What is changing with curbside recycling? 

Effective July 1, 2025, SK Recycles https://skrecycles.ca/Opens in new window will take over responsibility for processing recyclable materials. This means the items accepted in your blue cart will change. The City will remain your service provider for collection, continuing to manage blue carts, billing, collection schedules, and education. 

Key changes:  

  • Glass and Nespresso pods are no longer accepted in the blue cart 
  • New items that will be accepted in the blue cart include ice cream containers, coffee cups and lid (recycle both, but seperate first), gift bags (remove handles), floss containers, and tape dispensers. 
  • These items can now be taken to SARCAN for recycling: Glass, flexible plastics (plastic bags, wrap, bread bags, frozen food bags, chip bags), and Foam packaging. Visit https://sarcan.ca/Opens in new window for more information 
What’s changing July 1?
  • The City will still collect your recycling, but SK Recycles now manages what happens after that. 
  • Missed collection? Damaged cart? Collection schedule? 
    Contact the City of Regina. 
  • Questions about what happens after your recycling is collected? 
    Contact SK Recycles. 
  • Flexible plastic, foam, and glass remain unaccepted items in blue carts — but you can now take them to any SARCAN location! 
  • Some accepted items are changing (see the updated list below for full details). 

 

Acceptable Materials

Exciting changes are coming to what’s accepted in your blue cart starting July 1! 


SK Recycles will take over processing recyclables, while the City will continue to handle collection. As a result, some items are changing - glass and Nespresso pods will no longer be accepted, but some new items will be added. 

See the updated list below for full details.

Paper Products: 

  • Newspapers, flyers (remove plastic sleeves, rubber bands) 
  • Magazines, catalogues, phone books 
  • Office paper, envelopes, shredded paper (secure in paper bag/box) 
  • Corrugated cardboard boxes (flatten) 
  • Cereal, shoe, tissue, and frozen food boxes (remove liners) 
  • Paper egg cartons, beverage trays 
  • Paper bags (grocery, prescription, lunch) 
  • Multi-layer paper bags (e.g., for flour/sugar, no foil/plastic lining) 
  • Purchased gift bags/boxes (no glitter or rope handles) 
  • Clean non-durable paper food containers (plates, bowls) 
  • Lightweight paper hangers 

Containers: 

Paper & Carton: 

  • Paper cups and lids (recycle both, but separate first)
  • Gable-top cartons (e.g., egg whites) 
  • Aseptic cartons (e.g., soup, broth) 
  • Frozen dessert cartons 
  • Milk and juice containers  
  • Metal: 
  • Spiral wound cans (e.g., juice concentrate) 
  • Steel/aluminum food cans and lids (empty, rinse) 
  • Clean aluminum foil and disposables 
  • Plastic: 
  • Clamshells (e.g., produce, baked goods) 
  • Plastic jars, bottles, jugs (empty, rinse) 
  • Plastic trays with clear lids 
  • Plastic tubs (e.g., yogurt, margarine), coffee pods (rinse, remove foil lids) 
  • Plastic plant pots and saucers 
  • Small plastic pails (under 25L) 
  • Microwaveable bowls and cups (no metal rims) 
  • Lightweight plastic hangers 
  • Plastic cold drink cups (no foam) 
  • Plastic gift boxes, tape dispensers, floss containers 

Residents are also welcome to take beverage containers to SARCAN Recycling.

Unacceptable Materials

Some items cannot be processed at the recycling facility.

  • Plastic labeled compostable, biodegradable, or oxo-degradable 
  • Durable storage containers (glass, metal, or heavy-duty plastic) 
  • Foam products (cups, trays, clamshells, packaging) (accepted for recycling at SARCAN) 
  • Flexible plastic e.g., chip bags, candy wrappers (accepted for recycling at SARCAN) 
  • Stand-up pouches (e.g., baby food, sauces) (accepted for recycling at SARCAN) 
  • Glass food or beverage containers such as pasta sauce and pickle jars, or drink bottles (accepted for recycling at SARCAN) 
  • Nespresso pods 
  • Black plastic bags and film plastic (accepted for recycling at SARCAN) 
  • Used tissues, napkins, and paper towels (put with green waste if applicable) 
  • Items with glitter, rope handles, foil layers 
  • Metal cookware, propane tanks, scrap metal, wires 
  • Paint cans (plastic or steel), motor oil/chemical containers 
  • Durable hangers (wire, metal, wood) 
  • Unclean or food-soiled containers 
  • Metallic juice and beverage pouches 
  • Ceramics, oven dishes and coffee mugs 
  • Housewares including ceramics, dishes and glasses, pots and pans, light bulbs, windows, mirrors and clothes hangers 
  • Strings, rope, wires and cables 
  • Garden hoses 
  • Christmas lights 
  • Construction material 
  • Hazardous materials such as household chemicals, motor oil, antifreeze, aerosol cans, batteries, lighters and paint cans 
  • Medical waste 
  • Diapers and personal hygiene products 
  • Electronics 
  • Food and kitchen waste 
  • Leaf and yard waste 
  • Tires 

Reminder: Recycling is now processed by SK Recycles. Some items, like stretchy plastic, crinkly plastic, and Styrofoam, aren’t accepted in your blue cart but can be recycled at SARCAN locations. 

Still not sure about an item? Try our Waste Wizard!

When it doubt, sort it out! We asked Regina residents how confident they are in their sorting abilities.

Recycling Guidelines

  • Rinse your recyclable containers and put them into your Blue Cart – there’s no need to sort them.
  • Please do not bag or stack your recyclables, put them loose inside your cart. Shredded paper is the one exception. It must be put in a paper bag or box and tied closed to be recycled in your Blue Cart.
  • Remove and discard any caps and lids.
  • Flatten your boxes and cardboard so you will be able to fit more recyclables into your Blue Cart.
  • Only put acceptable recyclables inside your Blue Cart. Any unacceptable materials have to be removed at the processing facility, and our costs increase based on the amount of unacceptable materials mixed in with the recycling.

Cart Placement & Collection Guide

Step 1:
Fill It

Blue Cart Recycling

  • Do not bag or stack items. Keep recyclables loose in the cart.
  • Secure shredded paper in paper bag/box.

Brown Garbage Cart

  • Bag or bundle all waste items.
  • Double bag animal waste, dust particles and powdered materials.

Green Food & Yard Waste Cart

  • Line the bottom of your green cart with newspaper, tissues, paper towel or cardboard to minimize items freezing and/or sticking to the cart.  
  • Wrap smelly food scraps in newspaper or use kraft or starch-lined paper bags (available at major retailers).  
  • Store your green cart outdoors to avoid the freeze-thaw cycle.  
  • Use a broom or shovel to loosen stuck or frozen items so the cart empties easily.  
  • Store your cart in a shady location between collection days.   
  • Keep cart lid closed.  
  • Layer paper and cardboard products like paper yard waste bags, tissues, paper towel and egg cartons to absorb liquids.   
  • Rinse out your green cart with a garden hose periodically.  
  • The use of compostable (BPI certified) plastic bags can help with freezing waste and smell. 

Remember

  • Keep cart lids closed & do not let them overflow.
  • Do not place additional waste beside your cart.
  • Make sure material is not packed too tightly and can easily come out of the carts when the collection truck picks it up.

Step 2:
Place It

On collection day, place the carts on even ground on the street or in the back alley before 7:30 a.m. Make sure they do not block traffic.

On the front street

  • Place cart wheels against the curb. In the winter, place your cart with its wheels against the street side of the snow ridge.

In the back lane

  • Place cart wheels at the edge of your back lane with enough space away from your back hedge, garage or fence.
  • Arrange the cart so the arrows on the lid are pointed toward the centre of the road or lane.

Step 3:
Space It

Leave enough space around your cart so that you can easily walk around it. There should be at least 1.2 meters (approximately four feet) of space between other objects such as parked cars, power poles, utility boxes, fences, downspouts and garages.

Step 4:
Store It

Roll your empty cart back in a secure location on your property or against your fence after it has been collected.

Please keep carts from blocking alleys. This helps keep our alleys clean and prevents litter.

Never miss a collection day. No matter your preference, there is a notification option for everyone.

  • Sign up for reminders - We’ll send you an email or call to remind you of your next cart collection date. You can also save it to your Outlook, iCal or Google calendar to receive weekly reminders.
  • Download the app - Get the Regina Waste app from Google Play or the App Store to view your collection schedule on the go and conveniently set notification reminders for your waste collection days.
  • Print it - Download and print your personalized calendar.

Report a Missed Collection

If you had your cart out by 7:30 a.m. on your scheduled collection day, submit a Service Request within two business days.

Big Blue Bin

The City is aligning the material accepted in the Big Blue Bins to align with the curbside recycling acceptable materials list including plastic packaging, aluminium, tin and polycoat cartons (milk or juice). Glass containers will not be accepted in the Big Blue Bin Program. (accepted for recycling at SARCAN) 

We remind residents to keep our community clean by not placing recyclable or bulk items outside of the bins.

Big Blue Bin Depots are available for use 24/7 at the following locations.

Locations

  • South Leisure Centre - 170 Sunset Drive
  • Courtney Street and Sherwood Drive intersection
  • Jack Staples Arena - 444 Broad Street N
  • Columbus Park - 2940 Pasqua Street
  • Northwest Leisure Centre - 1127 Arnason Street
  • Rosemont Shopping Centre - 5064 4th Avenue
  • Sandra Schmirler Centre - 3130 Woodhams Drive
  • Sportplex - 1717 Elphinstone Street
  • Douglas Park - Off Assiniboine Ave E, south of Leibel Field

Acceptable Materials

  • Paper (newspaper, magazines, envelopes)
  • Carboard (large boxes, pizza box, cereal box) Please flatten
  • Plastic Packaging #1-7 (yogurt, peanut butter, condiments, clear plastic fruit container, mouthwash, shampoo, bleach, detergent and more)
  • Metal containers and foil (soup cans, pie plates, aluminium foil)
  • Beverage containers (juice box, milk carton/jug, pop cans)
  • Coffee and chip cans

Tips

  • Place loosely into blue cart
  • Flatten cardboard boxes
  • Wipe out containers and jars
  • No caps

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