If you are visiting Canada this summer, be sure to familiarize yourself with Canada's rubbish and recycling laws. You would not want to be fined for throwing a beer bottle in the public recycling bin when it does not go there. In fact, be sure to study up on all of the provinces you intend to visit, and make notes of the recycling laws in each. The "Bottle Bill" laws vary quite a bit from one province to the next. Here are just three kinds of bottle recycling conducted in Canada, and reasons of why you should know the difference when you visit.
Glass Bottles
Glass bottles are glass bottles, right? No, not all glass bottles are treated the same in Canada. Some you are allowed to bag and place curbside. Others, like beer bottles, may have to be returned to the store, full or empty, depending on the province. Still several other glass bottles must be covered before placing them in a special recycling container. In some instances, you may have to pay for the removal of the glass bottles while at other times and places you may be rewarded with loose change for recycling the bottles at a recycling location, such as North Hill Bottle Depot recycle center.
Plastic Bottles
Similarly, plastic bottles are recycled by plastic type and sorted into groups and recycling plans. Most of the soda pop bottles and water bottles you drink from can be tossed into the general plastics recycling bin, but others may require specific disposal rules. All of these bottles need to be thoroughly rinsed prior to tossing them. If you are not sure where to put your plastic bottle, ask a native Canadian who regularly has to recycle all things plastic.
Metal Bottles
Many alcoholic beverages and soda pop drinks may be bought and sold in metal bottles. These bottles may be made of aluminum, in which case they could be recycled with soda pop cans, but some provinces might forbid this practice because the cans and bottles are not the same size and shape and can jam up the recycling machinery. Other metal bottles, specifically those made from steel or tin, also need to go into their own bins. Depending on where you are at the time you dispose of these bottles, you may have to take them to a recycling center yourself, or you may be able to place them in specially-marked public bins meant only for the recycling of these other metals.
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