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Why is recyclability important?

Packaging and printed matter go through three stages of processing at the end of their life cycle: collection, conditioning, and recycling.

Designing for recyclability means anticipating the challenges that can arise at each of these stages. It means taking the necessary steps to ensure that as much material as possible, of the highest possible quality, is reintroduced to the market.

Collection of printed matter and packaging

Packaging and printed matter are collected in curbside recycling bins throughout Quebec. Some materials are not accepted in curbside recycling bins because they can pose challenges during collection or sorting. These materials must instead be taken to a voluntary drop-off point such as an ecocentre.

Currently, per the list of accepted/rejected materials as of January 1, 2025, two materials can only be recovered at voluntary drop-off points:

  • Empty aerosol containers: Have the potential to explode in collection trucks and materials sorting facilities (MRFs) when compacted (especially if they are not completely empty) and may contaminate other materials.
  • Polystyrene protectors: Crumbles into small beads in the collection truck due to compaction and friction, and can crumble during sorting.

Sorting packaging

Once collected, the materials that arrive at the MRF go through five major sorting stages.

1. Pre-sorting:

Items that should not have been placed in the recycling bin are removed, either manually or mechanically.

2. Separation: 

Materials are sorted according to size or shape using a variety of technologies and equipment.

3. Optical sorting of paper and cardboard: 

Flat packaging passes over a conveyor belt, where optical sorters project light beams onto them to identify the materials and separate contaminants.

4. Optical sorting of plastics: 

3D containers and packaging also pass through optical sorters, which identify the different plastic resins and route them to the right sorting lines.

5. Metal separation: 

Metals are separated from packaging using two separate technologies—one for ferrous metals, the other for aluminum.

Certain packaging characteristics can pose sorting challenges, such as the size, pigmentation, and surface coverage of labels (for more information on challenges, see the recyclability guidelines).

Conditioning and recycling: A separate process for each material

  1. Separation: The plastic bales are broken apart and their contents are sorted by type of resin. This step removes contaminants and refines the material.
  2. Shredding: Packaging made of the desired resins is shredded into flakes by rotating blades.
  3. Washing and flotation: The flakes are immersed in a tank of water to remove labels and other components (caps, spray tops, etc.) and eliminate contaminants. Flotation is an additional step used to separate resins based on density.
  4. Drying: The flakes are removed from the tank and dried.
  5. Extrusion and pelletization: The flakes are melted and extruded into filaments, which are cut into pellets, or sheets, which are rolled up.

Drying: Depending on their intended use, these large sheets of recycled fibres may also be dried.

Challenges related to plastic packaging design choices

  • Metal components
  • Paper/cardboard labels
  • Additives that change resin density


For more information on problematic design elements, please see the recyclability guidelines.

  1. Pulping: Paper/cardboard packaging is immersed in a large tank of swirling water, where it is broken down into fibres.
  2. Separation: Various processes are used to remove contaminants such as plastics and metals.
  3. De-inking: The suspended fibres may also undergo a de-inking process to remove pigmentation.
  4. Shaping: The pulp is sent through equipment that squeezes out excess moisture and spreads the pulp out into damp sheets.
  5. Drying: Depending on their intended use, these large sheets of recycled fibres may also be dried.

Challenges related to paper and cardboard packaging design choices

  • Non-pulpable elements
  • Fibre loss
  • Ink quantity


For more information on problematic design elements, please see the recyclability guidelines.

  1. Shredding: The aluminum bales are broken apart and the contents are shredded.
  2. Separation: The small pieces of aluminum are then sent to a conveyor belt for sorting. This step removes contaminants such as ferrous metals, paper/cardboard, and plastics.
  3. Heat treatment: The aluminum pieces undergo a treatment that removes all coatings and printing done directly on the aluminum packaging.
  4. Melting and casting: The treated aluminum is melted down in a furnace, then the liquid metal is poured into moulds to form ingots.

Challenges related to aluminum packaging design choices

  • Presence of other non-ferrous metals
  • Plastic labels and components


For more information on problematic design elements, please see the recyclability guidelines.

  1. Visual inspection: This step determines whether bale contamination is high enough to warrant a separation step.
  2. Separation: If so, the ferrous metal packaging is sent onto a conveyor belt for sorting. This stage removes contaminants such as aluminum and other non-ferrous metals, paper/cardboard, and plastics.
  3. Compacting: The material is compacted to form bricks.
  4. Melting and casting: These bricks are melted down in a furnace, then the liquid metal is poured into moulds to form ingots.

Challenges related to ferrous metal packaging design choices

  • Plastic labels and components


For more information on problematic design elements, please see the recyclability guidelines.

  1. Pre-sorting: Intact and broken packaging is sent to a conveyor belt, and various processes are used to remove contaminants (such as metals and plastics).
  2. Drying: This stage removes moisture from the glass to facilitate further processing.
  3. Screening separation: A screening system separates the cullet (larger pieces) from the aggregate (smaller pieces and glass powder).
  4. Optical sorting (cullet): The cullet undergoes optical sorting to remove materials that cannot be melted (ceramics, porcelain, and Pyrex), as well as other contaminants such as plastics and metals.
  5. Colour sorting (cullet): The cullet goes through another optical sorting stage to separate it by colour. Clear transparent cullet and translucent green and amber cullet are the most commonly used and represent the market’s needs for recycled glass.
  6. Separation of rejects (glass aggregate and powder): Residual contaminants (plastics, metals) are removed from the glass aggregate and powder through various processes.

Challenges related to glass packaging design choices

  • Label adhesive
  • Opaque or painted glass
  • Non-meltable materials


For more information on problematic design elements, please see the recyclability guidelines.

See also

Recyclability guidelines
Ecodesign: An accessible and necessary approach