Whether you live in British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or Ontario, recycling rules can vary — but the goal is always the same: protect the environment by giving materials a second life.

Recycling right is one of the simplest ways to support a cleaner environment and a stronger circular economy.

Find Recycling Guidelines for your Province Below:

The Recycling Process Explained

  • Collection and Sorting

    Residents place recyclable materials—like paper, cardboard, plastic containers, glass, and metal cans—into their Blue Boxes. Depending on your municipality, you may use one bin for all recyclables or separate bins for containers and fibres.

    These materials are collected by waste management services and sent to Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), where they’re sorted by type using conveyor belts, screens, and manual labour to ensure proper separation.

  • Material Separation

    After sorting at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF), paper and cardboard are baled and sent to paper mills, while aluminum and steel cans are compacted and shipped to metal recycling facilities. Plastic containers are separated by resin type—like PET and HDPE—and prepared for recycling. Glass is sorted by colour (clear, green, brown), crushed, and reused in new glass products.

  • Processing and Reuse

    Each material type goes through a unique recycling process. Paper and cardboard are pulped and turned into new paper products, while aluminum and steel cans are melted down to create new metal items. Plastic containers are shredded and formed into pellets for manufacturing, and glass is crushed, sorted by colour, and reused in new glass containers.

Learn More About The Circular Economy