Curbside Waste and Recycling Collection

Curbside waste and recycling collection is carried out weekly. To ensure materials are collected, residents must have their items at the curb by 8:00 a.m. on Monday.

Curbside collection will occur on all statutory holidays except Christmas Day and New Year's Day if they fall on a Monday.

Beginning January 1, 2026

Ontario's Blue Box Transition

Like all municipalities across Ontario, the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula will be transitioning to the Province’s new producer-led recycling system on January 1, 2026. Under Ontario’s new producer-led recycling system, the Municipality of Northern Bruce peninsula will no longer manage residential recycling or the Blue Box program.

Recycling is now funded and managed by the producers of recyclable materials. Waste Management Canada, on behalf of Circular Materials Ontario, oversees the program, and provides curbside blue box collection.

All waste and recycling questions or concerns - including collection schedules, blue boxes, accepted materials, frequency, or service issues - must be directed to Waste Management Canada , not the Municipality. Contact Waste Management at 1 800-561-1655.

Residents

Eligible Sources for Curbside Recycling Collection

Under the new provincial system, only Eligible Sources — residential properties that currently receive curbside waste collection — will continue to receive Blue Box recycling pickup. These include:

Single-family homes (detached houses, semi-detached homes, townhouses)
Multi-residential properties who currently receives curbside recycling pick-up
Residents already using a Blue Box can continue to use their existing containers

Essentially, all residential properties in the Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula are eligible for curbside collection under the new program. This provincially mandated transition will simplify recycling across Ontario. More materials will be accepted at the curb, creating a consistent and efficient province-wide system.

2026 Curbside Recycling Accepted Materials

You can recycle more than ever before in your curbside recycling, including corrugated cardboard, flexible plastics, coffee cups, foam meat trays and more.

All blue box materials will need to be sorted into two streams: Fibres and Containers. Bookmark Circular Materials - Northern Bruce Peninsula for the most up to date list of accepted materials.

2026 Approved Recycling List

Industrial, Commercial, Institutional

Non-Eligible Sources

Starting January 1, 2026, industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) properties will no longer be eligible for Ontario’s curbside Blue Box program. This category includes:

All private businesses, including downtown shops and offices
Churches and places of worship
Daycares
Campgrounds without housing
Public buildings such as libraries, arenas, municipal shops, and administrative facilities
Commercial farms
Non-profits, including shelters, food banks, and other institutions

ICI properties will need to make alternative arrangements for recycling. Options include drop-off at the Non-Eligible Sources Program at one of the Municipalities three landfill sites.

The Municipality continues to offer the following services and programs for non-eligible sources, including extended hours and select recycling programs.

Tips to Ensure Your Materials are Collected

In an approved container with an indicator system in place.
Placed at the roadside prior to 8:00 a.m.
Not hidden behind a vehicle, snow bank or other obstruction.
Free of prohibited content.
Within the limit of two bags of household waste per week.
Within the limit of 22 kilograms per bag of waste.
Residents on private or unmaintained roadways should place waste and recycling at the nearest intersection with a serviced roadway.
Residents on seasonal roadways should place materials at the nearest intersection with a serviced roadway between October 15 and April 15.

Hazardous Waste 2026 Event Schedule

Now is an ideal time to safely remove hazardous materials and ensure they are disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.

Household hazardous waste materials include but are not limited to the following items:
Paints & Stains	Propane Tanks	Aerosols	Antifreeze
Fertilizers	Solvents	Pharmaceuticals	Fire Extinguishers
Fuel	Oil Filters	Household Cleaners	Batteries
Pesticides	Pool Chemicals	Fluorescent Lights	Used Oil

Attendees must remain in their vehicle, with waste material in OPEN TRUNK ONLY for unloading.

Commercial, Agricultural, Industrial Waste, PCB's, Ammunition or Flares WILL NOT be accepted. Only containers with a volume of 30 LITRES OR LESS will be accepted. Waste must be received in containers that can be disposed of. Containers are not emptied and returned (i.e. gas cans). Empty paint cans are blue box recyclable.

2026 Hazardous Waste Dates

July 25 Eastnor Landfill - 1252 West Road - 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

August 15 St. Edmunds Landfill - 71 McArthur Road - 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

For further information, visit Bruce County Hazardous Waste

County of Bruce - Transportation & Environmental Services: 519-881-2400

Recyclable Pictograph

Paper and Fiber:

Accepted materials include flattened cardboard boxes within size limits, flattened and empty boxboard, and paper laminate packaging, containers, and cartons that are empty and free from food residue, with lids removed where required and kept on where specified. Accepted paper includes newspapers, flyers, magazines, loose paper, paper bags, greeting cards, and gift boxes, provided items are empty and prepared properly, with shredded paper tied in a clear bag and non-paper elements removed. Materials that are oversized, contaminated with food, include alcoholic beverage containers, or consist of soft or hard covered books are not accepted.

Plastic and Containers:

Accepted plastic materials include hard plastic containers, plastic packaging and containers, tubes, small item plastic packaging, flexible plastic packaging, and foam packaging when items are empty and free from food or product residue. Lids must remain on containers, bottles, tubes, and small plastic items, while film wrap and absorbent pads must be removed from foam meat trays. Alcoholic beverage containers are not accepted, and any plastic that is contaminated or not properly prepared is not accepted.

Metal:

Accepted metal materials include food cans, metal lids, tins, beverage cans, aluminum foil, trays, and empty aerosol containers. All metal items must be empty and free from food residue, aluminum foil must be balled up, and alcoholic beverage containers are not accepted. Aerosol containers are accepted only if empty with lids on and must not display toxic, corrosive, or flammable symbols, except for cooking sprays and personal care products designed for food or skin use.

Glass:

Accepted glass materials include clear and coloured glass food containers, jars, bottles, cosmetic containers, spice bottles, oil and vinegar bottles, and non-alcoholic glass beverage containers. All glass must be empty and free from food residue with lids removed, and alcoholic beverage containers are not accepted.

I Missed My Collection

Reports of missed residential waste and recycling collection should be directed to Waste Management at 1-800-561-1655 or canresidential@wm.com.

Where Can I Get a New Blue Box?

If your recycling box has been damaged by a garbage truck or snow plow, you may pick up one replacement blue box free of charge at the Municipal Office.

Additional blue boxes, or replacements beyond the first, are available for purchase at a cost of $9.00 per box.