Residential Collection

Recycling and composting became mandatory in Nova Scotia in 1996/97. Solid Waste Collection and Disposal By-laws and waste sorting brochures explain how waste must be separated. 

Collection guidelines for the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg and the Towns of Bridgewater and Mahone Bay are below. Questions? Check your calendar or call 902-543-2991.

 

Waste Stream

 

Municipality of Lunenburg

Waste must be curbside by 7:00 am

Total of 4 cubic meters, per household, per collection (garbage, blue bags, paper, cardboard, green cart) 

Town of Bridgewater

Waste must be curbside by 8:00 am

 

 

Town of Mahone Bay

Waste must be curbside by 8:00 am

 

 

Garbage

 

 
       

Recyclables

 

 

 

 
  • Approximately 10-12 bags: blue, transparent bag or clear bag.
  • Bags no larger than 75cm x 120 cm and no smaller than 25cm x 40 cm
  • Each bag no heavier than 25 kgs (55 lbs)
  • Bags must be tied securely
  • Recyclables must be clean
  • Lids off recyclables, put lids in smaller bag with recyclables
  • Do not mix containers and cans with paper items.
  • Blue, transparent bag or clear bag.
  • Bags no larger than 75cm x 120 cm and no smaller than 25cm x 40 cm
  • Each bag no heavier than 25 kgs (55 lbs)
  • Bags must be tied securely
  • Total weight of bags, 222 lbs, per collection
  • Recyclables must be clean
  • Lids off recyclables, put lids in smaller bag with recyclables
  • Do not mix containers and cans with paper items.
  • Blue, transparent bag or clear bag.
  • Bags no larger than 75cm x 120 cm                and no smaller than 25cm x 40 cm
  • Each bag no heavier than 25 kgs (55 lbs)
  • Bags must be tied securely
  • Total weight of bags, 222 lbs, per collection
  • Recyclables must be clean
  • Lids off recyclables, put lids in smaller bag with recyclables
  • Do not mix containers and cans with paper items.
       

Paper

 

 

 

 
  • Clear plastic, transparent bag, shopping bag or other bag closed and labelled "paper". Keep dry.
  • Bag dimension no smaller than 25cm x 40cm, no larger than 75cm x 120 cm
  • Each bag no heavier than 25 kgs (55 lbs)
  • Bags must be tied securely
  • Cardboard must be flattened, bundled and tied- keep dry on rainy days
  • Clear plastic, transparent bag or shopping bag or other bag closed and labelled "paper". Keep dry.
  • Bag dimension no smaller than 25cm x 40cm, no larger than 75cm x 120 cm
  • Each bag no heavier than 25 kgs (55 lbs)
  • Bags must be tied securely
  • Cardboard must be flattened, bundled and tied- keep dry on rainy days
  • Clear plastic, transparent bag or shopping bag or other bag closed and labelled "paper". Keep dry. 
  • Bag dimension no smaller than 25cm x 40 cm, no larger than 75cm x 120 cm
  • Each bag no heavier than 25 kgs (55 lbs)
  • Bags must be tied securely
  • Cardboard must be flattened, bundled and tied - keep dry on rainy days
       

Organics

 

 

 
  • 1 green cart, issued by the Municipality
  • Paper green cart liners are accepted; plastic-type compostable bags not acccepted.
  • Call 1-855-530-3324 to get a green cart
  • Paper leaf bags must be used for bagged leaves and yard waste - no plastic bags.  Leaves can be placed in a green cart.
  • Up to 2 green carts, issued by the Town
  • Paper green cart liners are accepted; plastic-type compostable bags not acccepted.
  • Call 902-543-4651 to get a green cart
  • Paper leaf bags must be used for bagged leaves and yard waste - no plastic bags. Leaves can be placed in a green cart.
  • Up to 2 green carts, issued by the Town
  • Paper green cart liners are accepted; plastic-type compostable bags not acccepted.
  • Call 902-624-8327 to get a green cart
  • Paper leaf bags must be used for bagged leaves and yard waste - no plastic bags. Leaves can be placed in a green cart.
       

Collection

 

 

 
  • Bi-weekly collection of recyclables, paper, cardboard, garbage and green cart 
  • Waste must be placed within 10 feet of the curb
  • Waste cannot be placed curbside sooner than 5:00 pm the day before scheduled collection
  • Alternating bi-weekly collection of Blue Week and Green Week wastes
  • Blue Week: recyclables, paper and cardboard
  • Green Week: garbage and green cart
  • Waste must be within 10 feet of the curb 
  • Waste cannot be placed curbside sooner than 8:00 pm the day before scheduled collection
  • Alternating bi-weekly collection of Blue Week and Green Week wastes
  • Blue week: recyclables, paper and cardboard
  • Green week: garbage and green cart
  • Waste must be within 10 feet of the curb 
  • Waste cannot be placed curbside sooner than 8:00 pm the day before scheduled collection
Wood & Metal 
  •  A combined volume of 4 cubic metres of wood and metal collected annually during special Fall collection. Individual items may weigh up to 140 kgs, measure up to 1.8 m in length.
  • 4 cubic metres: 2 metres (6.5 feet) x 2 metres (6.5 feet) x 1 metre (3.2 feet)
  •  A combined weight of 100 kgs of wood and metal collected annually during special Fall collection. Individual items cannot exceed 50 kgs, no longer than 1.8 m.
  • 2 cubic metres: 2 metres (6.5 feet) x 1 metre (3.2 feet) x 1 metre (3.2 feet)
  •  A combined volume of 2 cubic metres of wood and metal collected annually during special Fall collection. Individual items cannot exceed 100 kgs, or 1.8 m in length.
  • 2 cubic metres: 2 metres (6.5 feet) x 1 metre (3.2 feet) x 1 metre (3.2 feet)
Electronics 
  • Households and businesses can put out 3 electronic items on their pick up day during fall electronics collection.
  • Electronics must be delivered to an electronics depot at other times during the year. 
  • Households and businesses can put out 3 electronic items on their pick up day during fall electronics collection.
  • Electronics must be delivered to an electronics depot at other times during the year. 
  • Households and businesses can put out 3 electronic items on their pick up day during fall electronics collection.
  • Electronics must be delivered to an electronics depot at other times during the year. 
Missed Collection 1-855-530-3324 1-855-530-3324 902-543-1103
       
       

Items Not Collected Curbside

 
  • Electronics - Can be delivered to the Community Recycling Centre for FREE
  • Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) - Residential HHW can be delivered to the Community Recycling Centre for FREE
  • Sharps - Can be delivered to a local pharmacy for FREE, using a sharps bucket provided by a pharmacy. Sharps cannot be placed for collection!
  • Tires - Four tires can be delivered to a local retailer for FREE, at one time, off rims
  • Asphalt Shingles - Can be delivered to the Community Recycling Centre or a regulated construction & demolition waste landfill. Fees apply.
       

Broken Glass

 

Items that are sharp or broken such as plates, glasses, knives, lightbulbs, sawblades and glass items must be placed in a sealed container or box and labelled "broken glass". Place this beside your garbage bags.
       

Cancelled  Collections

 

Collection can change due to weather, road conditions and construction. Collection cancellations are aired on CKBW (98.1 FM), posted on the home page of this website, the Lunenburg Regional Community Recycling Centre's Facebook page. Call 902-543-2991 to listen to a message concerning cancellations and site closures.  

   Sign up for notifications using R6Recycles Waste App, visit Recycling Centre homepage www.communityrecycling.ca. 
   

Waste Rejections

 

The waste hauler and the curbside inspector regularly inspect waste to ensure recyclable and compostable wastes aren't landfilled. If waste is not separated properly or prepared incorrectly it could be rejected. If it is, follow the instructions on the sticker. Waste must be re-sorted and placed at the curb during the next collection. Call the phone number on the sticker if you have questions.
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weekly Green Cart Collection takes place during the warmer months in Bridgewater and Mahone Bay. Leaf and yard waste is not collected during recyclables collection weeks (Blue Weeks: blue bags, paper and cardboard). Check your calendar for collection dates.

Bears & Waste Storage:

Dept. of Natural Resources & Renewables: When bears come into a residential area they are usually looking for food. Bears like to eat many of the same foods we enjoy, so we need to be careful about how we handle food and food waste to minimize the odours that attract bears.

When a bear smells food odours coming from a green cart, garbage container, or even a barbecue, the bear regards this as a convenient source of food and it will return to the site again and again. Not only is this annoying for us, it means the bear will become dependent on people for food and may become invasive and destructive. Bears can smell food over 1 km away.

Read about what attracts bears: https://novascotia.ca/natr/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/bear/attracts.asp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find your collection day online or call (902) 543-2991.

Review the Sorting Guides.