The program is designed to inspire students to become recycling leaders and strengthen school sustainability practices. It features a hands-on workshop and classroom resources to help students recycle properly and reduce contamination. Delivered in both English and French, the program ensures accessibility for schools across the province. 

“As we expand extended producer responsibility (EPR) in New Brunswick, we are excited to collaborate with The Gaia Project to strengthen recycling education in elementary classrooms,” said Allen Langdon, CEO, Circular Materials. “By working with schools, we can empower young people, the next generation of sustainability leaders, to develop strong recycling habits and support the shift to a circular economy.” 

The workshop was developed by Circular Materials with the assistance of New Brunswick Learning Specialist Tracy Desbiens, focused on creating an engaging, in-person experience tailored for elementary students. To extend learning, the workshop is supported by Circular Materials’ recycling education school toolkit that includes digital and physical classroom resources. The Gaia Project will deliver the bilingual program in up to 36 elementary schools by March 2026. 

“This partnership allows us to expand our reach and bring recycling education to more classrooms across New Brunswick,” said Geoff MacDonald, Executive Director, The Gaia Project. “By building on our existing programs, we can offer students new opportunities to learn how to recycle properly and take meaningful action in their schools and communities.” 

Thanks to the collaboration of the francophone sector of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, the program will also expand to reach additional francophone elementary schools. In partnership with The Gaia Project, funding will be used to deliver workshops in more francophone elementary schools.  

In addition, Circular Materials will collaborate with a Wabanaki-led organization to co-create content inspired by First Nations knowledge and perspectives. This initiative recognizes the presence of Indigenous peoples on their territories since time immemorial and seeks to ensure that recycling education is rooted in diverse worldviews and relationships with the land. 

This initiative is made possible through New Brunswick’s EPR program for packaging and paper, which requires producers to fund and operate efficient recycling systems. By reinvesting producer funding into education, the program ensures that students and schools have access to free resources that build strong, lasting recycling habits. EPR is recognized as one of the most effective ways to improve recycling rates and advance a circular economy where materials are collected, recycled and looped back into the system to be used again and again. 

For more information on New Brunswick’s recycling program for schools, visit circularmaterials.ca/schoolrecycling. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: media@circularmaterials.ca 

About Circular Materials – Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that supports producers in meeting their extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations across Canada. Created by producers for producers, Circular Materials develops, implements and supports effective and efficient recycling programs to advance innovation, deliver improved environmental outcomes and drive value across the recycling supply chain. Our full-service offerings include collection, management, promotion and education, and reporting.  

Together, we are advancing the circular economy where materials are collected, recycled and can be returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging. As we develop enhanced recycling systems across Canada, we work to ensure more materials are looped into the circular economy, benefiting both people and the environment. Learn more at circularmaterials.ca. 

About the Gaia Project – The Gaia Project is a charitable organization based in New Brunswick that delivers hands-on, curriculum-linked sustainability education in both English and French. Since 2009, the Gaia Project has empowered students across the province to take action on climate and environmental issues through innovative classroom programming.