Holiday Disposal Reminders
Holiday Disposal Reminders
During holidays or special events, large amounts of gift wrap, styrofoam, boxes, food waste, decorations and other festive packaging gets disposed of incorrectly. While celebrating any holiday or special occassion with family and friends, the Solid Waste Department encourages everyone to dispose of their waste properly.
Christmas and New Year's Disposal Reminders
Items and Disposal Options |
Re-Use |
Clear Bag (Garbage) |
Blue Bag 1 (Plastics) |
Blue Bag 2 (Paper) |
Green Cart (Food Waste) |
Other |
Gift wrap, ribbon, bows, tissue paper and other gift accessories |
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ALL Styrofoam packaging |
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Cardboard boxes (if flattening, tying and bundling cardboard loose curbside, please make sure each bundle is no larger than 2feet by 3feet by 8 inches.) |
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Empty cardboard tubes |
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Decorative gift boxes |
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Cards (non-glitter) |
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Cards (glittery, musical) |
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Plastic packaging (toys) |
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Plastic food packaging used to seal/wrap meat, fish & poultry |
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Broken or damaged ornaments 1 |
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Broken glassware 1 |
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Food scraps/table scraps |
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Fireworks 2 WARNING: Do not dispose of fireworks while still hot or warm |
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Christmas tree lights |
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Computers/e-readers/video gaming systems/microwave ovens, etc. 3 |
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Beverage Containers 4 |
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Milk Cartons & Eggnog containers |
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Artificial Christmas trees & artificial wreaths |
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Gift Bags |
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1. Broken glass and broken or damaged ornaments should be placed inside a small box or container and labelled broken glass before disposing in your clear garbage bag.
2. COLD firework debris can be disposed of in your clear garbage bag. Do not dispose of used fireworks in the garbage while debris is still hot or warm.
3. Computers, e-readers, video gaming systems, microwave ovens and other electronics can be dropped-off free of charge at a local EPRA drop-off site. For more information on the Electronics Recycling program visit www.recycleMYelectronics.ca/ns
4. Beverage Containers can be returned to any local ENVIRO-DEPOTTM located in CBRM or disposed of in your Container/Plastic Materials Blue Bag. For more information on the Beverage Container program visit: https://divertns.ca/recycling/what-goes-where/beverage-container-recycling
Waste Management: Holiday Disposal Reminders

If you cannot reuse your holiday packaging, please dispose of it properly.
Holiday packaging and decorations including:
• Used wrapping paper, ribbon, bows and glittery cards
• Used tape
• Gift bags, gift tags, glittery boxes
• All Styrofoam
• Damaged or broken ornaments
• Christmas lights
• Tinsel
• Garland
• Window decals
and other festive packaging or decorations that cannot be reused, should be disposed of the in the clear garbage bag for disposal.
Holiday packaging including:
• Non-glittery cards, gift cards
• Cardboard boxes
• Non-glittery gift boxes
and other plain, non-glittery festive packaging (excluding gift wrap/wrapping paper) that can not be reused, should be disposed of in the paper product blue bag.
Please remember, all gift wrap/wrapping paper gets disposed of in the clear garbage bag.
Disposing of Gift Wrap and Wrapping Paper
Unwanted gift wrap, wrapping paper and/or decorative packaging that can no longer be reused must be disposed of in the garbage.
Electronics Recycling
Replacing old unwanted electronics this holiday season? Remember, many of these items are now recycled and no longer belong in a landfill for disposal. In CBRM, you can bring many unwanted electronics free of charge to a local EPRA Depot for proper recycling. Visit https://www.recyclemyelectronics.ca/ns/what-can-i-recycle/ for a list of electronics that can be recycled in this program. For a list of depots located in CBRM, visit https://www.recyclemyelectronics.ca/ns/
Halloween Disposal Reminders
Used Fireworks and Sparklers: COLD, used firework debris can be disposed of in the Garbage. Do not dispose of fire works when they are still hot or warm.
Pumpkins: Used pumpkins can be disposed of in your green cart. Please remove any candles or decorations from the pumpkin before you place inside your green cart.
Candles: if you cannot reuse candles, please dispose of them in the garbage once the candles are cold.
Corn Stalks: Corn stalks can be disposed of in your green cart. Plastic corn stalks should be disposed of in the garbage if you can no longer reuse them.
Hay Bales: Hay from hay bales should be gradually added to your green cart over time. Please do not place actual hay bales inside your green cart. Residents may also bring hay bales to one of the seasonal leaf and yard drop-off sites for disposal or to the Waste Management Facility's leaf and yard drop-off area open year-round.
Costumes & Masks: If you do not plan on reusing costumes and masks, please consider placing unwanted costumes and masks in one of the donation bins set up across CBRM. To locate a donation bin near you please visit http://afterwear.ca/ . Unwanted customes and masks that can not be donated or reused get disposed of in the clear garbage bag.
Candy, gum and bar wrappers and chip bags: Wrappers from candy, gum, bars and chip bags are disposed of in the garbage. Uneaten candy, chips and other treats that you no longer want can be disposed of in the green cart.
Candy, Gum, Bar and Chip boxes: Please consider reusing boxes to store halloween decorations for next season. If you do not have another use for these boxes, please dispose of in the same blue bag as your other paper products.
Empty pop cans, water bottles, juice containers and other refundable items: Empty beverage containers can be returned to any local ENVIRO-DEPOTTM located in CBRM. You can also dispose of these containers in your container/plastics blue bag. Please make sure you rinse out containers before disposal. For more information on the beverage container recycling program visit https://divertns.ca/recycling/what-goes-where/beverage-container-recycling
Halloween Decorations: Damaged decorations that can no longer be reused can be disposed of in the garbage. Paper based decorations that contain NO glitter or glues can be placed in the same blue bag as your other paper products.