Acceptable Materials

Learn more about the materials that are acceptable in the blue cart recycling program.

  • All plastic bottles and containers labelled #1-7 (most containers for yogurt, milk, peanut butter, condiments, beverages, vitamins, mouthwash, shampoo, bleach, detergent and more)
  • Cardboard, boxes, newspapers, magazines and other paper products
  • Shredded paper must be put in a clear plastic bag and tied closed
  • Pizza boxes if there is no grease or food left in the box
  • Tin food and beverage containers such as coffee cans and soup cans
  • Aluminum cans, bottles, containers and foil
  • Glass food and beverage containers
  • Tetra Pak containers for soup and beverages
  • Milk and ice cream cartons
  • Black and clear takeout food containers such as roast chicken trays
  • Food trays labelled #1-7 such as fruit plastic clamshells

Residents are also welcome to take containers to SARCAN Recycling for a deposit refund.

Unacceptable Materials

Some items cannot be processed at the recycling facility.

Do not place the following items in your Blue Cart:

  • Any plastic items not labelled with #1-7 such as pens, straws, laundry baskets and more
  • Bottle caps and lids
  • Plastic bags and plastic wrap
  • Used tissues, napkins and paper towels
  • Styrofoam packaging and trays
  • Disposable cups for coffee, pop and fountain drinks
  • Metallic juice and beverage pouches
  • Glass that is not a food or beverage container such as ceramics, oven dishes and coffee mugs
  • Shredded paper must be put in a clear plastic bag and tied closed to be recycled in your Blue Cart
  • Housewares including ceramics, dishes and glasses, pots and pans, light bulbs, windows, mirrors and clothes hangers
  • Strings, rope, wires and cables
  • Garden hoses
  • Christmas lights
  • Construction material
  • Hazardous materials such as household chemicals, motor oil, antifreeze, aerosol cans, batteries, lighters and paint cans
  • Medical waste
  • Diapers and personal hygiene products
  • Electronics
  • Food and kitchen waste
  • Leaf and yard waste
  • Tires

Many of these materials can be recycled or disposed of in other ways. Check with our online sorting tool, Waste Wizard, for items that may be recycled in other programs.

Still not sure about an item? Try our Waste Wizard!

Recycling Guidelines

  • Rinse your recyclable containers and put them into your Blue Cart – there’s no need to sort them.
  • Please do not bag or stack your recyclables, put them loose inside your cart. Shredded paper is the one exception. It must be put in a clear plastic bag and tied closed to be recycled in your Blue Cart.
  • Remove and discard any caps and lids.
  • Flatten your boxes and cardboard so you will be able to fit more recyclables into your Blue Cart.
  • Only put acceptable recyclables inside your Blue Cart. Any unacceptable materials have to be removed at the processing facility, and our costs increase based on the amount of unacceptable materials mixed in with the recycling.

Cart Placement & Collection Guide

Step 1:
Fill It

Blue Cart Recycling

  • Do not bag or stack items. Keep recyclables loose in the cart.
  • Put shredded paper in a clear plastic bag that is tied closed.

Brown Garbage Cart

  • Bag or bundle all waste items.
  • Double bag animal waste, dust particles and powdered materials.

Green Food & Yard Waste Cart

  • Line the bottom of your green cart with newspaper, tissues, paper towel or cardboard to minimize items freezing and/or sticking to the cart.  
  • Wrap smelly food scraps in newspaper or use kraft or starch-lined paper bags (available at major retailers).  
  • Store your green cart outdoors to avoid the freeze-thaw cycle.  
  • Use a broom or shovel to loosen stuck or frozen items so the cart empties easily.  
  • Store your cart in a shady location between collection days.   
  • Keep cart lid closed.  
  • Layer paper and cardboard products like paper yard waste bags, tissues, paper towel and egg cartons to absorb liquids.   
  • Rinse out your green cart with a garden hose periodically.  
  • The use of compostable (BPI certified) plastic bags can help with freezing waste and smell. 

Remember

  • Keep cart lids closed & do not let them overflow.
  • Do not place additional waste beside your cart.
  • Make sure material is not packed too tightly and can easily come out of the carts when the collection truck picks it up.

Step 2:
Place It

On collection day, place the carts on even ground on the street or in the back alley before 7:30 a.m. Make sure they do not block traffic.

On the front street

  • Place cart wheels against the curb. In the winter, place your cart with its wheels against the street side of the snow ridge.

In the back lane

  • Place cart wheels at the edge of your back lane with enough space away from your back hedge, garage or fence.
  • Arrange the cart so the arrows on the lid are pointed toward the centre of the road or lane.

Step 3:
Space It

Leave enough space around your cart so that you can easily walk around it. There should be at least 1.2 meters (approximately four feet) of space between other objects such as parked cars, power poles, utility boxes, fences, downspouts and garages.

Step 4:
Store It

Roll your empty cart back in a secure location on your property or against your fence after it has been collected.

Please keep carts from blocking alleys. This helps keep our alleys clean and prevents litter.

Never miss a collection day. No matter your preference, there is a notification option for everyone.

  • Sign up for reminders - We’ll send you an email or call to remind you of your next cart collection date. You can also save it to your Outlook, iCal or Google calendar to receive weekly reminders.
  • Download the app - Get the Regina Waste app from Google Play or the App Store to view your collection schedule on the go and conveniently set notification reminders for your waste collection days.
  • Print it - Download and print your personalized calendar.

Report a Missed Collection

If you had your cart out by 7:30 a.m. on your scheduled collection day, contact Service Regina at 306-777-7000 or submit a service request online within two business days.

What Happens to the Recyclables in my Blue Cart?

Loraas Disposal Services will collect your recyclables and drop them off at Emterra Environmental’s facility, located at the Global Transportation Hub in Regina. Emterra will use an automated, state-of-the-art system to separate and sort the recyclables.

Once the recyclables are sorted and packaged into bales, Emterra will sell the recyclables and give the City 25 per cent of the revenue. The City’s share of the revenue has been factored into the recycling fee.

The companies that buy our recyclables will use them to make new products. While there are many uses for recyclable materials, here are some examples:

  • Plastic bottles can become new containers, fleece jackets, flower pots and plastic lumber.
  • Cardboard can be turned into new boxes.
  • Paper can be turned into egg cartons.
  • Glass can be used to make fibreglass, abrasive materials, reflective paint for highways and new glass products.
  • Newspapers can be recycled into fresh newsprint.
  • Tin can be turned into car parts.
  • Aluminum cans will be back on store shelves as new cans in as little as 60 days.

Residential Glass Recycling Pilot Program

Residents of Regina now have two options to recycle glass:

  • Put it in your curbside Blue Cart
  • Take it to SARCAN

The City is partnering with SARCAN Recycling to pilot an option to recycle non-refundable glass containers, like pickle jars, jam jars and olive oil bottles to improve Regina’s waste diversion rate.

Household glass is still accepted in the curbside Blue Cart Recycling Program. 

Glass is a challenging material to recover from the curbside co-mingled recycling process, as there is some breakage. Glass taken to SARCAN provides another recycling alternative for residents.

Acceptable Items

  • Glass food jars
    • Jam, pickle, peanut and sauce jars
  • Glass beverage bottles
    • Wine, beer, and any other drink bottles
  • Glass food bottles
    • Olive oil, vinegar, steak sauce and dressing bottles

Unacceptable Items

  • Household glassware
    • Ceramics and houseware
  • Construction and décor
    • Windows, light bulbs, glass home décor
  • Broken or dirty glass
    • Glass must be intact and free of food

SARCAN Locations

Regina Angus, 1601 Angus Street

  • Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Regina Parliment, 5000 Parliment Avenue

  • Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Regina Grant Road, 2124A Grant Road

  • Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Regina Rochdale, 6175 Rochdale Blvd

  • Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Regina Victoria East, 2636 Victoria Avenue E

  • Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Big Blue Bin

The City is aligning the material accepted in the Big Blue Bins to align with the curbside recycling acceptable materials list including plastic packaging #1-7, aluminium, tin and polycoat cartons (milk or juice). Glass containers will not be accepted in the Big Blue Bin Program.

We remind residents to keep our community clean by not placing recyclable or bulk items outside of the bins.

Big Blue Bin Depots are available for use 24/7 at the following locations.

Locations

  • South Leisure Centre - 170 Sunset Drive
  • Courtney Street and Sherwood Drive intersection
  • Jack Staples Arena - 444 Broad Street N
  • Columbus Park - 2940 Pasqua Street
  • Northwest Leisure Centre - 1127 Arnason Street
  • Rosemont Shopping Centre - 5064 4th Avenue
  • Sandra Schmirler Centre - 3130 Woodhams Drive
  • Sportplex - 1717 Elphinstone Street
  • Douglas Park - Off Assiniboine Ave E, south of Leibel Field

Acceptable Materials

  • Paper (newspaper, magazines, envelopes)
  • Carboard (large boxes, pizza box, cereal box) Please flatten
  • Plastic Packaging #1-7 (yogurt, peanut butter, condiments, clear plastic fruit container, mouthwash, shampoo, bleach, detergent and more)
  • Metal containers and foil (soup cans, pie plates, aluminium foil)
  • Beverage containers (juice box, milk carton/jug, pop cans)
  • Coffee and chip cans

Tips

  • Place loosely into blue cart
  • Flatten cardboard boxes
  • Wipe out containers and jars
  • No caps

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