Waste Diversion

Of the over 15 tonnes of curbside waste collected annually in our community, only 13.7% of it is diverted from the landfill by the City’s recycling and yard waste programs. We can and need to do better. By reducing the waste of municipal services and promoting the 7Rs of sustainable waste management to its residents and businesses, the City of Fredericton is striving towards a circular economy where no material is wasted.

Looking for resources on where you can divert your waste? Check out our waste management map!

7 Rs of Waste Management

You’ve likely heard of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, but did you know there are four more Rs that contribute to sustainable waste management?

Rethink: Think about the environmental impacts of your choices.
Refuse: Be discerning about what you buy. Refuse items whose environmental costs are too high or that you don’t need.
Reduce: If possible, borrow items or buy secondhand. If you must buy new, buy fewer, long-lasting items with minimal to no packaging.
Reuse: Use items as long as possible or find new uses for them.
Repair: Fix items instead of buying new ones.
Regift: Give unused or unwanted items to those who need it.
Recycle: Properly dispose of items so their materials can be broken down and reused.

What is the city doing?

Operating two community recycling depots
Collecting curbside yard waste seasonally
Implementing the Green Events Guide (PDF) to reduce waste at City-run events
Adding recycling bins to parks and City-run events
Promoting home composting programs
Working with community partners to promote product exchange/resale networks
Promoting the benefits and need for sustainable waste management
The landfill is run by the Capital Region Service Commission and it captures landfill waste methane and uses it to generate electricity

Tracking our progress

Interested in knowing what actions the City of Fredericton is taking to meet its climate goals? The Environmental Dashboard is where you can learn more about our climate initiatives, track our progress, and find out how you can help. The information on the dashboard is updated annually and will grow when new initiatives are undertaken.

View the Environmental Dashboard

What can you do?

Refuse single-use plastics

Did you know that of the 300 million tons of plastic that is produced worldwide every year half of it is for single-use items? Imagine how much waste we could eliminate as a community if we chose reusable items instead of disposable ones. Learn more about the impacts of single-use plastics.

Reusable alternatives to disposable items:

Reusable	Disposable
Reusable travel coffee mug Real cutlery Cloth napkin Beeswax or reusable container Reusable coffee pod Cotton mesh produce bag Dryer ball Cloth towel Reusable water bottle Tote or reusable bag Reusable silicon or fabric sandwich bag	Coffee Cup Single-use plastic Cutlery Paper Napkin Food wrap Coffee pod Plastic produce bag Dryer sheet Paper towel Plastic water bottle Single-use plastic bag Plastic sandwich bag

Reduce clothing and textile waste

A staggering 85% of unwanted clothing items in North America end up in the landfill, never to be reused or recycled.

Next time you shop for clothes, consider:

Buying only what you need.
Buying high quality garments that will last.
Buying second hand

Before you throw away an article of clothing, consider:

Donating it to a charitable cause or a textile reuse and recycling organization.
Sharing or swapping it with friends and family.
Mending it if it’s broken.

Reduce food waste

The average Canadian household throws away 140 kilograms of food at a cost of $1,300 per year. There are many simple and easy ways to reduce food waste and keep that money in your pocket. Consult the Love Food Hate Waste website for helpful resources, including 10 Easy Tips for Reducing Food Waste.

Inevitably, no matter how well we plan, some food waste is unavoidable. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be reused. Vegetable peelings, egg shells, tea bags, and coffee grounds are perfect ingredients to transform into rich compost to feed your garden. Learn more about composting.

Reduce flyers and junk mail

Refill and reuse containers at Refilleries and BYO Container locations

More and more businesses encourage the use of reusable containers, significantly reducing plastic waste for many products. Here are a few Fredericton locations that offer this service:

Did we forget a location? Contact Service Fredericton at at 1+ (506) 460-2020 or service@fredericton.ca to add it to the list.

Buy secondhand items instead of buying new ones

Repair broken items instead of buying new ones

Regift used items to those who need them

Recycling Options within the City

Compost yard waste and kitchen scraps