Ever wonder what happens to the things you throw out? Nova Scotia’s Solid Waste Resource Management Strategy includes a disposal ban on items that can be diverted from the landfill and made into valuable resources – enriching our society and the environment.
Everyone, including all residents and businesses in our region, is required by law to sort their waste into proper streams. Every apartment building is required to have a recycling program – with bins for garbage, recyclables, organics (green cart), paper, and cardboard available for tenants to use. In turn, tenants are responsible for sorting waste in their units, and putting them in the proper collection bins.
In our area, you can access curbside collection for recyclables, organics, and garbage, provided through Waste Check. Here's a quick guide to separating your waste and keeping Nova Scotia beautiful.
Compost
You can recycle compostable food, yard waste, and some paper. Here's a full list:
Food
- Vegetable and fruit trimmings/peelings
- Raw, cooked or baked food leftovers
- Coffee grounds, filters, tea bags
- Solid dairy products, cheese, egg shells
- Meat, fat, bones, fish, shellfish/shells
- Bread, rice, pasta
- Table scraps
- Cooking oil and fat
Paper
- Paper towels
- Paper plates and cups (no Styrofoam)
- Paper bags (flour, sugar, pet food, and potato)
- Soiled pizza boxes and fast food wrappers
- Wax paper
- Waxed cardboard (no milk cartons)
- Damp, soiled newspaper and flyers
NOTE: Some pet food bags & fast food wrappers are lined with plastic/foil and are garbage
Yard Waste
- Grass, leaves and brush
- House and garden plant waste
- Branches (3' x 1") – tied in bundles and placed alongside your green cart
- Excess leaf and yard waste can be placed alongside the green cart in heavy paper bags.
Other
- Sawdust and wood shavings
Note: For organic cart repair, call Waste Check at (902) 742-1312.
Recycling Program
We use a 2 blue bag recycling system – one bag for paper products and one bag for containers (glass, plastic and metal).
UPDATE! As of December 1, 2025, the Town of Yarmouth’s recycling program is now managed by Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit organization that is committed to building an efficient and effective recycling system in Nova Scotia.Your blue bags will still be collected at curbside, but you can recycle more items than before. For more information, including the accepted materials list, recycling guide and more, please visit: Click here to visit Circular Materials’ website.
Pharmaceutical Waste & Needles
Please do not place pharmaceutical waste in your green cart, blue bag, or with your regular garbage. Please check with your local Pharmacy for safe disposal.
Regular Garbage Program
The following items are placed in your garbage (clear bag):
- Ashes (must be cold)
- Broken toys
- Empty aerosol cans
- Fabric dryer sheets and dryer lint
- Personal hygiene products
- Pet litter and animal waste
- Plasticized paper and cardboard
- Soiled disposable diapers and Kleenex
- Styrofoam, plastic dishes and cutlery, snack food bags
- Thermal fax paper, carbon paper
- Toothpaste tubes
- Vacuum cleaner bags and floor sweepings
- Wallpaper
- Waxed candles
- Window glass, mirrors, china drinking glasses, ceramics, incandescent light bulbs (please wrap items to avoid injury to the refuse collector)
Electronics Recycling Program
You can drop off the following electronics for recycling:
- Televisions, computers, monitors, and printers (no broken glass)
- Computer scanners
- DVD & VCR players
- Fax machines
- Personal audio/video systems, including car audio systems
- Telephones
- Wireless devices
- E-readers
- Microwaves
- GPS Units
- Video game systems/controllers
- External hard drives & modems
Here's where to drop off your electronics:
Paper Chase Bottle
Exchange Ltd.
10 Hardscratch Road, Yarmouth
Phone: (902) 742-9747
For cell phones, check out Recycle My Cell winding down for drop-off locations.