From Dental Scans to Bottles and Cans: Shelley Zinck’s Green Leap
In the quiet village of New Germany, Nova Scotia, where the LaHave River weaves past forests and farms, a small business with a big community impact is thriving. The New Germany Enviro Center, owned and operated by Shelley Zinck, is not your average bottle depot. With three locations—including a mobile unit—and a reputation for sparkling clean facilities and community engagement, this business tells a story of transformation, determination, and local pride.
But Zinck didn’t start her career among recyclables. “I was a dental assistant for 30 years,” she says. “Just needed a change in my life.” That change came unexpectedly during a routine trip to return some bottles. The owner of the local depot casually asked if she and her husband wanted to buy the business. “I came back home and thought, ‘why would I ever want to do that’?” Zinck laughs. “Anyway, after I thought about it for about three weeks, it’s like, you know what? That might be the change I need in my life right now.”
That decision, made in 2017, launched a entirely new chapter. Zinck not only constructed a brand new building for the Center, but also acquired the essential government license regulated by Divert NS, a process that involved inspections, applications, and background checks. “You just can't start a depot,” she explains. “I had to be approved by Divert NS. The industry is heavily regulated.”
Zinck’s transition from dental clinics to enviro depots wasn’t her first leap into entrepreneurship. “I was a wedding photographer and had a studio in my home,” she says. She also started and still helps run her husband’s business, which installs poles for Nova Scotia Power. In other words, Zinck was no stranger to rolling up her sleeves.
Building a Clean Reputation
The New Germany Enviro Center quickly distinguished itself. Zinck is proud of how her depots don’t fit the stereotypical image. “A lot of people think of a bottle depot as being dirty and grungy, and that’s not my standard,” she says. That attention to detail paid off: “I was awarded, within my first year of opening, Enviro Depot of the Year. Then after I expanded and opened the Queens County Depot, that one won it too.”
Today, the business includes three services: a depot in New Germany, another in Brooklyn (Queens County), and a mobile unit serving Caledonia every second Saturday. The mobile service, which Zinck launched in 2019, involves hauling a truck and trailer and sometimes closing early due to high volume. It’s a community commitment—and one that's visibly appreciated.
Her staff reflects that community spirit. In New Germany, she employs part-time retirees and local students. In Brooklyn, a team of full- and part-time staff helps keep operations running. “Because the two locations are only open 3.5 days per week, it’s not necessarily the kind of job meant for someone trying to raise a family,” she explains. “It’s meant for somebody who’s retired, has a supplemental income, and wants to get out of the house.”
Growing with Help and Hurdles
Getting the business off the ground wasn’t without its obstacles. “There were a lot of roadblocks,” she recalls. Zinck credits much of her successful navigation of those early hurdles to Krista Harding of South Shore Opportunities (CBDC). “Krista walked me through all the steps, including negotiating the price. I was literally sitting in her office talking to the previous owner.”
CBDC had been part of her journey even earlier, having helped Zinck with loans and business guidance when she launched her photography studio and later when she helped start her husband's business. “Once I knew where I could go, I knew that I would get really good advice,” she says. “As a dental assistant, I didn’t know how to do spreadsheets. But Krista helped me.”
Zinck also pursued expansion through government RFPs (requests for proposals), winning a contract to serve Queens County despite stiff competition. “It was a learning curve,” she admits, noting that she had previously lost out on another RFP. “But they grade the proposals, and whoever gets the highest score wins. This time that was me.”
Setbacks and Silver Linings
Like most businesses, COVID-19 delivered a blow. “New Germany was shut down for six weeks,” she says. When it reopened, strict protocols were in place: operating only two days a week, quarantining bags for 24 hours, and adjusting workflows to stay safe. But Zinck adapted, and her team pushed through.
Other challenges include illegal dumping. Despite clear signage, people sometimes leave non-refundable items after hours. “People will drop stuff off after hours and I’m getting like, roof tar and paint thinner,” she says. “That’s a little discouraging… I’m hiring somebody to take my truck to the dump to dispose of the stuff that was dumped on me.”
Still, the community has rallied around her. Local bylaw officers have helped enforce rules, and community members donate their refunds to causes like the IWK Foundation, the local school’s breakfast program, the Caledonia nursing home’s van replacement fund, and the New Germany Rosedale Nursing Home bus fund.
More Growth – And Impact – On The Horizon
With all her success, Zinck is still looking ahead. “We've got some new products coming at the end of this year,” she says. “They will definitely make a difference in what’s going into landfill.” Though she can’t disclose specifics yet, these additions will require more storage space and staff. “That’s the excitement of growth,” she adds.
As for her long-term plan? “Someday, yes, I will be selling. But not for a while yet.”
Until then, Shelley Zinck will continue building something lasting: a business grounded in service, community, and an entrepreneurial spirit that proves it's never too late for a second act.