Quebec Waste Reduction Week: 7 habits to cut waste without going broke
Quebec Waste Reduction Week (Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets) runs from October 15 to 21, 2026, under the theme "Je réduis, donc je suis" (I reduce, therefore I am). It's a good time to sort things out: here are seven habits, ranked according to the 3RV-E hierarchy, that really shrink your garbage and, for the most part, go easy on your budget.
Cutting your waste can get expensive if you start by buying new jars, a collection of cotton bags and stainless steel straws. It can also save you money if you tackle the problem from the right end. The whole difference lies in the order of the steps.
Quebec Waste Reduction Week (Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets, or SQRD) runs until October 21: a good time to tell what really lightens your garbage from what mostly eases your conscience. Here is SQRD 2026 in brief, then seven habits ranked according to the 3RV-E hierarchy, a table to help you choose where to start and a challenge to keep going after the week.
SQRD 2026 in brief: dates, theme and activities
The 26th Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets runs from October 15 to 21, 2026. Coordinated by Zéro Déchet Québec, its theme this year is "Je réduis, donc je suis" (I reduce, therefore I am). The idea: imagine a society where reducing at the source has become second nature, and realize that overconsumption has to end. In other words, the week is not mainly about sorting better, but about producing less waste in the first place.
In practical terms, the SQRD publishes on its website a list of its own events and those of its partners. The list goes beyond the official week: it includes activities until October 25. Most take place in Montreal, but not all. A few examples from the calendar, consulted on October 18:
- Online, October 19 to 25: the "Vide ton frigo" (empty your fridge) challenge, a week of anti-food-waste recipes offered by Vide Mon Frigo.
- October 20: an introductory workshop on electricity and troubleshooting appliances in Montreal ($20), and a free KonMari lecture-workshop on fighting overconsumption, in Quebec City.
- October 19 to 25: "Magasine ta solution!" at Lab22, in Gatineau.
- October 24, in Montreal: Ville en vert's 3rd Répar-o-thon in Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, a repair café at the Saint-Laurent Écoquartier, Répar'action at the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve Écoquartier and GRAME's "Troc tes trucs" swap.
The website also offers the Projet Z app, which sets waste reduction challenges, and the Fiches Z, teaching sheets for elementary and high school. Elementary and high schools can also try for the Bourse Michel Séguin, a $1,000 award: they must describe a completed project and send it before December 5, 2026.
Reduce first: why the 3RV-E order changes everything
First, the scale of the challenge. According to RECYC-QUÉBEC's most recent report, Quebec disposed of 6,080,000 tonnes of residual materials in 2023, including sludge, or 685 kg per person. That is 5% less per person than in 2021: things are moving, but slowly. Nearly 94% of these materials end up in an engineered landfill. Municipal residues, which include our household garbage, bulky items and ecocentre residues, account for 40% of the total disposed of.
To bring these numbers down, Quebec relies on a hierarchy called 3RV-E. In order: source reduction, reuse, recycling (which includes the biological treatment of organic materials), recovery (valorisation), for example using a residue as fuel, and finally disposal (élimination), to be reserved for ultimate residues, the ones that cannot be handled in any other way. RECYC-QUÉBEC describes source reduction as the first and most important of the 3Rs. For the details of each level, read the 3RV-E hierarchy explained.
Why does the order matter so much? Because a properly recycled item is still waste: it had to be manufactured, and then it has to be collected, sorted and processed. An avoided item needs none of that. Your wallet also comes out ahead: sorting earns you nothing, apart from the deposit, while not buying, repairing or buying used saves money. The seven habits below therefore follow the hierarchy: four source reduction habits, two reuse habits, then one last habit to sort what is left.
Source reduction: 4 habits that also spare your budget
Habit 1: eat what you buy
Why it matters. Food waste is where cutting waste and saving money go hand in hand most clearly. RECYC-QUÉBEC estimates that 1.2 million tonnes of edible food are lost or wasted in Quebec, from field to plate: food that should have been eaten. At home, the organization estimates that a family wastes an average of 140 kg of food a year, worth about $1,300.
How to start this week. Before your next grocery run, open the fridge and plan a few meals around what is already there, then make your list and stick to it. Put the food that needs to be eaten first at the front. Store leftovers in airtight containers, noting the date they were cooked, and freeze what you won't eat in time: RECYC-QUÉBEC even suggests freezing pasta in individual portions and tomato paste by the spoonful. Also check that your fridge is set between 0 and 4°C. Overripe fruit becomes compote or smoothies, tired vegetables become soup. And if you run out of ideas, the SQRD's "Vide ton frigo" challenge comes at just the right time.
What it changes. Fewer scraps in the brown bin and the garbage, and a smaller grocery bill, without buying anything new. To go further, our guide to avoiding food waste at home details each step.
Habit 2: use what you already have (bags, containers, mug, water bottle)
Why it matters. RECYC-QUÉBEC advises avoiding disposable, overpackaged or individually portioned products, and points out that bringing your own container for your morning coffee is good for the planet and for your wallet. But reusables hide a trap: they only come out ahead if they are used for a long time. According to the life cycle assessment of shopping bags carried out by CIRAIG for RECYC-QUÉBEC (2017), a reusable bag must be used 35 to 75 times to do at least as well as a conventional plastic bag environmentally. For a cotton bag, the study puts it at 100 to 2,954 uses.
How to start this week. Go around the house: you probably already have more reusable bags than you need. Put a few by the door and in the car. For bulk food or the grocery counter, take jars and containers you already have, clean ones, and first ask the merchant whether they accept customers' containers. Leave a mug at the office and fill your water bottle at the tap. None of these steps requires buying anything.
What it changes. Every package avoided is one less piece of waste, often a few dollars less spent on bottled water or individual portions, and no new "eco" object to manufacture.
Habit 3: buy less (wait, borrow, rent, refuse)
Why it matters. This is the heart of the SQRD theme: the item you don't buy will never become waste, and it costs nothing. RECYC-QUÉBEC recommends assessing your needs before buying, and borrowing or renting a tool or appliance you expect to use only once. For clothing, the organization suggests waiting before buying and borrowing for special occasions.
How to start this week. Pick a purchase you had planned and put it off for a week: if you still miss it in seven days, it is probably useful. Before buying a tool for a single project, ask your neighbours, your family or a tool library; our article on sharing things to avoid unnecessary purchases tells you where to look. Also cut temptation at the source: unsubscribe from a few promotional newsletters and, as RECYC-QUÉBEC suggests, ask your municipality how to stop receiving unsolicited advertising mail.
What it changes. This is often the most rewarding habit on the list, because the savings are immediate and complete: no spending, no packaging, no object to deal with at the end of its life.
Habit 4: let your city pay part of your reusables
Why it matters. Disposable diapers and menstrual products land in the garbage week after week, for years. Their washable equivalents require an upfront investment, but some municipalities refund part of it. In Quebec City, for example, a city program in place since January 2024 refunds 60% of the pre-tax price of:
- cloth diapers, up to $200 per child, for a purchase of at least 10 complete, new diapers;
- reusable menstrual products (cups and discs, period underwear, washable pads and panty liners), up to $100.
The rate rises to 75% if you buy from a merchant located in the city, but the maximum stays the same. The application is made online with GRAME, which manages the program, within 180 days of the purchase, with the invoice and proof of residence, among other documents.
How to start this week. Before buying, search for "couches lavables" (cloth diapers) or "produits d'hygiène durables" (reusable hygiene products) on your municipality's or borough's website: if a program exists, its rules may differ from Quebec City's. Keep all your invoices.
What it changes. Fewer disposable diapers and pads every week, and reusable gear partly paid for by your city.
Reuse: make what already exists last
Second step of the hierarchy: keep objects in circulation as long as possible. For RECYC-QUÉBEC, reuse is the second option to favour after source reduction, and it takes three forms: extending the life of an item, finding it another use or buying used.
Habit 5: repair before replacing (and know your new warranty)
Why it matters. A repaired appliance is one purchase avoided and one less object at the ecocentre. And since October 5, the law gives you a serious helping hand: for new goods bought or leased from a merchant as of that date, Quebec's Consumer Protection Act provides a warranty of good working order, free and automatic, so there is no need to ask for it. If the item stops working or works poorly during the coverage period, counted from delivery, the merchant or manufacturer must have it repaired free of charge, including parts, labour and reasonable shipping costs. The durations, according to the Office de la protection du consommateur:
- 6 years: stove, refrigerator, freezer, air conditioner and heat pump;
- 5 years: washer, dryer and dishwasher;
- 4 years: television;
- 3 years: laptop or desktop computer, video game console, cell phone and tablet.
It does not cover a breakdown caused by misuse, nor routine maintenance, such as replacing a filter. You can contact the merchant, the manufacturer or both.
How to start this week. Dig out the broken object sitting at the back of a closet and give it a second chance. Repair cafés are made for this, and the SQRD lists three repair events on October 24 in Montreal, in addition to the appliance troubleshooting workshop on October 20. Our guide to joining a community repair workshop explains how it works. And if you buy a new appliance, keep the invoice and proof of the delivery date, ideally in digital form, as the Office recommends.
What it changes. Every extra year of life for an appliance delays a purchase and a piece of waste. For an eligible new item, the new warranty turns a breakdown into a free repair rather than a replacement.
Habit 6: buy used, give away, swap
Why it matters. A used item already exists: buying it avoids making a new one, and it generally costs less. Giving away what is gathering dust at your place lets someone else make the same saving. This is reuse in its simplest form.
How to start this week. For your next purchase (a snowsuit for the kids, a tool, a small piece of furniture), look first at thrift stores, ressourceries (community reuse centres) and classified ads. For household appliances, RECYC-QUÉBEC points to an interactive map by Protégez-Vous that lists nearly 60 used appliance stores. Clothing swaps are, according to the organization, a good way to shop on a small budget, and GRAME is holding a "Troc tes trucs" swap on October 24 in Montreal. To find reuse organizations near you, RECYC-QUÉBEC advises checking with your municipality. Then do the reverse: pick three items you no longer use, and give them away or sell them.
What it changes. What you give away finds a taker instead of ending up at the ecocentre. Before loading up the car, read our article on what to bring to the ecocentre and how to prepare your trip: it puts reuse first.
Recycle what's left, in the right place
Habit 7: sort what's left (deposit, recycling bin, brown bin)
Why it matters. Even when you reduce, there will still be containers, packaging and table scraps. Sending them to the right place gives them a chance to be recycled rather than landfilled. And here, one habit gives you money back: the deposit.
The deposit. Since November 1, 2023, the deposit has been 10 cents per container, except for glass containers of 500 mL to 2 L, which carry a 25-cent deposit, and it also covers aluminum cans of 100 mL to 2 L. Since March 1, 2025, it has applied to other plastic containers of 100 mL to 2 L, such as water and juice bottles. On March 1, 2027, all other ready-to-drink beverage containers of 100 mL to 2 L will follow, for example wine and spirits bottles and multilayer milk or juice cartons. Retailers with more than 375 m² must take back deposit containers and refund the deposit. What you can already return, where and how: it's all in our article on the expanded deposit-return system.
The recycling bin. The recycling bin accepts containers (except deposit containers), packaging and printed paper. The selective collection system is now administered by Éco Entreprises Québec; what that changes for your bin is explained in our article on the single list for Quebec's recycling bin. When in doubt, RECYC-QUÉBEC recommends its "Ça va où?" app, which tells you what to do with each material. For good habits, keep the golden rules of recycling handy.
The brown bin and the ecocentre. Table scraps that escape habit 1 go in the brown bin, where collection exists, but the rules vary a lot from one city to the next: our article on what goes in the brown bin compares four large cities. And for what doesn't go in any bin, the ecocentre takes over, provided you have thought about reuse first.
What it changes. Sorting well does not reduce what you produce, but it reduces what ends up in landfill, and the deposit gives you back the money paid at purchase.
The 7 habits at a glance
Here is our take on the effort, cost and effect of each habit. These are judgment calls, not measurements: it all depends on your household and on what fills your garbage.
| Habit | 3RV-E level | Effort | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Eat what you buy | Source reduction | Low: a look in the fridge before shopping | None; saves money | High: an average family wastes 140 kg of food (about $1,300) a year |
| 2. Use what you already have | Source reduction and reuse | Low: a habit to build | None | Medium: less disposable packaging, if your bags and containers are used dozens of times |
| 3. Buy less | Source reduction | Medium: changing your buying reflexes | None; saves money | High: every purchase avoided means zero waste and zero spending |
| 4. Subsidized reusables | Source reduction | Medium: washing and refund application | Upfront investment, partly refunded (in Quebec City, 60% or 75% of the price, up to the cap) | High for families with a baby |
| 5. Repair | Reuse | Medium: finding the part or the repairer | Varies; free under the warranty of good working order for an eligible new item | High for large appliances |
| 6. Buy used, give away, swap | Reuse | Low to medium | Cheaper than new, sometimes free | Medium to high |
| 7. Sort what's left | Recycling | Low | None; the deposit refunds 10 or 25 cents per container | Does not reduce what you produce, but cuts what is landfilled |
If you could only pick one this week, take the first: it applies to every household, takes little effort, and the savings show up on your next grocery bill.
What mostly eases your conscience
Some habits look green but reduce little, or cost a lot for nothing. No big deal: you just need to spot them.
- Buying a new "zero-waste kit." New jars, stainless steel straws and wax wraps all took resources to manufacture. Start with what you have: an old jam jar does the job just as well as a new one.
- Collecting reusable bags. The CIRAIG study shows it: a reusable bag only pays off if it is used dozens of times, and the cotton bag takes the longest to pay off environmentally. Even the thin plastic bag has its uses: according to the same study, it is the disposable bag with the lowest impacts, partly because it is reused as a garbage bag 77.7% of the time. Its real problem is when it blows away into nature, where it breaks down very slowly.
- Putting things in the bin "just in case." An item that isn't on the list doesn't become recyclable because you put it in the bin. When in doubt, check "Ça va où?" rather than hoping. Our recycling myths and facts take a hard look at common beliefs.
- Aiming for perfection in the first week. Zero plastic bags and a jar for everything by Sunday is the best way to give up entirely by November. The SQRD theme speaks of reduction that becomes natural: it is built one habit at a time.
After the week: the 30-day challenge to make it stick
One week is short for changing habits. To take over from there, we designed the 30-day zero-waste challenge: one small step a day for a month. Several of the seven habits above come back in it, such as the grocery list made from what's in the fridge, the "empty the fridge" meal or, in the last week, repairing, borrowing, buying used and giving away.
The free 10-page PDF (in French) contains a tip for each step, a 30-box chart to stick on the fridge, a table to inventory your garbage on day 1 and day 29, and a review page. That inventory is often the trigger: comparing the two days shows in black and white what has changed. If the whole household is on board, our article on the family zero-waste challenge suggests roles by age and ideas for staying motivated without guilt.
The most important thing is not to tick all 30 boxes flawlessly, but to finish the month with two or three habits you keep for good. Pick one this week, while the SQRD is in full swing, and add the next one when the first takes no more effort.
Sources
- Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets 2026 (Quebec Waste Reduction Week 2026; in French), Zéro Déchet Québec, 2026 (consulted in October 2026).
- Événements (events; in French), Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets, Zéro Déchet Québec, 2026 (consulted on October 18, 2026).
- Bilan 2023 de la gestion des matières résiduelles : l'élimination (2023 residual materials management report: disposal; in French), RECYC-QUÉBEC (consulted in October 2026).
- Une saine gestion de vos matières résiduelles : un geste payant pour votre entreprise! (sound management of your residual materials; in French), Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, 2014.
- Réduire à la source (source reduction; in French), RECYC-QUÉBEC, 2026 (consulted in October 2026).
- Prévenir le gaspillage alimentaire (preventing food waste; in French), RECYC-QUÉBEC, 2026 (consulted in October 2026).
- Faits saillants des résultats de l'analyse du cycle de vie environnementale et économique des sacs d'emplettes (highlights of the environmental and economic life cycle assessment of shopping bags; in French), CIRAIG for RECYC-QUÉBEC, 2017.
- Programme de soutien à l'achat de produits d'hygiène personnelle durables (support program for buying reusable personal hygiene products; in French), Ville de Québec, 2026 (consulted in October 2026).
- Réemployer (reuse; in French), RECYC-QUÉBEC, 2026 (consulted in October 2026).
- Garantie de bon fonctionnement (warranty of good working order; in French), Office de la protection du consommateur, 2026 (consulted in October 2026).
- Ligne du temps de la consigne (deposit system timeline; in French), Ministère de l'Environnement du Québec (consulted in October 2026).
- Qu'est-ce qui va dans le bac? (what goes in the bin?; in French), RECYC-QUÉBEC, 2026 (consulted in October 2026).
Frequently asked questions
When is Quebec Waste Reduction Week 2026?
From October 15 to 21, 2026. It is the 26th edition, coordinated by Zéro Déchet Québec, under the theme "Je réduis, donc je suis" (I reduce, therefore I am). The calendar published on sqrd.org also lists activities until October 25, including repair events in Montreal and an online anti-food-waste challenge.
What does 3RV-E mean?
It is the hierarchy that guides the management of residual materials in Quebec: source reduction, reuse, recycling, recovery (valorisation) and disposal (élimination). The first levels take priority, and disposal is reserved for ultimate residues, the ones that cannot be handled any other way. RECYC-QUÉBEC presents source reduction as the most important of the 3Rs.
How can I cut my waste without spending money?
Start with source reduction: plan your meals to waste less food, use the bags and containers you already own, wait before buying, borrow or rent. These habits cost nothing and often save money: according to RECYC-QUÉBEC, a family wastes an average of 140 kg of food a year, worth about $1,300.
Are reusable bags really better than plastic bags?
Only if they are used for a long time. According to the life cycle assessment carried out by CIRAIG for RECYC-QUÉBEC in 2017, a reusable bag must be used 35 to 75 times to do at least as well as a conventional plastic bag, and a cotton bag 100 to 2,954 times. The best bag is the one you already have.
What is the warranty of good working order?
It is a free, automatic warranty under Quebec's Consumer Protection Act for new goods bought or leased from a merchant as of October 5, 2026: 6 years for a refrigerator or a stove, 5 years for a washer, 4 years for a television and 3 years for a cell phone or a computer. It covers parts, labour and reasonable shipping costs.
