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REGINA — Starting Tuesday, what Regina residents can put in their blue bins is changing.

In February, the city announced it would be shifting the responsibility of processing and sorting steps to SK Recycles starting in the summer. 

This change came with items allowed in the blue cart as the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment updated its regulations. SK Recycles said these changes regulate what materials are allowed in a blue bin.

Per a media release, the city will now allow the following items in a blue cart:

• Coffee cups (recycle lid, cup and sleeve separately)
• Ice cream cartons and frozen dessert boxes
• Plastic dental floss containers
• Plastic tape dispensers
• Empty single-use coffee pods

These changes also come with items now not accepted in a blue cart 

• Glass containers and jars 
• Foam packaging and flexible plastics such as chip bags, plastic wrap and frozen vegetable bags 
• Green Nespresso pod recycling bags

All the recycling items will be processed at a provincial facility in Regina, said Kelly Goyer, director of field services at SK Recycles.

Janet Aird, the City of Regina’s manager of program development and delivery, water, waste and environment, said residents can still put glass items in their garbage carts at the curb or drop them off at a SARCAN location.

Foam packaging and flexible plastic are also accepted at SARCAN.

As for green Nespresso pod recycling bags, Aird recommended checking out Nespresso’s website for recycling options.

With these changes, the city is rolling out an educational program for residents.

“There will be social media posts running, [and] SK Recycles is also running different media posts about what can and can't go in the cart,” said Aird.

Aird also mentioned utilizing AI technology on two recycling trucks for various neighbourhoods to see what is going into the bins. Any resident who places the wrong item into the bin will be sent a postcard with a reminder of acceptable and non-acceptable items.

Residents could also face fines for several offences for placing unacceptable items in a blue bin, but Aird said the city would take a while before enforcing them.

Fines start at $150 for a first offence and increase with each subsequent violation.

Per a report, this change is expected to save the city roughly $1.6 million yearly.

Additionally, administration will review the city’s waste user fee model and bring forward any adjustments through the 2026/27 budget process.

The city will continue to collect blue bins.

The schedule for blue bin pickup also remains bi-weekly.

More information on the changes .