Sorting Your Waste: What Goes Where? 

Posted on:
May 11, 2026

Sort your waste materials before placing them curbside to make sure they are collected and processed correctly. 

Garbage (Clear Bags) 

For non-recyclable, non-compostable waste only. 

Do not include: 

• Food or food scraps (bread, meat, coffee grounds, eggshells)  
• Recyclable materials (paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, cans)  
• Hazardous items like batteries  

Recycling (Blue Bags) 

For clean, accepted recyclable materials. 

Do not include: 

• Food or food-soiled items  
• Personal care items  
• Pet waste  
• Household garbage like soiled paper towels, coffee pods, broken glass 

Organics (Clear Green-Tinted Bags) 

For food scraps and compostable materials. 

Do not include: 

• Recyclables like plastics, packaging or containers  
• Personal care items  
• Pet waste  
• Household garbage like coffee pods  

Need help sorting? 

If you are unsure where an item belongs: 

• Review the Victoria County Waste Sorting Guide   
• Use the Waste Wizard on our website or in the Recycle Cape Breton app. Download from Google Play or the App Store. 

For information about waste sorting compliance and rejected materials: 

Kweku Attafuah-Wadee  
Manager of Solid Waste Collections  
(902) 294-0269 
Kweku.Attafuah-Wadee@VictoriaCounty.ca 

For information about waste sorting rules and resources: 

Morgan MacInnis  
Solid Waste Educator 
Phone: 902-295-0591 
morgan.macinnis@victoriacounty.ca 

Related Links 

• Curbside Waste Collection: Sorting Rules Are Being Enforced 
• Safe Disposal of Needles and Other Sharps 
• Winter Waste & Recycling Collection: What Residents Should Expect 
• Residents can recycle more 
• Victoria County Waste Sorting Guide 
• Nova Scotia Accepted Recycling Materials List