Garbage, Recycling, Green Bin and Other Collection (2024)

Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization that helps producers and importers meet their obligations under extended producer responsibility regulations across Canada.

The transition of the Blue Box program is planned to be seamless, and residents should not notice a change in service. From Durham’s transition date of July 1, 2024, to the complete roll-out of the new province-wide collection system (by the end of December 2025), there will be no changes made to the materials collected in the blue box. The recycling program will still use two blue boxes for papers and containers.

For any recycling collection inquiries, please reach out to Circular Materials' local recycling contractor. They can be contacted about replacement bins, missed collection and any other recycling questions.

Ajax, Clarington, Brock, Pickering, Scugog and Uxbridge:

Miller Waste Systems

area8@MillerWaste.ca

1-888-852-4723

Oshawa and Whitby:

GFL Environmental Inc.

OshawaWhitbyRecycle@gflenv.com

1-855-577-4351

gflenv.com/canadarecycles

For any recycling collection inquiries, please reach out to Circular Materials' localrecycling contractor. They can be contacted about replacement bins, missed collection and any other recycling questions.

Ajax, Clarington, Brock, Pickering, Scugog and Uxbridge:

Miller Waste Systems

area8@MillerWaste.ca

1-888-852-4723

Oshawa and Whitby:

GFL Environmental Inc.

OshawaWhitbyRecycle@gflenv.com

1-855-577-4351

gflenv.com/canadarecycles

By the end of December 2025, all municipalities in Ontario will have transitioned their Blue Box programs to a new model that makes producers and importers of recyclable products and packaging responsible to fully fund and operate the new Blue Box program. Previously, the cost of the Blue Box program was shared between companies and municipalities.

Blue Box producers and importers will fulfill their regulatory obligations collectively through Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs). The PROs have come together to run a single, province-wide common recycling collection system. The approved common collection system administrator for Durham Region will be a not-for-profit organization calledCircular Materials.

In 2016, the Government of Ontario enacted theResource Recovery and Circular Economy Actto “hold persons who are most responsible for the design of products and packaging responsible for the products and packaging at the end of life.” In August 2019, the Government of Ontario further announced plans to transition responsibility for the Blue Box program from municipalities and First Nations over to producers.

The province’s intention with this shift is to make recycling easier for people and to ensure that the recycling program remains viable over the long-term by:

• Ensuring a province-wide common collection system
• Providing recycling to more communities across Ontario
• Standardizing and expanding items that can be recycled
• Promoting waste diversion by setting province-wide targets
• Possibly expanding recycling services to parks and public spaces across Ontario
• Innovating new and alternative collection methods to divert materials that can’t be recycled by the Blue Box program or that might contaminate collected materials

Yes, Blue Box material will still be accepted at Regional Waste Management Facilities. Waste disposal fees apply.

The enhanced program will continue to use the same style of Green Bins. A limited number of additional Green Bins will be available to a maximum of one per household at a reduced rate of $10. Additional Green Bins can be purchased from the Region at full cost of $19 each. There is no limit to the number of Green Bins that can be set out for collection each week.

Purchase your green bin online

The maximum weight per green bin remains at 20 kilograms (44 pounds) for the health and safety of our collectors.

Durham Region will be processing all Green Bin materials at an existing Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facility. This technology allows for additional materials to be collected and processed. AD is the preferred solution for Durham Region due to its many benefits including the production of renewable natural gas (RNG) and fertilizer.

The AD facility that will process Durham Region’s Green Bin material was selected through a competitive bidding process and is located near Leamington, Ontario.

Residents are still required to use 100 per cent certified compostable liner bags for disposing of all Green Bin organic waste. Residents are strongly encouraged to use compostable alternatives for items such as diapers, menstrual and incontinence products, pet waste and pet litter where alternatives exist.

Although the AD system is designed to remove non-organic materials, the less plastic introduced into the system, the easier it is to manage, and the less likely that plastic material will make its way into the finished digestate. Residents are encouraged to use compostable alternatives for products and materials accepted in the Green Bin where they exist.

We encourage using your curbside Green Bin even if you have a backyard composter. The Green Bin accepts many materials that cannot be composted in a backyard composter including bones, meat, dairy, food oils, pet waste, pet litter and more.

Green Bins are durable and designed to be animal and rodent resistant. Moving the more odorous materials to the Green Bin for weekly collection will help discourage animals and pests from breaking into the garbage.

The inorganic components of the new Green Bin materials are screened out during processing and sent for disposal. The final product meets quality standards and is used as fertilizer.

No, all the compost distributed to Durham residents during our Compost Giveaway events is produced from the leaf and yard waste program, rather than the Green Bin program and this program will continue.

The AD facility produces biogas, which is upgraded to renewable natural gas (RNG). The RNG is used in a combined heat and power unit, producing electricity and heat for an adjacent greenhouse operation. Future plans include injecting the RNG into the Enbridge natural gas pipeline network.

Products with the compostable label meet rigorous testing requirements to ensure they will break down into natural products in an industrial composting facility. Biodegradable products will break down over a much longer time frame, and into both organic and inorganic materials. The inorganic materials make biodegradable products unacceptable in the Green Bin program.

Diapers will be broken down in the pre-processing process of the AD system. The organic portion of baby diapers will be processed in the AD system and the plastic portion will be disposed. Baby wipes are often made from inorganic materials, therefore please place these items in the garbage, and never flush them down the toilet as they clog pipes and pumping equipment.

Menstrual products will be broken down in the pre-processing process of the AD system. The organic portion of menstrual products will be processed in the AD system and the plastic portion will be disposed. The organic portion of menstrual products (cotton, rayon, cellulose fibers) can be processed. Please put all plastic packaging and plastic applicators in the garbage.

Using compostable bags throughout your home means all your organic waste can be easily tossed in the Green Bin for weekly collection.

Managing pet waste, pet litter and animal bedding

Choose compostable pet waste bags for use at home and on the go. There are many brands of compostable pet waste bags now available, so just be sure to look for the Compostable logo.

You can switch out plastic bags for compostable kitchen bin liners when handling cat litter, small animal bedding or bird cage paper. You can also use fiber-based cat litter instead of clay-based litter. It is often easier to use a sturdy container lined with a compostable bag to transport the litter to your large Green Bin for curbside collection.

Managing organics in the bathroom

Almost all bathroom waste can be put in the Green Bin (tissues, menstrual products, hair, cotton) or the Blue Box (toilet paper rolls, box board, empty plastic bottles). Consider using more than one bin in the bathroom, and a compostable liner bag for your organics for easy waste management.

Ajax Town Hall
65 Harwood Avenue South, Ajax
905-683-4550

Operations and Environmental Services
800 Salem Road North, Ajax
905-683-2951

Ajax Community Centre
75 Centennial Road, Ajax
905-427-8811

McLean Community Centre
95 Magill Drive, Ajax
905-428-7711

Audley Recreation Centre
1955 Audley Road, Ajax
905-427-2468

Ajax Public Library
55 Harwood Avenue, Ajax
905-683-4000

Waste Management Facility, Brock Township
Brock Sideroad 17
705-437-2933

Brock Township public libraries- Open Tuesday to Saturday.
Beaverton, Cannington, Sunderland

Household Special Waste Depot
1998 Bowmanville Avenue, Bowmanville
905-623-4387 extension 6086

Rona Hardware
275 Toronto Street, Newcastle
905-987-4560

You cannot buy bag tags here to use in Oshawa. ContactService Oshawaat 905-436-3311 to buy bag tags.

Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex
1867 Valley Farm Road, Pickering
905-683-6582
TTY: 905-831-8604

Waste Management Facility
1623 Reach Street, Port Perry
905-985-7973

Township of Uxbridge Municipal Office
51 Toronto Street South, Uxbridge
905-852-9181

Uxbridge Public Library
9 Toronto Street South, Uxbridge
905-852-9747

Zephyr Library
13000 Regional Road 39, Zephyr
905-473-2375

Brock,Clarington,Scugog and Uxbridge

We only pick up furniture and large items by appointment. We take up to two items per collection. Please see accepted bulky materials below.

Book your special collection:

• Use ourwaste collection calendar tool.
• Use ourmobile app.
• Call us at311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).

We only pick up metal goods by appointment. Please see accepted metal goods below.

Book your special collection:

• Use ourwaste collection calendar tool.
• Use ourmobile app.
• Call us at311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).

We only pick up metal goods by appointment. Please see accepted metal goods below.

Book your special collection:

• Use ourwaste collection calendar tool.
• Use ourmobile app.
• Call us at311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).

TheCity of Oshawapicks up metal goods. Call them at 905-436-3311 to learn more. The Region of Durham does not pick up these items for Oshawa.

We only pick up porcelain by appointment. Please see accepted porcelain below.

Book your special collection:

• Use ourwaste collection calendar tool.
• Use ourmobile app.
• Call us at311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).

We only pick up porcelain by appointment. Please see accepted porcelain below.

Book your special collection:

• Use ourwaste collection calendar tool.
• Use ourmobile app.
• Call us at311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).

We only pick up electronics by appointment. Please see accepted electronics below.

Book your special collection:

• Use ourwaste collection calendar tool.
• Use ourmobile app.
• Call us at311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).

We only pick up electronics by appointment. Please see accepted electronics below.

Book your special collection:

• Use ourwaste collection calendar tool.
• Use ourmobile app.
• Call us at311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).

Backyard composting is a natural process where micro-organisms, worms and insects found in the environment break down kitchen food scraps and garden waste and turn it into a dark, nutrient-rich soil called compost.

Watch our backyard composting videofor beginners

Backyard composters are available for sale through the Region of Durham.

They are also sold at some garden centres, nurseries and hardware stores throughout the Region. You can also build your own backyard compost unit.

• If you are not building your own backyard composter, assemble your backyard composter according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Place the backyard composter in a sunny, well-drained location that is easy to access.
• Remove any grass underneath the composter to invite worms, insects and micro-organisms and improve the drainage, speeding up the composting process.

Step 2: Add Organic Waste

• Cut up acceptable organic materials into smaller pieces before placing them into your composter.
• Layer your organic materials. There are two main types of organic materials you can feed your backyard composter – “browns” and “greens”.
• Alternate browns, which are the carbon-rich, dry waste materials, such as dry leaves, from your yard with greens, which are the nitrogen-rich, wet waste from the kitchen and grass clippings. Ideally, have a three to one (3:1) ratio; three times as many brown materials as green materials.

Step 3: Turn, Turn, Turn

• Turn the pile every few weeks with a pitchfork or shovel to mix materials and introduce more air.

Step 4: Keep Moist

• Keep compost material moist like a damp sponge, not soaking.

Step 5: Harvest and Use Compost

• Finished compost should be dark and crumbly and have a pleasant earth-like smell.
• Use it on your lawn or garden as a natural fertilizer. Compost helps nutrients and organic matter return to the soil.
• Compost may be ready in a few weeks or six months or more, depending on how you manage your composter.
• The composting process will slow down during the winter, but the pile will become active again in the spring as worms, insects and micro-organisms naturally speed up the break down process.

• Dry leaves
• Old potting soil
• Straw
• Twigs and branches
• Woodchips and sawdust (from untreated wood)

“Greens” (Nitrogen-Rich Materials)

• Coffee grounds and filters
• Flowers
• Fruit and vegetable scraps
• Garden plant trimmings
• Grass clippings
• House plants
• Tea bags and leaves
• Weeds (before they seed)

• Diseased or insect-infected plants – put these out for seasonal curbside yard waste collection
• Dog and cat feces – put these in your garbage bag for curbside collection
• Eggs, meat, bones and fish scraps – put these in your green bin as they can attract animals
• Fatty foods and dairy products (e.g. cheese, butter, oils) – put these in your green bin as they can attract animals
• Plastics and metals – put recyclable plastics and metals into your blue box for curbside collection
• Weeds with mature seeds – put these out for seasonal curbside yard waste collection

For more information about backyard composting, visit the Compost Council of Canada’s website.