Diverting waste for a cleaner world
With spectacular views and numerous challenging trails, the Annapolis Valley is a bicycling paradise. People here ride bikes for exercise, for entertainment, for commuting and for fun.
All that riding produces a lot of wear and tear, and when tires are worn out, riders can take simple steps to prevent them from ending up in landfills.
A number of bike shops across the Valley participate in the Bicycle Tire Recycling Program. Funded by Divert NS and free for both consumers and retailers, the program applies to all bicycle tires and tubes except tubular tires, which are glued to special rims.
“We have a list of drop-off locations on our website,” says Stacy Breau, CEO of Divert NS.
Established in 1996, Divert NS is a not-for-profit that promotes recycling in Nova Scotia. Through environmental stewardship, education and programming, the organization has made the province a globally recognized innovator in waste diversion solutions.
Keeping tires of all types out of landfills is part of the mission at Divert NS. When a motorist purchases tires for their vehicle, they pay a one-time environmental fee to support the cost of collecting and processing used tires. This helps divert more than one million used tires from the province’s landfills each year.
Partnering with 77 EnviroDepots across the province, Divert NS oversees the collection and recycling of beverage containers. Approximately 80 per cent of all beverage containers get recycled, giving Nova Scotia one of the best beverage container return rates in the country.
“Many of the EnviroDepots also accept electronics, textiles and used paint,” Breau points out. “Each location has its own list of what it will accept.”
Recycled plastic bottles are used to make everything from new beverage containers to automotive parts, while glass bottles are ground and used for septic drainage.
Divert NS promotes the concept of a “circular economy” in which resources and materials are recovered and re-used rather than disposed of.
It’s estimated packaging makes up as much as 30 per cent of all waste material. Divert NS is now administering a new approach called Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (EPRP) that will shift responsibility for curbside recycling programs from municipalities to the producers of packaging and paper products.
“Industry will now manage the entire life cycle of their products,” Breau explains. “It will incentivize industry to become more mindful of the kinds of products they are creating.”
Over time, the EPRP will encourage more eco-friendly packaging and reduce single use plastics, while reducing the amount of waste in landfills. While the impact on consumers will be minimal, Breau says, the savings for municipalities will be substantial.
“We’re working now to have curbside recycling transitioned to industry by late 2025.”
Nova Scotia has become a world leader in diverting waste from landfills. Delegations from a number of countries have visited to view facilities and learn about the province’s innovative solid waste management system.
“We tend to fly under the radar,” Breau points out. “But we are definitely getting a lot of work done in the background.”