Recovery
January 1st, 2025 | Implementation of modernized selective collection
What to put, or not to put, in the recycling bin?
Containers, packaging, printed matter. That's it.
Quick links
Bin Impact
Bin Impact is there to educate people on the right way to sort materials, and to raise awareness on the impact of what we put in the bin.
Ça va où?
Check out the RECYC-QUEBEC app! In just a few clicks, you'll know exactly what to do with a product.
Glass recycling bins
Check out our interactive map to find your nearest glass recycling bin.
Schedule
View your municipality's schedule to find out when collection is.
On November 1st, 2023, deposit containers increased to 10 cents. All aluminum cans are now part of the deposit system. Check the Consignaction map to find deposit locations (French only).
Accepted materials
Open all accordions
Bottles
Beverage cans
Nespresso coffee pods
Put in the green bag provided
Juice boxes and milk cartons
Aseptic packaging, like Tetra Pak
Tin cans
Containers
Bottles, detergent bottles, food product containers, cosmetics containers, etc.
Snack bar wrapping
Multi-layered packaging
Plastic or bubble mail envelopes
E.g., Amazon, Purolator
Fruit and vegetable nets
Silk paper
Small yogurt containers
Glass containers
Jars of any colour
Toilet paper and paper towel rolls
Chip bags
Plastic bags
Compostable, biodegradable or regular
Styrofoam food packaging
Single-use coffee cups and lids
Cardboard boxes
Flattened
Window envelope
Newspapers, flyers and magazines
Bagged shredded paper
Exceptions
Styrofoam
Aerosols
These two exceptions must be brought to the ecocentre (while styrofoam and aerosols are containers and packaging, these materials are not accepted in your recycling bin).
Refused materials
Open all accordions
Aerosols
Light bulbs
Car batteries
Wood
Camping propane tanks
Bricks
Clotheslines, wires and Christmas lights
Appliances and electrical devices
Wire and rope
Toasters
Outdoor playgrounds modules
Paints, stains and solvents
Pesticides and fertilizers
Batteries
Electronics
Styrofoam
PVC piping
And much more (see the Ecocentre page)
Medications
Can be taken to a pharmacy.
Syringes
Plastic wine corks
Garden hoses
Audio cassettes
Strapping
Diapers
Pool toys and accessories
Outdated toys
Metallic papers and gift decorations
Photos or laminated paper
Production waste
See the Symbiosis of Brome-Missisquoi for solutions
Soiled fabrics
Plastic utensils
Broken dishware
Compostable or biodegradable plastic dishware and packaging
Broken glass
And much more (see the Garbage page)
FAQ
Empty and flatten your boxes for more space.
Bring any extra recyclable materials to the ecocentre.
Please note that excess materials placed on the ground next to your bin will not be collected.
Contact your municipality to see whether you can get a second recycling bin.
If your bin is broken, please contact your municipality to resolve the issue.
Good moves
Empty and lightly rinse containers and packaging before placing them in the bin. No need to fully wash them or put them in the dishwasher. A little splash of water does the trick.
Recyclable materials arriving by collection truck must be separated from each other so that the sorting center's equipment and employees can do their job properly.
Some equipment attract metal, while others have fans to lift lightweight plastics. That's why we should remove the plastic film from a cookie or pasta box tin and the lid from the jam jar before putting them in the bin.
One exception to the rule: small caps (less than 2 inches in circumference) must stay on their original container to keep them from falling through the net.
Remove any leftover food from the aluminum foil, roll it into a ball and place it in the bin.
Place materials in the bin as they are. This makes them ready for collection and to be properly sorted at the sorting center.
Not-so-good moves
Soiled materials can contaminate others, and generate unpleasant odours and mould. These conditions sometimes cause health problems for sorting centre employees. It’s always better to put dirty or greasy paper and cardboard in the compost. Other materials can be lightly rinsed and individually placed in the bin.
There’s no time to open boxes or closed bags at the sorting centre. We only open the bags provided by certain municipalities for the recovery of containers, packaging and printed paper.
Recycled materials that aren’t easily identifiable are harder to sort. Prevent this problem and optimize the sorting system by putting each recyclable material directly into the bin, but not one inside another.