What Goes in the Recycling Bin

The list below covers what Emterra accepts in your blue/recycling bin. When in doubt about a specific item, the Nanaimo Recycles app (iOS and Android) has a searchable lookup.

Remember: Empty and rinse all containers before recycling. Labels are fine to leave on.

Paper & Cardboard

• Newspapers, flyers, and inserts
• Magazines and catalogues
• Phone books and directories
• Writing paper, envelopes, notepads, and home office paper
• Paper gift wrap and greeting cards
• Shredded paper
• Corrugated cardboard (shipping boxes, grocery and liquor store boxes, pizza boxes)
• Boxboard (cereal, shoe, tissue, frozen food, detergent boxes, etc.)
• Carrier trays for bottled water, cans, soft drinks, etc.
• Paper towel and toilet paper cores
• Moulded boxboard: egg cartons, take-out beverage trays, paper-based plant pots
• Paper bags (kraft paper) and envelopes
• Multi-layer paper bags (flour, sugar, etc.)
• Paper cups (hot and cold beverages)
• Milk and beverage cartons, broth and sauce boxes, etc.
• Frozen dessert boxes

Plastics

• Jugs with screw tops (milk, cooking oil, laundry detergent, cleaning products, body care, windshield washer fluid, etc.)
• Bottles with screw caps, spray pumps, or pull-up tops (food, dish soap, mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, vitamins, laundry products, etc.)
• Wide-mouth jars with screw-top lids (peanut butter, jam, condiments, vitamins, personal care, etc.)
• Clamshells with hinged or click-closed tops (baked goods, fruit, produce, eggs, etc.)
• Trays with clear tops (deli chicken, single-serve meals, prepared foods, baked goods, hardware like screws or picture hangers)
• Tubs and lids (margarine, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, etc.)
• Cold drink cups with lids (take-out beverages)
• Garden pots and trays (bedding plants, seedlings, etc.)
• Plastic pails under 25L (laundry detergent, ice cream, pet food, etc.)
• Microwavable bowls and cups
• Single-use coffee and tea pods — remove lids; do not include lids
• Rigid plastic packaging for toys, toothbrushes, batteries, etc. — remove paper backing and recycle separately

Aluminum & Metal

• Aluminum cans and lids
• Aluminum foil wrap and foil take-out containers (pie plates, food trays, etc.)
• Empty aluminum aerosol containers (food, air fresheners, shaving cream, deodorant, hairspray, foam insulation, etc.)
• Steel/tin cans for food, pet food, cookies, tea, chocolates, etc. — remove lids, drop into can and squeeze slightly

Not Accepted in the Recycling Bin

No Styrofoam. No glass. No soft film plastics (plastic bags, wrap, etc.).

Glass and some plastics can be taken to your local bottle depot.

What Goes Where — Other Items

For items not covered above, use the City of Nanaimo’s waste sorting tool — it covers a broad range of household items and is kept current.