New Brunswick's Recycling Revolution

New Brunswick has a robust recycling program, with over 60 locations across the province. The province's waste management system is committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility. The City of Fredericton, for example, encourages residents to adopt the 7 Rs of Waste Management: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Regift, and Recycle. New Brunswick's recycling initiatives include programs for paint, used oil, electronics, tires, and beverage containers. The province also has a pharmaceutical products and medical sharps stewardship plan.

Curbside recycling

New Brunswick has a robust recycling program in place, with over 60 recycling locations across the province. The province aims to manage all waste materials in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way.

The City of New Brunswick, New Jersey, also offers curbside recycling, with the service provided by the Middlesex County Improvement Authority (MCIA). Residents are required to purchase their own recycling containers, which can be any colour and size, up to 32 gallons and 50 pounds. The recycling is collected between 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM on the assigned day, and must be placed curbside after 5:00 PM the evening before or by 6:00 AM on the day of collection.

The Township of North Brunswick, New Jersey, also offers a similar curbside recycling collection service, contracted to MCIA, with the same requirements for containers.

Recycling Categories

Recyclables are typically sorted into three categories:

• Corrugated Cardboard
• Paper & Boxboard
• Plastic, Metal & Milk Containers

The City of Fredericton operates several programs and facilities to collect and responsibly dispose of residents' garbage, yard waste, and recyclables. They encourage residents to apply the 7 Rs of Waste Management: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Regift, and Recycle.

Beverage containers

The deposit-refund system is simple: when you buy a beverage, you pay a deposit fee on top of its price. If you return the empty container to a redemption centre, you get a portion of this deposit back as a refund. This refund is often credited to your online account with the redemption centre, and you can choose from various payment options to withdraw your funds.

The following beverage types are covered by the deposit-refund system:

• Water and flavoured water
• Fruit and vegetable juices
• Dairy-based beverages (e.g. milkshakes, coffee drinks, drinkable yoghurt)
• Plant-based milk alternative beverages (unless they are labelled as "fortified" and "not a source of protein")
• Sports drinks (e.g. protein drinks, energy drinks, electrolyte beverages)
• Nutritional supplements not labelled as "meal replacements" or "formulated liquid diets"
• Alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, spirits)
• Other beverages not explicitly excluded

Some beverage containers are not part of the deposit-refund system and cannot be returned to a redemption centre for a refund. However, many of these can still be recycled through your Regional Service Commission's waste management program. The following types are not included in the deposit-refund system:

• Unprocessed apple cider
• Milk and flavoured milk
• Plant-based milk alternative beverages labelled as "fortified"
• Nutritional supplements labelled as "meal replacements" or "formulated liquid diets"
• Infant formula
• Concentrated beverages (e.g. powdered or frozen juices, cocktail mixers, syrups)
• Beverages in containers larger than 5 litres
• Beverages purchased outside of New Brunswick

Scrap tires

New Brunswick's Tire Stewardship Program (TSP) has been in operation since 1996 and is entirely financed by tire purchasers. The program diverts the equivalent of a million tires per year from the landfill.

Tire purchasers may return up to five scrap tires to any of the 700+ retail tire outlets in New Brunswick during regular business hours. There is no charge for this service, and it does not matter where the tires were purchased. Commercial operators or anyone looking to dispose of a large number of tires should contact the TSP office directly.

Collected tires are sent to the Tire Recycling Atlantic Canada Corporation (TRACC) in Minto, NB, to be processed into value-added products, such as livestock mattresses, composite roofing shingles, and landscaping materials.

Retailers of new tires in the province of New Brunswick are required to register their business with Recycle NB. When registering, businesses receive a Recycle NB registration number, and registrants may request scrap tire collection service from TRACC.

Used oil

The Atlantic Used Oil Management Association (UOMA) in New Brunswick also works to manage the collection, processing, and user awareness program for used oils, used glycol (antifreeze), and containers with a capacity of 50 litres or less. This includes used oil filters, used plastic oil/antifreeze containers and pails, and used aerosol containers.

In New Brunswick, New Jersey, the Department of Public Works accepts up to 30 quarts of used motor oil per resident per year at the Central Garage. In South Brunswick, New Jersey, the South Brunswick Recycling Center accepts up to five gallons of used motor oil in a leak-proof container.

Plastics

New Brunswick has a variety of recycling programs in place to reduce the amount of waste going to landfills. The province's Regional Solid Waste Commissions (SWC) and municipalities offer different services to manage residential plastic waste.

Some municipalities offer blue box collection, while others provide drop-off centres for recyclables. There is also a province-wide deposit-return system for plastic beverage containers. The most commonly recycled plastic items in New Brunswick are soft-drink bottles made of PET or PETE (#1), which are recycled as part of the Beverage Containers Program. HDPE (#2) containers are accepted for recycling in most Solid Waste Commission regions, and LDPE (#4) plastic grocery bags can be returned to many grocery stores across the province for recycling.

Other plastic items that can be recycled in New Brunswick include yogurt, sour cream, and cottage cheese tubs; ketchup, oil, vinegar, and salad dressing bottles; peanut butter containers; bleach and detergent bottles; and plastic milk, cream, and buttermilk cartons. It is important to rinse all containers thoroughly and remove their caps before placing them in the recycling.

In addition to the provincial programs, some municipalities in New Brunswick, such as North Brunswick Township, have their own curbside recycling collection programs. Residents can place all their recycling together in a container of their choice, which must be purchased by the resident and cannot exceed 32 gallons in size or weigh more than 50 pounds.

Frequently asked questions