Provincial Extended Producer Responsibility regulations bring enhancements to recycling in Nova Scotia

On Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, provincial regulations for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) will come into effect across Nova Scotia. These regulations shift the operational and financial responsibility for recycling packaging and paper products to the companies that produce, import, or sell them.

Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit organization, is responsible for managing the collection and processing of materials under the new system. The administrator, Divert NS, oversees the program to ensure compliance with provincial regulations. Learn more about Divert NS and Circular Materials here.

These provincial regulations determine which materials are accepted for recycling. Starting on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, residents will be able to recycle a consistent list of materials no matter where you live in Nova Scotia. Some items will be added to the curbside recycling program, while others will be removed.

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
  

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

The following items will be accepted at participating depot drop-off locations:

• foam packaging (such as meat trays, takeout containers);

• flexible plastics (such as coffee or deli pouches, chip bags, bubble wrap, vacuum packaging, candy and snack wrappers, and cereal liner bags); and

• non-hazardous aerosol cans (food spray, hairspray, air fresheners, shaving cream).
  

Waste Check will share updates with residents as they are made available by Circular Materials.