Paper cups have long been a point of confusion in recycling programs. They look like paper and feel like paper, so it seems like they should be recyclable like paper. Because of the other materials used to make them, many programs didn’t accept them. That has now changed.

Manitobans can recycle empty paper cups

Empty paper cups are now accepted for recycling across Manitoba. That includes coffee cups, fountain drink cups, Slurpee cups, and other paper cups. Next time you have one to recycle, here’s what to do.

How to recycle paper cups

Remove the lid, empty the cup, and put the cup in your recycling bin. Paper sleeves on coffee cups can stay on.

Emptying the cup matters: food, liquid, and other leftover contents can affect paper quality and hurt the recycling process.

Why are paper cups now accepted?

Recycling programs can only accept paper items that paper mills are able to process. Paper cups have a thin coating that lets them hold liquid, and they’re often printed with strong dyes. Both make the cups harder to process and limit what mills can turn them into compared to plain paper and cardboard — which is why many programs historically left them out.

Our team worked with recycling partners to review processing requirements, paper market conditions, and local recycling data. We determined paper cups can now be responsibly managed across Manitoba’s household recycling system.

Reducing is still the best option

The best way to reduce waste is to use less. Most coffee shops let you use your own travel mug, and many takeout restaurants and convenience stores will fill a cup you bring yourself. Bring your own cup if you plan on getting a drink on the go.

If you forget your mug one morning, or stop for a soda this summer, go ahead and recycle the cup.

How much packaging do you go through during the holiday season? All the holiday shopping and Black Friday deals can leave you with mountains of boxes, bags, parcels, and plastics—especially if you shop online.

It’s important to know which packaging materials you can recycle in your blue bin, so the most wonderful time of year isn’t the most wasteful. It’s also important to know what can’t go in your blue bin, because recycling processors handle more material during the holiday season.

Use the list below to find out which common shipping materials are accepted or not accepted in Manitoba residential recycling programs.

Shipping packaging accepted for residential recycling

Cardboard boxes

Note:

• Staples, tape, and shipping labels don’t need to be removed (although it’s appreciated if you do).
• Do not nest other items inside of boxes; this can lead to materials being improperly sorted.
• Flatten and/or cut large boxes to fit them loosely in your blue bin.

Corrugated cardboard wrap/cushioning

Molded paper inserts

Kraft paper

Paper-padded envelope

Note:

• These packages are lined with soft padding made of paper and glue. They’re a recyclable alternative to plastic-padded envelopes.

Shipping packaging NOT accepted for residential recycling

Plastic-padded envelope

Note:

• These packages may have a paper or plastic exterior, but are lined with bubble wrap, which isn’t accepted for recycling.

Soft or rigid foam (e.g., Styrofoam)

Bubble wrap

Plastic air bags/pillows

Note:

• Some retailers accept plastic bags for recycling.

That covers the bulk of shipping packaging you’ll encounter. If you’re unsure if you can recycle something that isn’t on this list, try looking it up in the Recyclepedia or check out our holiday recycling guide.

September is a time for many of us to get back into a routine after taking summer holidays and enjoying the warm weather. With getting back into a routine, it’s a good time to familiarize yourself with what can go in the blue bin, and what to do with items that don’t belong. (more…)

Cartons are recyclable and accepted in your blue bin in Manitoba. They’re made mainly from paper, with a thin layer of polyethylene (plastic) and sometimes aluminum. Milk and milk alternatives, juice, and soup/broth cartons are just some of the products packaged in cartons. You can also find cartons of dry goods like hash browns. They’re all accepted in your blue bin when empty. Recycled cartons are made into new products you use every day such as paper towels, tissues, napkins and writing paper.

What happens to cartons you recycle?

On collection day, recycling trucks throughout the province pick up recyclables and drop them off at a sorting facility. The facilities separate cartons from the mass of other recyclables (and contamination). In Winnipeg, they’re sorted automatically using infrared lights to identify them.

How are cartons recycled?

There are two uses for the materials that make up cartons: consumer products and building materials.

Use 1: Consumer products

Once the cartons are baled, a truck takes them to a paper mill. Cartons go into a hydra pulper – essentially a giant blender – that uses water to help break cartons down into tiny pieces known as pulp. Machines at the mill separate the paper and any plastic and aluminum. Depending on the mill, they use pulp to make paper towel, tissue paper, office paper, or other paper products. The mill can use the residual plastic and aluminum as fuel to power the mill, or they can send it to a manufacturer who can use it to make ceiling tiles or wallboard.

Use 2: Building materials

Instead of a paper mill, cartons can go to a manufacturer that turns cartons into building materials. They shred the cartons, then heat and press the pieces together into large sheets – think of a giant panini press, but for shredded cartons.

About 30 cartons can make a 2×2 foot ceiling tile, while roughly 400 cartons can make a sheet of wallboard.

Please put your cartons in the Blue Bin!

To learn more about carton recycling, visit the Carton Council of Canada.