Waste Management

Recyclables

Recyclables are materials that can be remanufactured and should be sorted into transparent plastic blue bags. You should sort them as follows:

Blue bag #1 – paper and paper products
Blue bag #2 – glass, plastic (type 1-5), milk and juice cartons, metal items
Corrugated cardboard boxes – flattened, bundled, and placed next to your blue bags
Yard waste can be composted and used for various projects. For more information, visit rethinkwastenl.ca.
For other household items such as metals, electronics, and household hazardous materials such as paint must be brought directly to the Residential drop-off depot at Robin Hood Bay.

NOTE: All recyclable items must be clean and dry. Before recycling bills or other papers or documents containing personal information, such as your name, address, phone number, bank account number, etc., it is a good idea to shred them.

Refundable Beverage Containers

When you buy a beverage, except dairy products, you pay a deposit for the glass or plastic bottle, or the aluminum can. You can get a cash refund for these containers when you return them to a depot location nearest you.

Compost

Compost is a mixture of plants, vegetable waste, food leftovers and other decomposable materials, which is later added to soil to help plants grow. Following organic waste goes into the compost cart:

Food scraps
Used tea bags and coffee, paper filters
Eggshells
Used paper napkins/towels

NOTE: Compost materials should not be placed into plastic bags. You can buy compost bins from municipal authorities directly.

Waste

Waste includes all items which cannot go into recyclables or green compost carts. Here are some common items that belong to waste:

Broken glass and broken dishes
Used food item containers
Styrofoam containers
Non-recyclable plastics
Clothes and footwear
Floor sweepings and vacuum cleaner bags

NOTE: Do not throw out clothing and footwear items which are still in good condition. You can donate them to charity.

There are certain items and materials which require special disposals such as ashes, batteries and hazardous waste.

Clothesline Program

If you have clothes which you do not need or want any more, and they are still in good condition, you can donate them to charity. Canadian Diabetes Association raises money by collecting used clothes through the program called Clothesline®. Find a Clothesline® drop box near you.

The Salvation Army operates a thrift store with locations across the province.
Value Village is another second hand retailer located in St. John’s on Kenmount Road.

Related Resources