From Bottles to Batteries – SARCAN’s Got You!

SARCAN is so much more than just cans and bottles! On your next trip to recycle your empties, make your trip a super success by bringing us your old paint, electronics, batteries, and even the caps you’ve removed from your containers!

Scroll down for more information on all of the accepted items at SARCAN Recycling.

Beverage Containers
Household Paint
Household Electronics
Household Batteries
Non-Beverage Glass
Other Recyclables

Jump to a section:

Beverage Containers
Household Paint
Household Electronics
Household Batteries
Non-Beverage Glass
Other Recyclables

Beverage Containers

Beverage containers are SARCAN Recycling’s bread and butter, and the reason that SARCAN was created way back in 1988.

When you purchase a beverage in Saskatchewan, you pay a deposit on that container. Once you’ve finished that beverage, bring the container to SARCAN to get your refund.

Think of this as your own little SARCAN savings account: we’ll hang on to those deposits if you hang on to those containers. When you are ready or just need a few bucks, bring those empties into a SARCAN depot and cash in!

Take a look below for our accepted types of containers, deposit prices, fees, and more. Once you know which empties we take, find your nearest SARCAN depot and check out How To Recycle with us!

Aluminum Cans

The classic aluminum container we’ve been taking for 35 years. Usually holds soda pop, carbonated water, energy drinks, alcoholic drinks, and more.

Refund:

10¢ on cans up to 999ml.

25¢ on cans 1L and over.

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): 7¢

Prep tips: rinse, flatten lengthwise (so that the label is visible, not in the shape of a puck!), and sort with other aluminum cans.

Plastic bottles

This shape-shifting material is very versatile. It is used for many types of drinks like pop, water, juice, dairy and plant-based milk, creamers, drinkable yogurts, and more.

Refund:

10¢ on bottles up to 999ml.

25¢ on bottles 1L and over.

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): 8¢

Prep tips: leave the labels on, remove lids, rinse, flatten lengthwise, and sort with other plastic containers.

Dairy & Plant-Based Milk

Make sure you milk your return for all it’s worth! SARCAN accepts a wide variety of dairy and plant-based milk – including cream, fluid coffee creamer, half & half, buttermilk, and more.

Refund:

10¢ on containers up to 999ml.

25¢ on containers 1L and over.

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): 5-8¢

Prep tips: rinse, flatten lengthwise, and sort with like materials (jugs all together, cartons all together, etc.)

Gable-top
Cartons

The only can these cartons belong in is SARCAN. They have a folded top with a lid and are usually filled with juice, cream, and dairy & plant-based milk.

Refund:

10¢ on cartons up to 999ml.

25¢ on cartons 1L and over.

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): 5¢

Prep tips: remove lids, rinse, flatten lengthwise, and sort with other cartons.

Drink boxes

Sometimes known as ‘Tetra’, these boxes are a blast! They are used for a wide variety of drinks – juice, dairy milk, plant-based milk, energy drinks, and even water.

Refund:

10¢ on boxes up to 999ml.

25¢ on boxes 1L and over.

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): 5¢

Prep tips: remove lid/push straw into pack, rinse, flatten lengthwise, and sort with other drink boxes.

Glass bottles

Uncork those refunds by recycling your glass bottles. You’ll typically find these containers holding soda and alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, and spirits.

Refund:

10¢ on bottles up to 300ml.

20¢ on bottles 301-999ml.

40¢ on bottles 1L and over.

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): 9¢

Prep tips: remove lids, rinse, place in boxes or crates, sorted by colour.

refillable beer bottles

The classic brown bottle. These bottles only hold beer and only come in one size with twist-off tops. They are cleaned, sanitized, and refilled.

Refund:


5¢ on each bottle (341ml)

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): N/A

Prep tips: remove lids, rinse, place in original boxes or beer flats with other beer bottles.

Tin
cans

Aluminum isn’t the only metal in the game – SARCAN accepts tin drink containers, too. Tin containers are used for fruit juices and coconut water.

Refund:

10¢ on tins up to 999ml.

25¢ on tins 1L and over.

EHC (Enviro Handling Charge*): 7¢

Prep tips: rinse and sort with other tin cans.

SARCAN cannot accept:

  • Any beverage container purchased outside of Saskatchewan
  • Foil Pouches
  • Bag-in-a-box containers (wine, water)
  • Products labeled as meal replacements (Boost, Ensure, etc.)
  • Products labeled as fortified liquid diet
  • Baby Juice and formulas (pediatric drinks)
  • Containers larger than 5 litres (water jugs, industrial milk bladders)
  • Any product (frozen or non-frozen) which requires one or more additives to transform it into a ready-to-serve drink (frozen juice concentrates, etc.)

Please recycle these types of containers through your municipality’s local recycling service or visit the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council’s Waste Reduction Hub for more information.

Household Paints

Just finished a reno project and have some leftover paint? Or how ’bout all those empty cans taking up space in the garage? No need to hone your hoarding skills – just bring them to a SARCAN depot and we will recycle it for you!

Yep! You ‘red’ that right! SARCAN is a collection point for the Saskatchewan Paint Recycling Program, managed by Product Care, a nonprofit association of paint manufacturers, distributors and retailers. By bringing your old unused paint (even if it has dried up!) and empty paint containers (even aerosol cans!) you can ensure that they will get responsibly recycled.

And to add the cherry on top, if the leftover paint is useable (to the best of our knowledge. It is not inspected and cannot be guaranteed), we will put it on our PaintShare Shelf in our depots and customers can take it free of charge!

Before you head out to SARCAN on your next recycling trip, check around to see if you have any of these items to bring with you.

Household Paint

Interior and exterior water-based (latex, acrylic) and oil based (alkyd, enamel)

Undercoat and primers (e.g. metal, wood, etc.)

Empty containers of accepted products with original label (and lid if liquid inside)

Anti-rust paints

Block Filler

Concrete and masonry paint

Deck and floor paint or coatings (including elastomeric)

Drywall paint

Marine paint (unless registered under Pest Control Products Act)

Melamine, stain, and shellac

Stain blocking paint

Stucco paint

Swimming pool paint (only single component)

Textured paint

Varnish and urethane (only single component)

Wood finishing oil

Wood preservatives (unless registered under Pest Control Products Act)

Wood, masonry, driveway sealer, and water repellant (not tar-based or bitumen-based)

Aerosol Paint

All types of aerosol paint, including

Automotive

Craft

Industrial

Not Accepted Paint Products:

  • Unidentifiable, unknown, unlabelled, and non-original containers
  • Containers with poor integrity (e.g. badly rusted, leaking, bulging, improperly sealed)
  • Brushes, rags, and rollers
  • Caulking compound, epoxies, glues, and adhesives
  • Colourants and tints
  • Deck cleaners
  • Household cleaners
  • Non-aerosol automotive paint
  • Non-aerosol craft and artistic paint
  • Non-aerosol industrial paints and finishes (e.g. baked-on, heat resistant, etc.)
  • Non-aerosol traffic or line marking paint
  • Paint for skating rinks and curling club floors
  • Paint in glass containers
  • Paint mixed with other products
  • Resins
  • Paint thinner, mineral spirits or solvents
  • Patching stucco and spackling compounds
  • Products registered as a pesticide under the Pest Control Products Act (has a P.C.P. registration number on label)
  • Resins
  • Roof patch and repair
  • Tar or tar/bitumen based products
  • Two-part or component paints containing catalyst or activator
  • Waxes, polishes, sealants, and other household products

Remember when dropping off:

Paint must be in its original container, tightly sealed with the labels affixed.

Do not mix different types of paint products together.

You can bring up to 10 containers of paint or 50 spray cans at a time (no larger than 25 litres for paint or 680g for paint aerosols). Trade painters and other bulk paint customers may drop off more than this (just remember: industrial products are not accepted), but it must be by appointment only. Please contact the depot in your community by phone to book an appointment.

Electronics

What do you do when the only sounds from your speakers are the sounds of a broken boombox? Bring that old, busted thing to SARCAN! If stereos don’t spark your interest, SARCAN also accepts all sorts of other end-of-useful-life electronics on behalf of the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA).

They ensure that your electronics are responsibly recycled, recovering the precious resources that our electronics are filled with. To learn more about this process, check out The Journey of End-of-Life Electronics on EPRA’s website.

On your next trip to SARCAN, bring any of these items if they have reached the end of their life.

Computers and Accessories: 

Desktop computers (including those acting as servers), portable computers such as laptops, tablets, notebooks or netbooks, as well as keyboards, mice, speakers, external modems/routers, external drives, and scanners.

Printers, Fax Machines and Photocopiers: 

Printers designed to reside on a work surface, including: Inkjet, laser, dot matrix, all-in-one (multi-function) devices, photo printers, label printers, desktop photocopiers, including stand-alone desktop fax machines. Desktop and portable scanners, including business card, cheque, photo-negative, ID card and portable pen scanners.

Floor-Standing Photocopiers/Multi-Function Devices:

Print or multi-function devices that are floor-standing models with a maximum weight of 200 kilograms (440 lbs.) and/or maximum length/width of 2 meters (6.5 feet).

Display Devices:

Including CRT and flat panel televisions, closed-circuit displays, TV/VCR or DVD combinations, video baby monitors and e-book readers.

Audio Equipment:

Including stereos (home and automobile), speakers (home, automobile, and MP3 docking speakers), headphones, microphones, portable music players (CD, cassette, MP3), voice recorders, radios, alarm clock radios, and turntables.

Video Equipment:

Including VCRs, DVD players, portable DVD players, personal video recorders (PVRs), satellite receivers, cable receivers, personal data assistants (PDAs), digital picture frames, GPS systems, game consoles and accessories

Cameras:

Including film, digital, video, web, and security cameras.

Telephones/personal devices:

Including corded and cordless telephones, cellular and smart phones, satellite telephones, VOIP telephones, pagers, beepers, answering machines, smart watches (both adult watches and non-toy children watches)

Microwave Ovens:

Counter-top models only.

Not Accepted

Please note: Household appliances other than microwaves are not part of the electronics recycling program. For more information on where to take household appliances, please visit the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council’s Where to Recycle Database.

We reserve the right to reject any electronics if we deem them to be in an unsafe condition to handle (including those with broken shards of leaded glass or excessively dirty products).

Large Volume Generators

Customers may bring in up to 25 large pieces of electronics per depot per day without making an appointment. If you have more than this, please contact one of our Bulk Electronics depots:

Regina Angus

(306) 359-3320

1601 Angus St.
Regina, Sk.

Saskatoon Kochar

(306) 975-0650

3803 Kochar Ave
Saskatoon, Sk.

PA North

(306) 764-7288

44 N Industrial Dr.
Prince Albert, Sk.

Customers who wish to bring in more than 50 large pieces of electronics may be asked to package their electronics off-site (using packaging materials supplied by SARCAN) and deliver them via your organization’s transport or a courier.

Large volume generators (including non-SARCAN municipalities) may also apply to EPRA to have their materials picked up free of charge. For more information on EPRA’s large vendor generator services, please visit the EPRA website.

Battery Recycling

You’ll be shocked to see how many different types of household batteries you can recycle at SARCAN! Our depots are collection points for Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!, a not-for-profit organization committed to protecting and preserving the environment through collecting and recycling consumer batteries.

Supercharge your next recycling trip to SARCAN and bring your dead single-use batteries such as AA and AAA, and rechargeable batteries found in portable devices such as game controllers, digital cameras, or power tools.

What happens when you bring batteries to SARCAN?

The metals found in batteries aren’t waste… they are valuable resources that can be transformed into new products.  From your old batteries to new items like pots and pans, silverware, sunscreen, and even golf clubs, check out the Battery Recycling Journey.

Visit the Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! website for more information about battery recycling in Saskatchewan.

What you can bring with you on your next visit:

Single Use Batteries (Up to 5 kg/11 lbs)

Rechargeable Batteries (Up to 5 kg/11 lbs)

eMobility Batteries (Up to 5 kg/11 lbs)

Not Accepted:

  • Car batteries or batteries weighing over 5 kg each (11 lbs)
  • Lead batteries, including small-sealed lead acid batteries

Remember when dropping off:

Battery terminals that touch metal surfaces or other batteries can spark, causing fire or explosion. To avoid this, place a piece of clear tape over the terminals or put them in a clear plastic bag and store them in a non-metal container.

Always individually bag lithium-ion, lithium, alkaline (over 12v), and button/coin cell batteries. When in doubt of the battery type, Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! recommends the battery be individually bagged or taped.

For more information on how to tape or bag your batteries, use the safety guidelines found on the Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! website.

Non-Beverage Glass

Warning: the following information may be jarring to some. We are partnering with the municipalities we serve to make SARCAN the place to take your non-beverage glass containers like food jars and bottles. Just like paint, electronics, and batteries, there is no deposit paid on non-beverage glass.

While we don’t have partnerships in all SARCAN communities, you can recycle this glass at 38 of our depots throughout the province. Head over to the Hours & Location page and check your local SARCAN’s info card to see if non-beverage glass is accepted.

Don’t see non-beverage glass on your local SARCAN depot? Reach out to your municipality to encourage them to reach out to us to set up a partnership! In the meantime, visit the Waste Reduction Hub on the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council’s website to find options for responsibly disposing of those containers.

If you live in a community that has partnered with us – we’ll have a smashing good time recycling these items for you!

Food Jars

Pickles, condiments, jams/jellies, sauces, peanut butter, salsa, vegetables)

Food Bottles

Vinegars, oils

Baby Juice Bottles

Canning Jars

Used for home canning

Glass Storage Containers

Not Accepted:

  • Excessively dirty or broken glass containers
  • Oversized glass containers, like glass carboys and glass jugs (typically used for home brewing)
  • Pyrex Glass
  • Containers for hazardous or industrial goods
  • Drinking glasses, dishware, and china
  • Ceramics, including bathroom fixtures
  • Windows
  • Windshield glass
  • Mirrors
  • Science, laboratory, or medical glass products
  • Light bulbs

For these items, head to the Waste Reduction Hub mentioned above to find more information on where to take them.

Other Recyclables

Even though SARCAN accepts a vast variety of different materials and items for responsible recycling, we don’t take everything. However, we are committed to helping make recycling easy and accessible to all of the members of the communities that we serve.

Here are some resources to help you recycle those items or materials that we don’t take.

Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council

The Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council offers a very helpful database for household recyclable materials. You can search by material type or by community! This is an extremely helpful resource and worth bookmarking to find not only recycling solutions for most household materials, but also for reusing, repairing, or even composting those materials.

Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council

Government of Saskatchewan Green Living Resources

The provincial Ministry of Environment continues to consult with businesses and citizens to work together to create a practical, sustainable, integrated solid waste management system that protects the environment and promotes economic development and innovation opportunities.

For more information on their Solid Waste Management Strategy, multi-material recycling program, household hazardous waste recycling program, and much much more, visit the Solid Waste Management page on their website.

Saskatchewan Waste Management

Municipal Recycling Programs

Many towns and cities offer information about what kind of recycling services are available in the community on the town or city website.