Paint Recycling Program

Leftover Paint and Empty Paint Can Disposal

Unused or leftover paint and empty paint containers are not accepted curbside for collection. It is also not accepted for disposal at CBRM’s Waste Management Facility. Residents who have unused or leftover paint they no longer want and/or empty paint containers must drop-off their unused or empty residential paint products to any enviro-depot located in CBRM, at no charge.

Paint Recycling Drop-off Locations in CBRM

Leftover paint and empty paint containers are accepted free of charge at the following locations in CBRM:

Enviro-Depot	Location	Telephone Number
KELTIC RECYCLING INC	434 Keltic Drive Sydney River, Nova Scotia B1L 1B8	(902) 562-4008
TRIPLE B RECYCLING	24 Stornaway Street Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 2P8	(902) 539-8736
TOTAL RECYCLING LTD.	50 Industrial Drive Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6Z3	(902) 564-5173
NORTH SYDNEY RECYCLING LTD.	66 Memorial Drive North Sydney, Nova Scotia B2A 2T6	(902) 241-3004
BURKE'S RECYCLCLING DEPOT	12 Commercial Street Louisbourg, Nova SCotia B1C 1B6	(902) 733-2130
NEW WATERFORD RECYCLERS	5559 Union Highway New Waterford, Nova Scotia B1H 1B5	(902) 862-3090
GLACE BAY RECYCLING LTD.	39 Minto Street Glace Bay, Nova Scotia B1A 5B5	(902) 842-0608

Paint Products Accepted in Program

Interior and exterior paints
Latex, acrylic, water-based paints
Alkyd, enamel, oil-based paints
Deck coatings, floor paints
Single component varnishes and urethanes
Concrete, masonry, drywall, and stucco paints
Metal and wood primers
Undercoats
Marine paint*
Melamine, metal and anti-rust paint, stains, shellac
Single component swimming pool paint
Stain blocking paint
Wood masonry, driveway sealers and water repellants
EMPTY Paint cans

*Unless registered under Pest Control Product Act

Maximum container size is 25 litres

All Types of Paint Aersols are Accepted in the Program Including:

Industrial Paint Aerosols
Craft Paint Aerosols
Automotive Paint Aerosols

Paint Products NOT Accepted in the Program

The following types of paint and paint related products are excluded from the program:

Unidentifiable or unlabeled containers
Brushes, rags and rollers
Paint in glass containers
Improperly sealed paint containers
Paint containers with poor integrity (e.g. badly rusted or leaking cans)
Bulging containers
Industrial paints & finishes (e.g. baked-on, heat resistant etc.)
Paints or wood preservatives that are registered as a pesticide under the Pest Control Products Act (has a P.C.P. Registration number on label)
Craft paint (non-aerosol)
Automotive paint (non-aerosol)
Two-part or component paints containing catalyst or activator
Roof patch or repair
Tar or tar/bitumen-based products
Traffic or line marking paint
Quick drying paint
Resins
Paint thinner, mineral spirits or solvents
Deck cleaners
Colorants and Tints
Caulking compound, epoxies, glues or adhesives
Other household chemicals

For a full list of acceptable and unacceptable products, please visit https://www.productcare.org/products/paint/nova-scotia/or contact Product Care 1-877-592-2972 et.233 or by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Paint Container Limits

To ensure that collection sites are not overwhelmed, we ask that you observe the following voluntary limits of 10 containers (or 50 spray paint containers) per visit.

Consumer paint is currently accepted in the following container sizes:

Household paint up to 25 litres
Aerosol paint spray cans (660 grams or 24 oz.)

Returning Leftover Paint

Keep products in their original containers with labels on.
Do not combine leftover paints with each other or with oil-based paints, solvents or other products.
Make sure paint cans are properly sealed before transporting.

Disposing of Empty Paint Cans

Empty paint cans are now part of the Paint Recycling Program and can be returned to your local Enviro-Depot^TM.

How do I store my paint products for later use?

Store in original, securely-sealed, labelled containers.
Store paint away from extreme heat or cold.
Avoid freezing paint
Clean the rim for a good seal, pour 3mm (1/8") of paint thinner on top of oil-based paint, or 3mm (1/8") of water on latex paint, or store with container upside down.

Is there a cost to dispose of leftover or unwanted paint?

There is no charge to drop off any of the accepted paint products for recycling. When returning leftover or unwanted paint be sure to have product in its original container with original label attached to paint container.

Can I bring my leftover, unwanted paint and empty paint containers to CBRM's Waste Management Facility for Disposal?

CBRM's Waste Management Facility will not accept leftover, unwanted paint products and empty paint containers. These unwanted paint products and empty paint containers can be returned to any Enviro-Depot^TM located in CBRM.

Nova Scotia's Paint Recycling Program

Nova Scotia's paint recycling program was established by Divert NS in 2002 as part of Nova Scotia’s Solid Waste Resource Management Regulations. The regulations ban paint from being disposed in provincial landfills and require paint retailers to participate in a stewardship agreement. The Paint Recycling Program provides consumers of residential-use paint with collection sites to drop off their leftover household paint throughout the province of Nova Scotia, at no charge. Most household paints and all paint aerosols are accepted for recycling at over 90 collection sites in Nova Scotia.

Who is Productcare Recycling?

The Nova Scotia Paint Recycling Program is managed by Product Care Recycling. Product Care is an industry-led organization working to protect the environment by providing free recycling locations for consumers and businesses to bring products like paint, household hazardous waste, lights and alarms.

How is this program funded?

Like many other recycling programs in Nova Scotia, this program is funded by a recycling fee applied to the sales of new products to cover the cost of collection, transportation and recycling. Some retailers may show the recycling fee separately at point of purchase and some may include it in the product price. The recycling fee is subject to sales tax because it is considered to be part of the product price. The recycling fee is not a tax.　

For a list of Nova Scotia Paint Fees please visit https://www.productcare.org/products/paint/nova-scotia/. or contact Product Care at 1-888-592-2972.

Nova Scotia Paint Environmental Handling Fees

Effective October 1, 2014, the Nova Scotia Paint Environmental Handling Fees per can/container are:

Paint	Paint Fees
100 ml to 250 ml	$ 0.25
251 ml to 1 litre	$ 0.45
1.01 litre to 5 litres	$ 0.95
5.01 litres to 23 litres	$ 1.90
Aerosol paint (any size)	$ 0.25

Paint Recycling

In Nova Scotia, all municipalities provide curbside paper and plastic recycling collection, and over 95% also offer curbside composting. You can recycle other items as well, including beverage containers, old tires, paint, textiles, and hazardous waste. To learn more about other recyclable materials, visit: https://divertns.ca/paint

Paint Recycling graphic

Cape Breton Regional Municipality