How would you like to fill up on windshield wiper fluid the way you do for gas and stop throwing away all those plastic jugs?
A St. Bruno man is hoping you'd like to and has invented a machine to do that.
Pierre Néron, president of Cristal Innovation, said his windshield wiper fluid distributors work like gas pumps. Néron said they would refill and maintain them.
Each one costs about $10,000 but Néron said it's a win-win for the gas station or parking lot owner.
"It eliminates all of the waste around the gas pump and the gas island and all the thieves, all the plastic bottles that are being stolen," said Néron in an interview with CJAD 800.
And he said it's a win-win for the motorist who would pay about the same as or cheaper than a jug and it's better for the environment.
"It's a lot faster, it's not freezing for your fingers, it's paid directly at the pump, you can use your cellphone to pay for it," said Néron.
"We go through about 25, maybe 30 million plastic bottles that are being used one time."
Néron said he got the idea from a similar machine in Sweden and now after three years of work and patents, his company has got 23 of the windshield wiper fluid distributors around Quebec. There is one on the island of Montreal at Complexe Desjardins. Néron said the machine is probably the first of its kind in North America.
Neron said big oil companies have so far been reluctant to shell out the money for the distributors, giving him various reasons.
" 'Well, we're not ready, we wanted to make sure it was working, we're not sure the consumer would request it or go for it,' " said Néron.
Néron said he's working on a U.S. patent.