01/08/2026
Hello New Germany & Caledonia Customers, this post is to help explain some of the changes that have been implemented by the Provincial Government, note this is not a municipal change. Queens Enviro Center and New Germany Enviro Center have volunteered to be part of this new program, it is not mandatory for us to participate but thinking about our customers and the environment we jumped in!
I will try to explain the changes to the best of my ability.
There are 5 different sorts: Foam/Styrofoam, Nonhazardous Aerosols Containers, Flexible Plastic, Glass Jars and Cardboard.
1. Foam/Styrofoam- examples, Foam packaging, Take out Containers, meat trays.
MUST be clean, washed out and dry
2. Aerosol Containers- examples, Spray Deodorants, Air Fresheners, Spray Pam, Shaving Cream, Hair Spray cans.
MUST be empty
3. Flexible Plastic- examples, Zip lock Packaging IE: Frozen Veggie packages, Baby food pouches, Chip bags, Cereal liner bags, Cookie bags and trays, Cheese wrappers, candy and chocolate bar wrappers, Bread bags, Plastic bags, Plastic wrap, Onion bags, Plastic Shipping bags and bubble wrap.
MUST be clean and dry, can be all in one transparent bag so we can see what is inside
4. Cardboard
MUST be broken down
5. Glass jars- examples, Cheese whiz jars, Jam jars, Olive Oil jars, Pickle jars.
MUST be washed out, clean, dry and NO metal covers (covers go in your regular blue bag pickup curbside).
CM will be picking some of these products curbside but I do not know the schedule. I am under the understanding that they will not pickup your Aerosol cans or Styrofoam products.
For my depots when bringing in your products, they need to be clean and dry, I do not want my depot to look like or smell like a garbage drop off. We take recyclable products only.
You can for MY depots put your Glass jars and Styrofoam and Aerosol cans in one transparent bag or in a cardboard box. Put ALL your flexible plastic in one transparent bag. Cardboard broken down.
In your regular blue bag for curbside you will be putting your milk containers(plastic and cardboard), your steel cans( beans, tuna, cat/dog food cans, the metal tops from your glass jars, frozen juice consecrate boxes (put the plastic tear-off top with your flexible plastic) in one bag.
Of course I have not listed every single product that we take and don't take but this should be of some help. This is a learning curve for EVERYONE so we will ALL be patient. I know about all the complaints on how the new program was introduced, municipality being blamed and people "just going to burn everything" and you pay taxes for this service and you don't own a car so how are you expected to get your garbage to the depot. This post isn't for insults, complaints about the system or complaining about the Municipality. If you have questions about what goes where your questions are welcomed. I can't promise how fast they will be answered but you will get a response at some point. All unnecessary comments will be deleted.
Since we are usually full on our Saturdays in Caledonia we will not be able to take these bags back to New Germany for you.
This action is for the environment and making the manufactures responsible for their packaging.
Go to the Circular Materiel website for a more detailed explanation.
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