Have a Question? Wondering about something? Here are a list of common questions and their answers:

What are the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre's (LRCRC) Hours of Operation?
April - October Monday to Saturday, 8am - 430pm
November - March Monday to Friday, 8am - 430pm & Saturday, 8am - 12 noon

My dog food bag seems to have a layer of plastic inside – so where does this go?
Garbage

Where does cat litter and other pet waste go?

Garbage

Where do egg cartons go?

Paper

Where do cereal boxes and other boxboard go?

In a clear bag or plastic shopping bag. Unless heavily soiled with food, boxboard should not be placed in the green cart. 

What do I do with ashes from my stove?

- Cool the ashes for 3 weeks in a fireproof container before putting them in the carts
- Store the ashes well away from any buildings
- Wet them down and stir them to make sure the embers are fully extinguished before putting them in the cart

Where do I take left over paint to be recycled?
You can return leftover paint to your local ENVIRO-DEPOT™ at no charge. ENVIRO-DEPOTS™ will accept latex and oil-based paints including aerosols, as well as stains and varnishes. The paint products are sorted and processed at a facility in Springhill, Nova Scotia, where unused paint is recycled into new usable paint that meets industry standards.

Where can I take computers, printers, televisions, personal or portable audio/video systems, vehicle audio/ video systems or non - cellular phones to be recycled?

The Atlantic Canada Electronics Stewardship (ACES) has organized drop - off locations for electronics throughout Atlantic Canada. Corkum's Recycling Ltd. in Oakhill and Lilydale will accept "e-waste". For information on their hours of operation, please call 640 - 3117. Log on to www.ACEStewardship.ca for information about the program and accepted items, and additional  drop - off locations. An Electronics Handling Fee (EHF) is applied products recognized by ACES. The EHF is used solely to fund the recycling program and is not remitted to the government.

Where can I take my cellphone and cellphone components to be recycled?

Recycle My Cell is a national program which has been organized by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CTWA) to recycle cellphones, smartphones, batteries and pagers, regardless of brand or condition. For more information on the program and drop - off locations, please visit www.RecycleMyCell.ca. Cellphones may be dropped off at the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre.  

Why do I have to pay an environmental fee on new tires?
When a new tire is purchased in Nova Scotia, a one-time environmental fee is applied at the point of sale. Retailers submit the fee to RRFB Nova Scotia to support the costs of collecting and processing the tires.
You can return up to four tires at a time, to any tire retailer in the province, at no cost. The tires must be off the rim and free of mud and debris. We recommend leaving used tires at your tire retailer when you buy new tires.
RRFB Nova Scotia has diverted more than 7 million tires from Nova Scotia landfills.

Can pizza boxes be recycled?
Yes, pizza boxes can be included with your corrugated cardboard.  However, cheese and other food items must be removed before recycling. Otherwise it will cause contamination of the cardboard. 

How do I recycle telephone books?
Telephone books can be placed in the bag with your paper waste.

Why do I have to pay deposit on beverage containers?
Consumers pay a 10-cent deposit on each liquor or non-liquor beverage container purchased and collects a 5-cent refund for each container returned to an ENVIRO-Depot™.  The other 5 cents is used  in part to administer the waste systems in NS and pay the operators of the Enviro–Depot. An annual amount (partially made up from a little over 2 cents from that remaining nickel) goes back to Municipalities in the form of diversion credits to help offset the cost of collecting and processing recyclables and compost. Nova Scotia has one of the highest return rates for beverage containers in North America.

Can I recycle my coffee cup?
Styrofoam cups are not recyclable – they go in the black bag with garbage.  Paper cups such as Tim Horton cups are compostable and should be placed in the green bin.  The lids go in the blue bag with recyclables. 

Do I really have to empty my bottles and cans before I recycle them?
Yes. Full or partially full bottles and cans are considered contaminated, and can spoil a whole load of recyclables. Please rinse them.

Can I recycle used tissues or napkins?
They can go in your green cart.

Do I have to remove paper clips and staples myself?
No, you don't. Incidental paper clips and staples don't have to be removed from recycled paper. Windowed envelopes and taped pages can also be recycled.

Can I recycle my batteries?

Rechargeable and car batteries may be dropped at the Household hazardous Waste Depot (LRCRC) by residents for free. Non - rechargeable batteries go in your black bag.

Where does Styrofoam go?

Garbage

Where do Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) go?

Seal in a box and leave out for regular collection. Please label box.  

What do I do with syringes?

Syringes or sharps go in specially designated sharps buckets which are given out by pharmacies. When the bucket is full, just return it to your local pharmacy and they will dispose of it safely. Syringes should never be placed in garbage bags or blue bags. Click here to read more.

If products such as bags, packaging or cutlery say biodegradable or oxy - biodegradable, does that mean I can put it in the green cart?

While these products may break down in other municipal composting systems which process organics longer, we ask that such items are kept out of the green cart in the towns of Bridgewater, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay and the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg. Products which break down reliably in the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre's composting facility bear the US Composting Council's label. Products with the Composting Council label have been tested at our facility and do not cause compost contamination. Soiled paper bags and plates may be placed in the green cart.