Nova Scotia to recycle used oil, more electronics

Nova Scotia will begin to recycle used oil, the antifreeze compound glycol and more electronics starting Jan. 1, 2020.

“If done right, it’s a win all around—and that’s how I see this,” said Mark Butler, policy director for the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax.

The products, which also include microwaves, GPS devices and external hard drives, will be banned from landfills by March 2020.

“Instead of having to mine new materials or drill for more petroleum, we’re recycling these materials,” said Butler.

Electronics will be recycled by the Electronic Products Recycling Association. Gerard MacLellan, EPRA executive director for Atlantic Canada, said they won’t need to change the garbage and recycling infrastructure to incorporate new materials.

The EPRA already has 70 drop-off stations around the province for electronics under the current recycling program.

“We want to keep as many of those materials out of the landfills as we can,” said MacLellan.

He said landfills are not only bad for the environment, but in Nova Scotia they are expensive to construct.

Jim Cormier, Atlantic director of the Retail Council of Canada, said the changes are similar to those in other provinces. He said having similar regulations as other provinces makes it easier for retailers who operate across multiple provinces.