Recycling

Recycling in West Hants

Since 1998, recyclables have been banned from entering Nova Scotia landfills. Plastics and paper waste is now picked up every second week from households in West Hants, with a limit of 10 bags each collection.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Program for Packaging and Paper Launching December 1, 2025

Nova Scotia is transitioning to a new recycling model that shifts responsibility from municipalities to the producers of packaging and paper products. This change is part of the province’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) initiative, which comes into effect on December 1, 2025.

Keep doing what you're doing, new items mean you can recycle even more!

What is EPR?

Extended Producer Responsibility is a framework where producers – the businesses that supply packaging and paper products – are responsible for managing the end-of-life of these materials. This approach encourages innovation, improves recycling rates, and supports a circular economy where materials are reused in new products.

What’s Changing in West Hants Regional Municipality?

West Hants has opted into the EPR program, allowing us to:

Continue managing residential curbside recycling collection

This shift is expected to result in operational cost savings while supporting broader environmental goals to divert more materials from landfills and reduce waste at the source.

What to Expect as a Resident

Your curbside recycling service will remain familiar and convenient
Improved recycling rates and better access to recycling services
Recycling will become more consistent across Nova Scotia, with a standardized list of accepted materials. Residents will be able to recycle the same materials no matter where they live in the province. New items accepted in blue bag curbside recycling include:
- multi-layer paper containers, such as:
  - paper cups (including disposable paper hot and cold beverage cups)
  - paper bowls
  - ice cream cartons
  - cookie dough spiral cans
  - frozen juice spiral cans
  - potato chip spiral cans
  - paper bowls (frozen dinner dishes)
  - flour bags
  - gift bags
  - boxes
- Plastic tubes, including:
  - toothpaste
  - deodorant
  - hand cream containers
- Small item plastic packaging, such as:
  - bottles/pumps
  - candy/gum containers
  - pails
  - garden pots
  - seedling trays
The following will no longer be accepted in the curbside recycling program:
- books (which can be donated to community library boxes/thrift shops, or shared with others to be reused)

If these alternative options are not possible for books or pots and pans, these items may be included in your curbside garbage collection.

In addition, Circular Materials is partnering with the Eastern Recyclers Association Enviro-Depots to collect foam packaging, flexible plastics like candy wrappers and chip bags, and aerosol containers, which will be available for recycling at participating drop-off locations. Learn more about depots here.

Who’s Running the Program?

The new recycling system will be operated by Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit organization designated as the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) for Nova Scotia. Circular Materials will manage the collection, processing, and recycling of packaging and paper products into new materials.

Frequently Asked Questions about EPR

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations for packaging, paper and packaging-like products come into effect in Nova Scotia on Dec. 1, 2025. These provincial regulations shift both the physical and financial responsibility for recycling to the companies that produce, import or sell the materials collected through the municipal blue bag curbside recycling program.

EPR will be implemented by Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit organization representing producers - the businesses that supply packaging and paper to residents. Circular Materials will oversee the collection, transportation and processing of materials designated under the provincial regulations. Divert NS has been appointed by the province to act as the oversight body, ensuring compliance with the provincial regulations.

The West Hants Regional Municipality has chosen to participate in the EPR program. Over the past several months, municipal staff have worked closely with Circular Materials and other partners to plan for a smooth transition for West Hants residents. This includes maintaining curbside collection under municipal oversight. Circular Materials will manage the sorting and processing of recyclable materials after collection.

What does this mean for curbside recycling collection for single-unit and multi-unit residential properties (up to 6 units)?

Curbside recycling collection will continue as usual for properties that receive municipal services, including single-unit residential and multi-unit residential buildings with up to six units. Residents will keep the same contracted service provider, collection day and customer support options available through our R6Recycle App - https://westhants.ca/waste-app.html.

The key change is that the municipality will now deliver this service on behalf of Circular Materials as a contracted provider and will receive compensation to cover the cost of existing recycling collection contracts.

What does this mean for recycling collection for apartments (residential buildings with seven or more units)?

Circular Materials will be responsible for establishing recycling collection services at registered apartment buildings with seven or more units. Provincial regulations also require recycling collection from schools and campgrounds.

Apartment buildings (multi-family dwellings), schools and campgrounds must register with Circular Materials to access these services. Learn more at:

Apartment buildings: Here
Schools: Here
Campgrounds: Here

Will there be any changes to what can be recycled when this comes into effect on Dec. 1, 2025?

The program will maintain Nova Scotia’s familiar dual-stream blue bag system, ensuring recycling remains easy and accessible for all residents. At the same time, it will introduce a uniform material list so that communities across the province can recycle the same items consistently.

As outlined in the provincial regulations, the following will no longer be accepted in curbside recycling, including:

Books (donate to community library boxes/thrift shops, or share with others for reuse)

If the alternate options are not possible, these items may be included in curbside garbage collection.

As of Dec. 1, 2025, new materials will be accepted for recycling:

Blue bag curbside recycling program:

Multi-layer paper containers (ice cream, frozen juice, chips, cups and bowls, coffee cups); and
Plastic tubes (toothpaste, deodorant, hand cream); Plastic packaging (candy dispensers, bottles/pumps, pails, garden pots, seedling trays).

Depot drop-off at participating Enviro-Depots (not accepted in the curbside recycling program):

Non-hazardous aerosol containers (hairspray, air freshener, shaving cream, deodorant);
Flexible plastics (coffee pouches, chip bags, cereal liner bags, vacuum packaging); and
Foam packaging (meat trays, packing peanuts, take-out containers, plates, bowls, other foam packaging)

Why is EPR being implemented?

The Province of Nova Scotia’s Extended Producer Responsibility regulation for packaging, paper and packaging-like products comes into effect on Dec. 1, 2025. These regulations shift both the physical and financial responsibility for recycling to the companies that produce, import or sell the materials collected in the municipal blue bag curbside recycling program.

Historically, Nova Scotia’s packaging and paper recycling program was operated and funded by municipalities. Under the new EPR regulations, Nova Scotia is transitioning to a model where producers – the businesses that supply packaging and paper materials – will be fully responsible for operating and funding the province’s recycling program. This is a change that will not only benefit people, but also the planet.

Who should I call if my recycling is not collected?

Residents can continue to use the R6Recycle App - https://westhants.ca/waste-app.html, visit https://westhants.ca/waste-and-recycling.html or call 902-798-8391 ext 146 with questions about recycling or collection services.

How can residents check if an item is recyclable?

Why are books, pots and pans no longer accepted in the municipal curbside recycling program?

This change is part of Nova Scotia’s rollout of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and paper products which includes an updated list of materials accepted for recycling effective Dec. 1, 2025, across the province.

Pots, pans and books will no longer be accepted because they fall outside the scope of materials producers are responsible for under EPR. These items are either difficult to recycle through curbside systems or are not considered packaging or paper products under the program’s guidelines.

Residents are encouraged to donate these items whenever possible. If reuse is not an option, they should be placed in the garbage or taken to appropriate facilities, such as scrap metal depots.

If an item cannot be recycled curbside, am I required to take that item to a depot?

You may place the item in the garbage. However, the municipality is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. We encourage residents to use the depot system as it continues to evolve. Updates will be shared with residents as they become available from Circular Materials. Learn more about depots here.

What if I do not have access to a depot to drop off items that aren’t recyclable curbside?

You may place that item in the garbage. However, the municipality is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. We encourage residents to use the depot system as it continues to evolve. Updates will be shared with residents as they become available from Circular Materials. Learn more about depots here.

Is the depot drop-off mandatory?

No, it is not mandatory. Residents are encouraged to bring their non-hazardous aerosol cans, flexible plastics and foam packaging to participating drop off locations for recycling. If that is not possible, these items may be placed in the garbage. However, the municipality is committed to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. We encourage residents to use the depot system as it continues to evolve. Updates will be shared with residents as they become available from Circular Materials.

Who else benefits from this change?

Schools, campgrounds and apartment buildings with seven or more residential units (collectively referred to as ‘facilities’ in the provincial regulations) will also benefit from recycling services provided by Circular Materials at no cost.

While the municipality does not provide collection for multi-unit buildings with seven or more units, Circular Materials will now be responsible for establishing recycling collection services at these facilities. The regulations also require recycling services for schools and campgrounds.

These facilities must register with Circular Materials to access these services. Find out more about:

Apartment buildings: Here
Schools: Here
Campgrounds: Here

How can facilities such as apartments, schools or campgrounds register for this service with Circular Materials?

Facilities must register with Circular Materials to access recycling services:

Facilities registered before May 31, 2025 will begin receiving service on Dec. 1, 2025.
A second registration period closes on Nov. 30, 2025, with services starting May 1, 2026 for those properties.

The registry will remain open, and future registration deadlines will be announced by Circular Materials in early 2026. Learn more and register here:

Apartment buildings: Here
Schools: Here
Campgrounds: Here

How does this program impact businesses and the commercial sector?

EPR does not include commercial recyclables collection. Small businesses that are currently using municipal waste collection services will continue to have those services, however, starting December 1, 2025, the bag limits for recycling has been changed to six (6) bags per collection day.

Recycling Bag Limits

West Hants Regional Municipality: Ten (10) bags until December 1st

Starting December 1, 2025, all single-family dwellings and multi-family dwellings with up to six (6) units may place an unlimited number of recycling bags for each collection day.

Important Curbside Recycling Details:

Clear or Clear Blue bags only. Black bags and other opaque bags will be rejected.
Paper waste must be kept in a separate bag from all other recyclables (plastics, tin, glass, etc.)
Cardboard must be securely bundled or bagged. Loose cardboard will not be collected.
Items over 70% Metal fall under a separate collection that occurs once a year in the late spring. See “Curbside Metal Collection” for details.
Unsure if something is Recyclable? Check the Waste Wizard here.

Understanding the Process - How the Market Determines What we Recycle

Recyclable materials are:

Collected > Processed at Sorting Facility > Sold > Transported > Re-manufactured

Technically speaking, most materials can be recycled with the right technology and enough investment, but it's important to understand that the current market will determine what recycling facilities can sell, and how much they can sell.

The market is always changing, and quantity demand is variable. As a result, the materials accepted at your local facility can change over time and may vary from other municipal collection programs depending on investment, sorting technology, and access to certain markets.

To optimize recycling, please pay attention to your updated sorting guides for WHRM.

Find our latest sorting guides and curbside guidelines here, or use our Waste App: R6Recycles to search what goes where with ease!

Why do we Recycle?

Saving Energy & Resources

If it can't be grown, it has to be mined - But with more materials in circulation through recycling programs, less of our natural resources such as trees, minerals and water are required for extraction and processing. This in-turn reduces the overall consumption of energy.

Preventing Pollution

Pollution occurs at every stage of an item's life, from extracting and processing raw materials, to landfilling or incineration when the item is no longer usable. When we recycle, we significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spare natural ecosystems.

Giving "Trash" New Life

Instead of taking up space in landfills, recycling allows that item to become something new and useful once again. When this cycle is maintained, think of the impact we can make!

Reducing Landfills

When the need for landfills is reduced, we maintain usable, productive land. Let's preserve all the land we can - they aren't making it anymore!

Creating Jobs

New jobs will be created as the recycling industry grows

Photo: Scotia Recycling Ltd. Facility, 2018.