SARCAN Recycling

What SARCAN Recycling does

SARCAN Recycling is the operating division of SARC (Saskatchewan Association of Rehabilitation Centres), a non-profit association of approximately 100 community-based organizations that has supported people with disabilities in Saskatchewan for over five decades. Established in 1988 under an exclusive contract with the Government of Saskatchewan, SARCAN administers the province's beverage container deposit-refund system as the sole authorized operator. The organization serves individual Saskatchewan residents, schools, non-profits, businesses, and event organizers through a network of 73 depot locations across 65 communities, supplemented by two processing plants in Saskatoon and Regina. Beyond beverage containers, SARCAN accepts household paint, electronics, batteries, flexible plastic packaging, foam packaging, and non-deposit glass as a collection intermediary for third-party stewardship organizations including Product Care, EPRA, Recycle Your Batteries Canada, and SK Recycles.

SARCAN's operating model is built on manual sorting and resource recovery rather than automation. Containers are hand-sorted by trained Recycling Technicians into material streams (aluminum, PET, HDPE, glass, cartons), then undergo a second quality-control inspection at the processing plants before shipment to downstream recyclers. High-efficiency compaction equipment at depots flattens containers to enable up to four times more material per trailer shipment, reducing transportation-related emissions. The Drop & Go digital platform — accessible via mydropandgo.ca — provides an account-based service where customers print tags at kiosks, drop containers at depots, and receive refunds via e-Transfer or cheque, supported by an Earth Saver Stats tracking feature. With approximately 494.7 million beverage containers and 34.9 million pounds of beverage containers processed in the most recent fiscal year, SARCAN achieves an 80%+ return rate and has recycled 10 billion containers cumulatively since 1988.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid transaction-fee and managed-services model. The core beverage container program operates on deposit refunds (5c–40c per container depending on type and size) and non-refundable Environment Handling Fees (5c–9c per container), with a weekly $75 per-person return cap. Non-deposit items (paint, electronics, batteries, flexible plastics, foam, non-deposit glass) are accepted free of charge to consumers, with SARCAN receiving collection fees from partner stewardship organizations. The organization employs 900+ people across Saskatchewan, making it one of Canada's largest inclusive employers, with surplus revenues reinvested into community-based disability services through SARC's member agencies.

Name

SARCAN Recycling

Legal name

SARC

Website

https://sarcan.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

SARCAN Recycling operates Saskatchewan's exclusive beverage container deposit-refund system through 73 depots across 65 communities and two processing plants, also accepting paint, electronics, batteries, and plastics as the recycling division of the non-profit SARC association.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recycling Services

NAICS

Materials Recovery Facilities (56292), Waste Collection (56211)

SIC

Refuse Systems (4953)

akta.pro primary industry

Deposit Return System (DRS) / Bottle Bill Counting & Processing Centers (BPALADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Packaging Recovery & Closed-Loop Programs (Take-Back, Deposit-Return, EPR Support) (IMALAMAF), Recycling Transfer & Consolidation (Single-Stream, Dual-Stream, Source-Separated) (EUAIABAC)

Keywords

• Beverage container recycling
• Deposit refund services
• Household paint recycling
• Electronics recycling
• Battery recycling

Headquarters

HQ city

Saskatoon

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Beverage Container Deposit Refund Administration: SARCAN administers the Saskatchewan beverage container deposit-refund system contracted by the Government of Saskatchewan. When consumers purchase ready-to-serve beverages in SK, they pay a refundable deposit (5c to 40c depending on container type and size) plus a non-refundable Environment Handling Fee (5c to 9c). Consumers bring empties to SARCAN and receive their deposit back. SARCAN processes, counts, and consolidates containers for recycling, funded through the fees and government contract.
2. Stewardship Program Collection Services: SARCAN serves as a collection point for third-party stewardship organizations (Product Care for paint, EPRA for electronics, Recycle Your Batteries Canada for batteries, SK Recycles for flexible plastics/foam/non-deposit glass). No deposit refund is offered to consumers for these items; SARCAN receives fees from these partner organizations for collection services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SARCAN Recycling administers Saskatchewan's beverage container deposit-refund system under contract with the Government of Saskatchewan, operating 73 depots across 65 communities where consumers return ready-to-serve beverage containers for cash refunds of 5c to 40c per container. It also accepts household paint, electronics, batteries, flexible plastic packaging, foam packaging, and non-deposit glass for free through partnerships with stewardship organizations, consolidating all materials at two processing plants in Saskatoon and Regina before shipment to downstream recyclers.

Product overview

SARCAN Recycling is a single, unified recycling service operating across Saskatchewan with 73 depots in 65 communities and 2 processing plants in Saskatoon and Regina. The core product is beverage container recycling with deposit refunds, complemented by multiple add-on services including Drop & Go (skip-the-line account service), Over-the-Counter Returns (classic counter service), Bulk Returns (for events/businesses), and Bottle Drive fundraising. SARCAN also offers recycling for non-beverage materials through partnerships: Household Paint and Electronics and Battery recycling (through EPRA), and Flexible Plastics, Foam Packaging, and Non-Deposit Glass (through SK Recycles). Additional services include SARCAN School educational programs, Drop & Donate charity support, and Outdoor Event Bin rentals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Beverage Container Recycling
• Drop & Go
• Household Paint Recycling
• Electronics Recycling
• Battery Recycling
• Flexible Plastic Packaging Recycling
• Foam Packaging Recycling
• Non-Deposit Glass Recycling
• Bulk Returns
• Bottle Drive
• SARCAN School
• Outdoor Event Bin Rental
• Drop & Donate

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% of beverage containers sold in Saskatchewan are returned to SARCAN for recycling
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SK RecyclescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARCAN accepts flexible plastic packaging, foam packaging, and non-deposit glass bottles and jars on behalf of SK Recycles, the not-for-profit organization responsible for managing household packaging and paper recycling in Saskatchewan under an Extended Producer Responsibility Program. SK Recycles works with collectors like SARCAN, producers, and residents to create a greener, healthier future.
• Product Care RecyclingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARCAN accepts household paint for recycling on behalf of Product Care Recycling, an industry-led organization working to protect the environment by providing free recycling locations for consumers and businesses to bring products like paint and other household items. Product Care diverts post-consumer products from Canada's landfills and waterways.
• EPRA (Electronic Products Recycling Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARCAN accepts end-of-useful-life electronics for recycling on behalf of EPRA, a recognized industry-led not-for-profit organization providing environmental compliance programs for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of electronics. EPRA has diverted approximately 100 million devices from landfill since 2009.
• Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSARCAN accepts out-of-use household batteries under 5kg on behalf of Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!, the provincially-approved consumer battery collection and recycling program for Saskatchewan and other provinces. With over 9,000 collection locations across Canada, the organization has safely collected and recycled 22 million kilograms of batteries since launching in 1997.
• TeleMiracle (Kinsmen Foundation)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSARCAN partners with TeleMiracle year-round through its Drop & Go kiosks, allowing customers to donate their container deposit refunds to the Kinsmen Foundation using the phrase 'Telemiracle' at any kiosk in the province. TeleMiracle is a 20-hour annual telethon broadcast that has raised over $159 million since 1977 to improve quality of life and independence for people in Saskatchewan.
• Recycle SaskatchewanminorOthersSARCAN is a member of Recycle Saskatchewan, a group of organizations working with government and stakeholders to support and enhance effective product stewardship and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Saskatchewan. Members include Product Care Recycling, EPRA, Call2Recycle, and others, all committed to minimizing the environmental impact of products and packaging.
• SWRC (Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council)minorOthersSWRC works toward a waste-free Saskatchewan by finding opportunities, creating connections, and promoting solutions. SARCAN refers customers to SWRC's Waste Reduction Hub for items SARCAN does not accept. SWRC coordinates community events, Waste Reduction Week in Canada for Saskatchewan, and an annual conference on waste reduction.
• BCRNC (Beverage Container Recycling Network of Canada)minorOthersSARCAN is a member of BCRNC, a membership of representatives from beverage container recycling agencies across Canada's provinces and territories. Together, BCRNC members are responsible for the effective stewardship of more than 7 billion containers distributed in Canada each year and have collaborated for over two decades to optimize recovery rates.
• EPRA (Electronic Products Recycling Association) — Large Volume Generator ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLarge volume generators of electronics (including municipalities) may apply to EPRA directly for free pickup services. SARCAN serves as a collection intermediary and refers large generators to EPRA's program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/SARCANRecycling
• Facebookfacebook.com/SARCANRecycling
• Instagraminstagram.com/SARCANRecycling
• TikToktiktok.com/@sarcanrecycling
• Xx.com/SARCANRecycling
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sarcan-recycling

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SARCAN Recycling