A non-profit American recycling group has stepped into P.E.I.'s canned pop debate, criticizing the province's plan to allow cans back on the Island.

'There are major good attributes to cans.'— Environment Minister George Webster

The Container Recycling Institute calls the decision bad for the environment, but Environment Minister George Webster says there are environmental advantages to cans over bottles.

Environment Minister George Webster notes bottles are heavy to haul.
(CBC)

"You've got to haul that back for recleaning and refilling, where a can can be crushed and it can be hauled to a recycler, melted down and recycled into another product. There are major good attributes to cans as well," Webster told CBC News earlier this year. His department told CBC News this week there has been no change in his position.

Most environmental groups refute the suggestion recycling cans takes less energy than refilling bottles. The provincial government itself has for more than 20 years argued the environmental advantages of the bottle. The government's own website still makes that case.

"It should be remembered that reuse comes before recycle," states the website in reference to the four Rs of reduce, reuse, recycle, recover.

'If I was the pop minister maybe I would be the one pushing to say let's do this.'— Betty MacLaughlin

Betty MacLaughlin, spokeswoman for the Container Recycling Institute, would like to see the minister stand up to press for the return of the can.

"If I was the pop minister maybe I would be the one pushing to say let's do this, but if I'm the environmental minister I certainly want to make sure I have all the information about the environmental cost of aluminum before I would take that step backwards," said MacLaughlin.

A whole generation has grown up on P.E.I. without pop cans, said Betty MacLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the Container Recycling Institute.
(CBC)

McLaughlin said P.E.I. is the only place in North America where a whole generation has grown up without being able to buy canned pop and that instead of lifting the ban, Webster should tell Islanders why a ban is still best for the environment.

"They just need to know we're doing this for the Earth. This is certainly a time when more and more people are interested in resource conservation and concerned about greenhouse gas emissions and their carbon footprint." she said.

"Even though you have a little bit of energy associated with the cleaning and the washing, it's significantly less than remanufacturing a new container."

The Liberals announced during the election campaign in May they intended to lift the can ban, which was put in place in 1984.

The move was delayed by the need to put a system in place to deal with the waste cans and was scheduled for January.

That timing has been delayed once again, and it could be spring before cans make it to Island store shelves.