Another month, another program launch

Packaging and Paper Products program expands to eastern communities 

 It’s been a busy couple of months at Recycle New Brunswick. Last month, we launched the beverage containers program – the province’s largest recycling program to date – and this month, we will officially launch the second largest with the packaging and paper products program, which will expand to eastern communities as of May 1.

What do we mean when we describe these programs as “large”? We are referring to the millions of tonnes of waste generated annually under these material types. Millions of beverages are consumed annually, and essentially everything we buy has some form of packaging. Thankfully, much of it is already recyclable, and an increasing amount will eventually become recyclable thanks to global efforts to reduce plastic and packaging.

In New Brunswick, the packaging and paper program had to be implemented in two phases due to the tremendous amount of work involved in setting it up province-wide. Circular Materials, the Producer Responsibility Organization tasked with implementing the program, officially became responsible for packaging and paper recycling in select western New Brunswick communities in November 2023. As of May 1, it assumed responsibility in the remaining western communities, as well as select eastern communities. Province-wide implementation will be complete by November of this year.

Please note that throughout the implementation process, very little should change for residents with respect to curbside pickup. We do, however, recommend checking with Circular Materials for any changes to collection days or times, and whether any materials have been added to the recycling list. They can be reached at 1-877-667-2626 or info@circularmaterials.ca.

What has changed is the opportunity for residents to recycle glass jars, flexible plastics, white polystyrene (Styrofoam) and ancillary beverage cardboard. Instead of putting these items in your garbage, you can now take them to a participating redemption centre. For a detailed list of participating redemption centres and items that you can drop off, please visit here.

Once implementation is complete, Circular Materials will focus on expanding and streamlining the program. This will mean curbside pickup for those residents who don’t currently have it, as well as those living in apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings. You can read all about Circular Materials’ plans in their stewardship plan, which has been posted on our website.

As you can see, there is lots to look forward to in the coming months. Happy recycling everyone!