Modernization of curbside recycling
In July 2022, a new regulation marked a turning point for curbside recycling in Quebec. Since January 1, 2025, companies responsible for placing packaging and printed materials on the market have assumed full responsibility for the system they have been financially supporting for over 15 years.
These companies will ensure, among other things, better traceability of recyclable materials and promote local recycling.
Project phases
New recyclable materials accepted in the blue bin since January 1, 2025!
What goes — or doesn’t go — in the recycling bin?
Containers, packaging, printed materials. That’s it.
Here are a few examples of materials that can now be placed in the blue bin:
Plastics
- #6 plastic
- Polystyrene food trays
- Coffee and tea capsules made of #5 and #6 plastic
- #7 plastic (except for degradable and compostable plastics)
- Stand-up pouches
- Fruit and vegetable mesh bags
- And many other types of packaging!
Exceptions:
- Aerosol containers
- Styrofoam
Why is this modernization necessary?
After more than 15 years of financial compensation by packaging producers, several observations were made:
- Recovery rates have stagnated;
- There was no obligation for better practices or results;
- Packaging producers were paying more and more compensation but had no control over the system;
- The value of recyclable materials fluctuates over time, weakening the system;
- There were few incentives for circular economy initiatives in Québec.
Following these findings, government working committees were set up to address the situation.
The solution: Implement extended producer responsibility (EPR) for selective collection materials.
In 2020, the Québec government announced a reform of the selective collection system.
FAQ
From 2005 until January 1, 2025, the system was based on a compensation regime for selective collection. This regime ended with the entry into force of the modernization.
Currently, each stakeholder had specific responsibilities:
RECYC-QUÉBEC
- Managed the application of the compensation regime, including calculating compensations
- Redistributed compensation to municipalities
Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) and RecycleMédias (funding organizations approved by RECYC-QUÉBEC representing packaging & printed materials and newspapers respectively)
- Set pricing based on types of materials and quantities generated
- Collected contributions from obligated companies
- Paid these contributions to RECYC-QUÉBEC
Companies
- Paid their contributions to ÉEQ and RecycleMédias based on the rates, types, and amounts of materials they generate
Municipalities and municipal organizations
- Declared to RECYC-QUÉBEC their net costs and tonnage of collection, transport, sorting, and packaging of recyclable materials
- Submitted auditor-signed reports to RECYC-QUÉBEC
Municipal organizations received financial compensation mainly for collection and transport costs. The amount paid was calculated based on several factors, including territorial performance, resulting in unequal compensation across municipalities.
Financial compensation data (French only) for 2022 is available on the RECYC-QUÉBEC website.
RECYC-QUÉBEC
- On October 24, 2022, designated Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) as the managing organization for selective collection in Québec, for a period of 5 years.
ÉEQ
- Becomes the new authority overseeing selective collection across the province.
- Companies that generate packaging and printed materials are now responsible for managing them — from design to recycling. They also have performance targets to meet.
- This major responsibility includes financial responsibility for the entire system.
- Municipal organizations will be reimbursed 100% for the collection and transportation of recyclable materials.
- They will also receive compensation (calculated based on the number of dwelling units in the territory) for certain materials dropped off at ecocentres, customer service, community education and awareness activities, source sorting quality control, and management operations.
- Responsible for establishing partnership agreements with Québec’s MRCs to oversee collection and transportation of recyclables.
- Responsible for partnering with sorting centres to manage sorting and processing of materials.
- Responsible for ensuring material traceability and providing transparent reporting.
- Responsible for innovation and positioning selective collection as an economic driver.
- Responsible for creating public awareness campaigns throughout Québec.
ÉEQ Member Companies
- Pay contributions to ÉEQ based on rates, types, and quantities of materials they generate.
Municipal Organizations
- Responsible for awarding collection contracts.
- Provide local services, including customer service.
- Share responsibility with ÉEQ for educating and raising awareness among residents.
Businesses
- They are responsible for managing their packaging and printed materials, from design to recycling;
- They must adopt eco-design practices;
- There will be better alignment between company efforts and system efficiency.
Municipalities and MRCs
- Collection and transportation will be overseen by Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ);
- They will maintain close relationships with citizens.
Sorting Centers
- Incoming materials will be more standardized and of higher quality;
- They will be required to innovate;
- Long-term contracts will encourage optimization.
Recyclers
- The quality of materials will be improved;
- Supply will be stable and predictable;
- There will be opportunities to develop local and regional markets.
Citizens
- Messaging will be standardized across Québec, improving the quality of collected packaging and printed materials;
- Services will become more consistent throughout Québec, for both residents and businesses;
- The system will offer greater transparency, increasing public trust.
In 2022, Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) was designated as the Designated Management Organization (DMO). The DMO acts as the authority overseeing the selective collection system in Québec.
A private, non-profit organization, ÉEQ has represented producers since 2005, ensuring that those marketing packaged products, containers, and printed materials take responsibility for financing selective collection.
ÉEQ is responsible for establishing agreements with the various stakeholders in the value chain — including both municipal entities and sorting centers.
The regulation on a selective collection system for certain residual materials requires that a partnership agreement be signed between ÉEQ and the MRCs or groups of municipalities. This agreement mainly covers the collection and transportation of recyclable materials.
ÉEQ becomes responsible for collection, transportation, and customer service in territories that choose not to group together or sign a partnership agreement.
In March 2023, ÉEQ sent a letter to the MRC of Brome-Missisquoi to inform it that it had been identified to enter into such an agreement.
- Administrative and contract management efficiency
- Economies of scale
- Optimization of collection operations
- Increased attractiveness for bidders
- Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)
One of the main goals of the modernization is to standardize the recyclable materials accepted in the recycling bin across Québec.
Citizens of Brome-Missisquoi will now be able to place new recyclable materials in their bin.
For more information, visit the Recyclable page.
The MRC of Brome-Missisquoi is responsible for signing a partnership agreement with ÉEQ and, as a result, ensuring its implementation.
This includes awarding recycling collection and transportation contracts and overseeing their management.
Several municipalities are affected by these contracts—especially those that do not handle collection through their public works department or have delegated this responsibility to the MRC.
The modernized system will officially take effect on January 1, 2026 in Brome-Missisquoi.
February 11, 2020: The Government of Québec announced the modernization of the curbside recycling system.
March 17, 2021: The Act mainly to amend the Environment Quality Act regarding deposit and curbside recycling was passed.
July 7, 2022: The regulation modernizing the curbside recycling system came into force.
ÉEQ will be the owner of the materials throughout the entire process—from collection to sorting and final recovery.
This enables producers of containers, packaging, and printed matter (CPP) to track the flow of the materials they put on the market all the way through the value chain.
ÉEQ is responsible for rolling out communication campaigns across Québec. The citizen-facing brand is Bin Impact. Campaigns have been launched over the past few months through various media, including TV, billboards, and social media platforms (Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube).
ÉEQ has developed a digital toolkit. The MRCs and municipalities are essential partners in disseminating these tools. They will be used for postal mailings, municipal newsletters, email newsletters, and more.
Sorting instructions are now simplified:
Containers, packaging, printed matter. That’s it.
Key takeaway!
ÉEQ offers support services for packaging eco-design. Visit their website : ecoconception.eeq.ca
Since March 1, 2025, all ready-to-drink plastic beverage containers ranging from 100 ml to 2 L are now subject to a deposit.
This means the following containers have been added: water bottles, sparkling water, juice bottles, as well as other beverages such as flavored water, spirits, and more.
The new containers carry a deposit value of 10 cents.
To enable the collection of all these containers, return locations are being gradually set up across Quebec. In Brome-Missisquoi, a Consignaction return site has opened in Bromont.
Check the Consignaction map (French only) to find all drop-off points.