Region of Queens Municipality’s Materials Recovery Facility to Permanently Close

September 9, 2025; Liverpool, NS: Changes to the ways in which recycled materials are treated have resulted in the upcoming closure of Region of Queens Municipality’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), effective December 1, 2025. This closure will result in the loss of jobs for Region of Queens Municipality employees at the MRF. In August 2023, the Environmental Act was amended by the provincial government, which mandates that recycling of Packaging, Paper Products and Packaging-Like Products brought into Nova Scotia is at the cost of the producer. Collection, management and disposal across Nova Scotia will now be done by Circular Materials, the designated producer responsibility organization and Municipal sorting stations such as the MRF will no longer be needed.

“Council recognizes the importance of environmental stewardship, and while we are pleased that the province is expanding the extended producer responsibility for recyclable waste, it no longer makes sense for us to run a sorting station. An unfortunate consequence of this environmental shift is the loss of employment for Municipal staff,” said Scott Christian, Mayor of Region of Queens Municipality.

Willa Thorpe, Region of Queens Municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer said, “Our MRF staff have been an important part of the Municipality’s workforce, and we are working directly with impacted employees at the MRF site to help them transition at this difficult time.”

Residents will continue to receive curbside collection and public drop off at the Region of Queens Waste Management Facility will remain the same. The Queens Solid Waste Management Facility is located in Milton, NS, and consists of a second-generation landfill and an MRF site.