Region 6 Solid Waste Management

05/29/2026

❓ FAQ Friday: Why does my collection truck sometimes leave a bag behind?

Seeing a bag left at the curb can be frustrating, but there are a few common reasons why it may happen:

🔹 The bag contains items that belong in a different stream (for example, recyclables mixed with paper).
🔹 The material wasn't properly sorted.
🔹 The bag was not placed curbside on time.
🔹 The contents are not accepted in the curbside recycling program.

Collection crews may leave a notice explaining why the material was not collected. If your waste is left behind, check the notice, correct the issue, and set it out on your next collection day.

Also note: two trucks come to collect your waste. One for garbage and compost and a second for recycling containers, paper and cardboard.

05/29/2026

It's almost time to make the switch in Queens County - clear bags for garbage! Things to remember:

♻ Still recycle the way you always have
♻ Total of 6 garbage bags, per household - 1x black bag and 5 clear bags.

It’s Clear in Queens!

Reminder: Starting July 1, 2026, clear bags are required for garbage. There is a limit of 1 black garbage bag and a total of up to 6 garbage bags per collection day.

It’s clear in Queens that residents and businesses have been quick to catch on to the transition from black garbage bags to clear bags! Since January 1, 2026, clear bags have been required for garbage, with black bags used as privacy bags. The transition has been going very well!

Residents were told about the switch to clear bags in Late December 2025, and that until July 1, 2026, all waste would be collected, giving people some time to get used to it. With summer coming, we are reminding everyone that starting July 1st, garbage goes in clear bags (up to 6 per residence, which may include 1 black privacy bag). Excess black bags will be left behind with a sticker to advise that only one black bag is permitted.

As in the past, organics go in your green cart, and recyclables are collected in blue bags, with paper and fibre in separate bags from containers (glass, plastic, foil, etc.).

To learn more about waste collection, go to https://www.regionofqueens.com/municipal-services/works/waste-management/clear-bags/

Bylaw 13: Solid Waste Management is online here: https://www.regionofqueens.com/council-governance/our-bylaws/

If you still wonder sometimes about what goes where, download the R6Recycles app wherever you get your apps. It provides helpful information about whether something is garbage, recyclable, hazardous waste, and “where it goes”. Or visit our website and use the Wizard! Type in the item you have sorting questions about, and it will tell you how to dispose of it: https://www.regionofqueens.com/municipal-services/works/waste-management/waste-collection-schedule/

05/28/2026

Instead of running extra water to rinse containers, try these easy water-saving tips:

💧 Use leftover dishwater to rinse recyclables
💧 Fill the sink at the end of the day and quickly rinse items all at once
💧 Soak the hard to clean containers like peanut butter jars
💧 Use a bottle brush to help get containers clean

Saving water while recycling is a simple way to help the environment twice. 🌎

05/28/2026

I am excited to be heading to Municipality of Chester on June 4th to talk all things trash and recycling!

Please come to the Forest Heights Community School at 6:30 pm. I will have up-to-date sorting guides and other resources available.

Hope to see you there!

05/28/2026

QUICK QUESTION 👇

Which one of these items don't belong in your paper bag?

Options:
A. Microwavable popcorn bag
B. Pet food bag
C. Take-out coffee cup

Put your answer in the comments below.⬇

05/28/2026

Send a message to learn more

05/27/2026

Did you know? You do NOT have to remove the metal strip from parchment paper packaging before recycling it with your paper!

The box and attached metal strip can go right into your paper recycling bag together, making recycling quicker and easier. ✅

Small actions like this help keep recycling simple and convenient for everyone!

05/26/2026

Unused medication, safe sharps and inhalers can all be returned back to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.

For more information, please visit www.pans.ns.ca

05/26/2026

This is the LAST WEEK to get your bottles in for the bottle drive and a chance to win money for your group, club or school.

05/26/2026

In 2019, Divert NS expanded its recycling efforts with the launch of a province-wide Bicycle Tire Recycling Program, giving Nova Scotians a new way to keep end‑of‑life tires and tubes out of the waste stream.

Through the program, residents can return used bicycle tires and tubes at participating bike shops across the province, with Divert NS covering the cost of collection and recycling. Each year, approximately 4,000 tires and tubes are collected and shipped to a recycling facility in Minto, New Brunswick, where they are transformed into new value‑added rubber products such as cow mats. By making recycling more accessible, the program helps divert additional materials from landfill while supporting practical, circular solutions.

Learn more about the bike tire recycling program here: https://divertns.ca/used-bicycle-tires