy West, President & CEO, ABCRC

Users Supported	Regulatory Impact	System Confidence	Operational Efficiency
170+ beverage depots Onboarding 1,200 users across the ABCRC system.	+130M Increase in the number of containers recovered through improved traceability.	83% – 88% Progress toward Alberta’s 90% return rate goal.	75% reduction in material loss, fraud and data gaps.