Recycling

Recycling is collected every second week in the Municipality of the County of Antigonish. Materials must be properly sorted and placed in blue bags at the roadside by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day.

Collection services operate as usual on most holidays, with the exception of Good Friday, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. When collection falls on one of these holidays, recycling will be collected two weeks later on your regular collection day.

If collection is cancelled due to weather conditions, recycling will also be collected two weeks later on your regular collection day. Notices of cancellations will be shared on the Municipality’s website and Facebook page.

Find Your Collection Day

Managed by Eastern Region Solid Waste Management, the Waste Collection Calendar can find your collection schedule by entering your civic address. The Calendar allow you to:

  • View and print your personalized collection schedule
  • Sign up for collection reminders by email, text message, or phone

Waste Wizard

Make recycling easier with the Waste Wizard. This tool helps you quickly identify whether an item is recyclable and which blue bag it should be placed in.

Whats New?

As of December 1, 2025, Nova Scotia’s ecycling program has changed under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The program is operated by Circular Materials and overseen by Divert NS, shifting the cost and management of recycling packaging and paper from taxpayers to producers. This approach encourages innovation, improves recycling rates, and supports a circular economy where materials are reused in new products.

What This Means for Residents?

The Municipality of the County of Antigonish will continue to manage roadside recycling. Your collection day will remain the same, and you will continue to use two blue bags for sorting your recyclables.

With the introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, recycling will be more consistent across Nova Scotia. A standardized list of accepted materials means residents can recycle the same items throughout the province.

To find out how to sort specific items, use the Waste Wizard or download and print the Eastern Region Solid Waste Management Waste Sorting Guide.  You can also pick up a free copy at the Muncipal Office (285 Beech Hill Road).

New Items Accepted in Blue Bag Recycling

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

    ** Books are no longer accepted in the roadside recycling program and should be donated to community library boxes/thrift shops, or shared with others to be reused.

     

    Plastic tubes and small item plastic packaging, including:

    • toothpaste
    • deodorant
    • hand cream containers
    • bottles/pumps
    • candy/gum containers
    • pails
    • garden pots
    • seedling trays

    What Goes in Your Blue Bags?

    Bag 1 — Paper/Cardboard Products

    • Corrugated cardboard boxes – Pizza boxes, direct mail boxes, moving boxes
    • Boxboard – Cereal, tissue or she boxes, clothing tags, egg cartons, toilet paper and paper towel rolls.
    • Paper bags –  Bags made of kraft paper, including flour bags, prescription bags and paper produce bags.
    • Multi-layer paper packaging – Pet food bags, paper plates, burger and sandwich wraps.
    • Paper for general use – Notepads, file folders, white or coloured loose papers and other printed materials.
    • Newspapers and magazines – Flyers, newspapers, brochures, glossy and non-glossy magazines.
    • Catalogues & phone books – Catalogues, phone books and directories
    • Paper gift wrapping and decorations – Cards and envelopes, gift wrapping and boxes, tissue paper and decorations.

    Bag 2 — Containers & All Other Recyclables

    • Paper cartons – Dry, molasses and sugar cartons, laundry and cleaning cartons, soup and sauce cartons, coffee cartons.
    • Multi-layer paper containers –  Spiral wound containers – frozen juice, Pringles, cookie dough, cups and bowls, ice cream containers, coffee cups.
    • Plastic jugs and bottles – Laundry detergent and household cleaner jugs, shampoo, body wash, salad dressing, dish soap ,mouth wash, etc.
    • Plastic trays and containers –  food trays, salad, yogurt, peanut butter and egg containers.
    • Plastic tubes –  toothpaste, deodorant and hand cream tubes.
    • Other plastic packaging –  candy dispensers, pails, garden pots and trays.
    • Flexible plastic (film) –  bags for dry cleaning, bread, fryer wrap, sandwich bags, shrink wrap, etc
    • Metal packaging – food cans and lids, wire hangers, coffee and tea tins
    • Other aluminium packaging –  foil, pie plates, yogurts and sour cream seals, frozen food trays, tea light containers.

    ** You will only receive your refund if refundable beverage containers are returned to an ENVIRO-DEPOT™

    Notes on Recycling

    To ensure that your recycling is collected:

    • Rinse all containers – labels do not need to be removed.
    • Plastic and glass lids can stay on containers.
    • If you remove metal can lids, place them inside the cleaned can.
    • Flatten or bundle large cardboard boxes (secure with twine or tape).
    • Keep paper and cardboard clean and dry – it cannot be recycled if wet and dirty.

    For more information on waste collection in Nova Scotia visit the Circular Materials website.

    Notes on Depot Items

    Depot items include foam packaging, aerosol containers, and flexible plastics such as chip bags and candy wrappers. These materials can be placed in a blue bag and taken to a participating depot for recycling. These items are not accepted in regular curbside collection.

    Local Depot Location –  MacMillan’s Service Centre, 4802 Hwy 4, Antigonish County

    For more information on depot locations across Nova Scotia, visit the Circular Materials website.

    Recycling Resources

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