What goes best with a cup of coffee? Another cup — unless it’s made of un-recycled paper.That’s because a popular British Columbia java chain has been creamed with a $31,000 fine for failing to have a recycling plan for thousands of to-go cups and plastic lids.New Westminster-based Waves Coffee Inc. has been ordered to pay a $30,891 administrative penalty under the province’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements on paper distributors — including coffee cups — to implement approved collection and recycling programs.Or pay someone else to do it.In this case the BC government’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, which claimed it cost taxpayers $73,900 to separate thousands of the paper containers to keep them from winding up in landfills..That figure was adjusted down to $40,000 which was previously considered the maximum and then lowered further after the company disputed the number of cups used in the calculation. Instead of the 500 cups per day calculated by the government, they settled on 100.The penalties cover a period from March 29 to Nov. 30, 2023 at 21 franchises for using, selling and distributing paper products without approved plans to account for their “full life-cycle” use.Under BC’s Environmental Management Act, companies with revenues in excess of $1 million are required to have an ‘extended producer responsibility’ plan in place to manage recyclable waste.In a June 19 decision, Environmental Management Act director Stephanie Little said failure to comply amounted to “undermining the basic integrity of the BC recycling regulatory regime.”“It also undermined the ministry’s capacity to protect and conserve the natural environment,” she said.In addition to being non-compliant, waves was also cited for being uncooperative by failing to heed multiple warnings since 2020 and ignoring a citation to appear before the panel in March.“Waves Coffee has a history of failing to respond to the ministry, refusing to provide information, and generally being non-cooperative… the control to come into compliance was firmly within their power. They have chosen not to,” the ministry said..But in its defence, Waves Coffee owner Kavyan Rahmati said he only assumed responsibility for the business in March 2022, after his father's sudden death in a car crash."Prior to this date, my father managed the company under my name for logistical reasons, and I had limited involvement in its operations, especially during my youth," Rahmati's statement said. "I understand the need to take responsibility for the use of my name, but the circumstances surrounding its usage were beyond my control."In a subsequent statement, it added: "Despite our commitment to implementing environmentally responsible practices within our outlets, external factors such as landlord policies and inadequate recycling infrastructure pose significant challenges. I urge the government to address these systemic issues to facilitate broader environmental sustainability efforts across various industries."
What goes best with a cup of coffee? Another cup — unless it’s made of un-recycled paper.That’s because a popular British Columbia java chain has been creamed with a $31,000 fine for failing to have a recycling plan for thousands of to-go cups and plastic lids.New Westminster-based Waves Coffee Inc. has been ordered to pay a $30,891 administrative penalty under the province’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements on paper distributors — including coffee cups — to implement approved collection and recycling programs.Or pay someone else to do it.In this case the BC government’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, which claimed it cost taxpayers $73,900 to separate thousands of the paper containers to keep them from winding up in landfills..That figure was adjusted down to $40,000 which was previously considered the maximum and then lowered further after the company disputed the number of cups used in the calculation. Instead of the 500 cups per day calculated by the government, they settled on 100.The penalties cover a period from March 29 to Nov. 30, 2023 at 21 franchises for using, selling and distributing paper products without approved plans to account for their “full life-cycle” use.Under BC’s Environmental Management Act, companies with revenues in excess of $1 million are required to have an ‘extended producer responsibility’ plan in place to manage recyclable waste.In a June 19 decision, Environmental Management Act director Stephanie Little said failure to comply amounted to “undermining the basic integrity of the BC recycling regulatory regime.”“It also undermined the ministry’s capacity to protect and conserve the natural environment,” she said.In addition to being non-compliant, waves was also cited for being uncooperative by failing to heed multiple warnings since 2020 and ignoring a citation to appear before the panel in March.“Waves Coffee has a history of failing to respond to the ministry, refusing to provide information, and generally being non-cooperative… the control to come into compliance was firmly within their power. They have chosen not to,” the ministry said..But in its defence, Waves Coffee owner Kavyan Rahmati said he only assumed responsibility for the business in March 2022, after his father's sudden death in a car crash."Prior to this date, my father managed the company under my name for logistical reasons, and I had limited involvement in its operations, especially during my youth," Rahmati's statement said. "I understand the need to take responsibility for the use of my name, but the circumstances surrounding its usage were beyond my control."In a subsequent statement, it added: "Despite our commitment to implementing environmentally responsible practices within our outlets, external factors such as landlord policies and inadequate recycling infrastructure pose significant challenges. I urge the government to address these systemic issues to facilitate broader environmental sustainability efforts across various industries."
