There’s a new provider for recycling in Ontario — and the rules are changing.
Circular Materials is now overseeing residential recycling as part of Ontario’s shift to a producer-responsibility model. That means the companies that create packaging are now responsible for managing it at end of usefulness.
Across Ontario, what belongs in the blue box has expanded.
Earlier this year, I talked a lot about wish-cycling — especially when it came to things like chip bags. Time for a small correction 👀
Chip bags are now recyclable. So are:
- Coated cardboard
- Gift wrap
- Coffee trays & Egg cartons (now recycle — not compost)
- Blister packs
- And yes… even pizza boxes
With all these updates, there’s a learning curve for all of us. The easiest way to stay current?
📱 Download the Circular Materials app — it’s the best source for up-to-date, specific recycling guidance for residential pickup.
One important reminder:
This information applies to residential collection only.
Businesses, institutions, churches, and industrial sites face a different reality — they must hire a waste collection company for paper, plastics, and metals recycling, often navigating a much more complex system.
🥗 Compost ready materials are still picked up curbside, however commercial and industrial sites who manage packaged organic waste require de-packaging before that material can be properly processed. When handled by Davidson Environmental that waste doesn’t become methane in a landfill — it becomes renewable energy.
As recycling evolves across the province, it’s a meaningful time to look at the full waste stream and ask:
Are we earmarking all refuse as garbage — or are we stewarding resources? ♻️