FAQ, you have questions? We have answers.

By October 2022 curbside recycling will be available to all City of Saint John solid waste customers. This is to complement our current solid waste and compost pick up service.

Residential properties with four units or less are considered solid waste customers and receive collection service from the City of Saint John. If you live in a building with more units or are a business, your service is supplied by a private solid waste company.

The City is introducing free curbside recycling and putting limits on how much garbage can be throw out free of charge. This project will also include technology to make our service safer and more efficient for our operators, allow us to reduce landfill fees for garbage and compost, and extend the life of the regional landfill.  

City of Saint John solid waste customers will receive:

• one (1)(180L) waste cart
• one (1) green recycling bin for plastic and metal 
• one (1) blue recycling in complete with a lid for paper, cardboard, and boxboard

You will continue to use the compost cart supplied by Fundy Recycles. 

Any garbage bags that don’t fit in the supplied cart will need to have a purchased bag tag attached. More detailed information about bag tags will be available in the coming weeks.

Waste and compost carts are to be placed with wheels to the curb (or towards the ditch in rural areas) by 7:30 a.m. on your regular pick-up day. 

Recycling must be curbside for pick-up by 11:00 p.m. the evening before your regular garbage pick-up day. 
 

The program is scheduled to begin September 12 with cart and tote delivery. City wide implementation is expected to begin on October 23. More detailed information will be provided as available.

To the contrary. The City is supplying all of the materials needed, plus adding curbside recycling at no added expense to customers. This program is designed to save money by reducing the tipping (delivery) fees for garbage. The more customers recycle and compost, the more money will be saved at the landfill.

Most cities in North America offer curbside recycling and limit the volume of garbage placed curbside.  There is a shared responsibility to keep our neighbourhoods and community clean. The new solid waste service allows for residents to reduce waste by implementing curbside recycling and limited garbage.

Fundy Recycles (who runs the landfill) will be discontinuing it’s “blue bin” program in October, so the timing has never been better.

Delivery is scheduled to begin September 12 and will coincide with your collection schedule. There will be further instructions included with your delivery.

In the summer of 2021, the City ran a pilot project consisting of 1,100 residences in the Latimore Lake and Rockwood Park areas. A post pilot survey was conducted to gather feedback and suggestions for improvements.

 In response to the question “How would you rate the overall customer service experience?”, the responses were:

• Very good 55
• Good 37
• Poorly 12
• Very poorly 6

In response to the question “How would you rate the overall implementation of the Waste Wise Program in your neighbourhood?”, the responses were:

• Very good 52
• Good 41
• Poorly 12
• Very poorly 7

This model is not unique.  These same carts, totes, and processes have been implemented successfully in many cities, towns, and villages across North America. 

There are two separate totes so you can easily sort your paper and cardboard from your plastics and metals.

Solid waste collected in the City of Saint John and surrounding areas is delivered and processed by the Fundy Region Services Commission. The commission does not accept single use plastic bags as part of its recycling service.

The volume of what you are throwing out won’t change with this program. Think about where you keep and store your garbage now and how you might incorporate space for your recycling.

Recycling and compost will be collected by hand. Operators will leave any materials that are not properly sorted on the property.

Solid waste customers will be able to purchase “bag tags” to put on bags that don’t fit into the provided cart or within the limits in their collection area. More details about where to purchase will be available soon.

Recycling must be sorted into two streams. Paper, cardboard and corrugated cardboard (waves in the middle) in the blue totes. Metal and plastic (no plastic bags of any kind) in the green tote.

You can find a complete list of what goes where by visiting Recycling (fundyrecycles.com)

You can find a complete list of what goes where by visiting Recycling (fundyrecycles.com)

Winter creates challenges for many residents, including our seniors. Currently all solid waste customers carry their solid waste to the curb. The City issued cart will be on wheels which should give those with difficulties a better source of stability when placing at the curb. The recycle totes are a standard size not larger than a standard garbage bag. The City did not hear any concerns about difficulty handling the carts and totes.

If your residence does not have a compost cart or kitchen bin - or your cart is broken, you can order one by visiting the Fundy Regional Service Commission.

There may be some changes on some routes. Check back to this page for more information and sign up for City News at: https://saintjohn.ca/en/news-and-notices/subscribe-news-and-notifications

The project team is working to address areas in the city where garbage collection does not follow standard procedures and schedules. More information will be available on this site soon.

The City is currently working with stakeholders to address challenges in particular areas of the city. We will provide more information as it is available.

Garbage and recycling will be collected separately. Garbage and compost carts are to be placed with wheels to the curb (or towards the ditch in rural areas) by 7:30 a.m. on your regular pick-up day. Recycling must be curbside for pick-up by 11:00 p.m. the evening before your regular garbage pick-up day. (Will need to add spacing criteria)

Garbage must be bagged, even when placed in carts. This is required in case the automated arm is malfunctioning and City staff need to pick bags up by hand. Compost should be appropriately bagged in order to avoid rodents and ensure everything in the bin is emptied at pick up. Additional yard waste to be composted must be bagged. Recycling materials must remain loose in the tote.

The City will supply the first set of carts and totes for free. Customers are responsible for them after that. If your city issued cart or recycle totes are damaged by City Operators, City staff will investigate and replace them accordingly.

The City has explored By-law options that would mandate these commercial properties to recycle. Unfortunately, the City has no jurisdiction over these commercial entities and under current legislation does not have the authority to enforce these waste diversion requirements. 

Businesses and apartments of more than four units are classified as commercial and must provide their own waste collection, including recycling. Residents are encouraged to speak with their landlords. There are options for collection of recyclable material by these property types currently available:

• The Blue Run is a Saint John company offering both paid residential and commercial collection of recyclable material. All material is brought to the Fundy Region Solid Waste (FRSC) recycling facility.
• Cardboard collection may be a standard offering from private waste haulers.
• Access Data Management Corp (formerly Saint John Recycling) offers a paper and cardboard recycling service to businesses.  
• The FRSC currently offers no-charge for recyclable material brought directly to the material recovery facility located at Crane Mountain Landfill.

Check back to this page for more information and sign up for City News at: https://saintjohn.ca/en/news-and-notices/subscribe-news-and-notifications