Master Composter Recycler (MCR) is a free five-week online education program offered yearly. The five education sessions are virtual and there is the option to attend an additional session of in-person facility tours. Master Composter Participants will become more knowledgeable about how waste is managed in the Halifax Regional Municipality from sorting at home to collection and processing. Course topics include waste sorting, waste reduction, backyard composting, vermi-composting, reducing food waste, recycling beyond the blue bag and understanding how waste facilities operate.
The MCR program is open to all Halifax Regional Municipality residents interested in becoming waste champions within their families, communities, and work places. MCR has been offered in Halifax since May 2019, and has been a popular and long-standing program in other municipalities in Canada and the United States.
The next Master Composter Recycler class will be offered in October 2025. If you are interested in this course waitlist registration is open year round. Please fill out the form here to apply. More information about the classes can be found here.
Fall Dates: Thursday October 2, 9, 16*, 23, 30.
Time: 10am-12pm (virtual)
* Please note - facility tours are scheduled as virtual tours during class time on October 16. The in-person waste facility tours will be held on Saturday October 18 as an optional in-person class for course registrants who wish to see the waste facilities up close.
Testimonials
One thing I really liked about how the course was taught is that our instructors presented the material in an informative but non-judgmental way. I didn't feel ashamed if I wasn't disposing of waste perfectly. The course promoted best practices, but encouraged us to take steps toward better waste management - even if we couldn't make all the changes at once.
We all try to reduce waste and recycle, but everyone has different understandings. This program gives perspective that makes it easy to do the right things: what helps, what doesn't. I especially loved the tours, which had eye-opening moments and was fun. I wish I'd done this years ago!
Class Details:
Class 1 - Introduction to Waste Sorting (2 hours)
The introductory session provides a course overview addressing the importance of proper waste management and waste reduction. The session features a What Goes Where presentation about proper waste sorting at home and at work, addressing questions of compostable vs biodegradable, and recyclable plastic items vs garbage.
Class 2 - The Circular Economy and Wasteless Gardening (2 hours)
This session will begin with an introduction to the circular economy; swap, share, thrift, repair. The focus area of this week is food waste. The session will start with information on how to participate in the circular economy then move into waste reduction while grocery shopping and tips on reducing food waste. The session wraps up with an introduction to wasteless gardening, backyard composting, and will also include instructions on how to vermicompost (composting with worms). This week wraps up with a tutorial on harvesting compost and making compost tea.
Class 3 - Facility Tours (2 hours)
This session is a virtual tour with the option to attend in-person tours. Participants will tour the waste management facilities and learn about the history of each location.
- The Otter Lake Waste Management Facility (Landfill)
- The Material Recovery Facility Facility in Bayer's Lake (Recycling Facility)
- The Organics Processing Facility in Goodwood (Compost Facility)
Class 4 - Beyond the Blue Bag (2 hours)
Session four is diving deeper into topics covered in the previous three weeks. Waste diversion and waste reduction will be discussed in greater detail. including policy, product stewardship programs in Nova Scotia, household hazardous waste and beyond the blue-bag recycling options in Halifax Regional Municipality. Participants can look forward to seeing examples of recycled materials and learning more about what happens to materials after they begin their recycling journey.
Class 5 - Review and Wrap Up (2 hours)
The final session is a review of all course topics and a discussion of the various connections that participants identify. Following the closing discussion, each participant will receive a Master Composter Recycler certificate of completion.
Please fill out the form here to apply.