Government of Nova Scotia
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Environment

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Recycling and Waste

Beverage Container Deposit Refund Program

The Beverage Container Deposit Refund Program is operated by the Divert NS and is regulated within the NS Solid Waste Resource Management Regulations.

The Deposit-Refund Program for Beverage Containers came into effect on April 1, 1996, and applies to all ready-to-serve beverages - except milk, milk products, soya milk, rice beverages, certain meal replacements, formulated liquid diets, foods for low energy diets, thickened juices, baby formulas, concentrates, non-alcoholic beverages 5-litres or greater, and all "return for refund" beverages purchased outside Nova Scotia.

Deposits and returns apply to the following non-refillable beverage containers:

Non-Alcoholic Alcoholic
  < 500 ml > 500 ml
10 cent deposit 10 cent deposit 20 cent deposit
5 cent return 5 cent return 10 cent return

Deposits applied to refillable containers are completely refundable.