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Recycle paper with the Big Blue Bin program

Photo of big blue binEstablished in 1991, the Big Blue Bin program has recycled nearly 30,000 tonnes of waste paper, saving the equivalent of 420,000 trees. That's almost twice the number of trees in Regina.

Each time a Big Blue Bin is filled with paper about 50 trees are saved.

What is accepted at a Big Blue Bin

All Big Blue Bins feature a lower door to make it easier for recyclers with disabilities. All clean household paper can be deposited in the Big Blue Bins, including:

  • newspapers
  • boxes (flattened)
  • cardboard (flattened)
  • flyers
  • telephone books
  • fine writing paper
  • magazines (if you don’t want to give them to the Regina Girl Guides for their Second Glance program)

DO NOT place plastic milk containers or glass in Big Blue Bins. SARCAN depots  accept rinsed, plastic milk containers; washed glass containers can be taken to the green glass recycling bins located at the City of Regina landfill.

Big Blue Bin locations

There are 13 Big Blue Bin locations in Regina:

  • Broadway Shopping Centre
  • Rosemont Shopping Centre
  • Golden Mile Shopping Centre - south side
  • Northwest Leisure Centre
  • Sandra Schmirler Centre
  • Sportsplex - Field House
  • Leader-Post on Victoria Avenue
  • Superstore on Rochdale Boulevard
  • Superstore on the corner of Prince of Wales and Highway #1
  • Co-op on Victoria Avenue East
  • Victoria Square Mall
  • Northgate Mall
  • Southland Mall

The lifecycle of recycled paper

Waste paper collected in the Big Blue Bins is taken to the City of Regina's paper recycling depot, which is operated by a non-profit organization under contract to the City.

At the depot, the paper is separated into various grades of used paper. It is then compacted and baled. The various grades of paper and cardboard bales are sold to different companies in western Canada for processing into paper and packaging products.

Most of the paper is recycled into cardboard egg cartons and fruit pallets. Cardboard is generally sold for recycling into asphalt shingles and cellulose insulation.

Some of these recycled paper products are sold in the Regina market, where customers use these products and recycle them yet again using the Big Blue Bin program.