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If you are a resident of Oshawa or Whitby, please visit their websites for waste collection information.
Blue Box collection
Durham's recycling program is managed by Circular Materials, the administrator of the common collection system and national not-for-profit organization that is committed to building an efficient and effective recycling system in Ontario. Visit Circular Materials for more information.
House collection
There may be delays in yard waste collection. Please keep it at the curb. We appreciate your patience!
Blue box
Durham’s recycling program is managed by Circular Materials, the administrator of the common collection system and a national not-for-profit organization that is committed to building an efficient and effective recycling system in Ontario. Visit Circular Materials for more information.
Who is Circular Materials?
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.
What can I expect when Circular Materials manages my recycling program?
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.
Who do I contact for missed collection?
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:
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:
What are the changes to the Blue Box program in Ontario?
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 called Circular Materials.
Why is this being implemented in Ontario?
In 2016, the Government of Ontario enacted the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act to “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
Will the Region continue to collect batteries for recycling with the Blue Box?
The curbside battery recycling program will continue to offer two collections per year, spring and fall. Sealed battery bags should now be placed on top of your Green Bin on your designated battery recycling day.
Will Blue Box material still be accepted at Regional Waste Management Facilities?
Yes, Blue Box material will still be accepted at Regional Waste Management Facilities. Waste disposal fees apply.
Place your blue boxes at the curb every week on your collection day.
Rules
Use two blue boxes to separate:
Containers.
Paper products.
Blue boxes must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your collection day.
Blue boxes cannot weigh more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
All recyclables must be loose inside the blue box. Recyclables in plastic bags will not be collected.
Empty and rinse all containers before putting them in the blue box.
On windy days, put your recycling out for collection in the morning instead of the night before.
Don't overfill your blue boxes. Keep material below the rim.
Bundle cardboard separately. These bundles can act as a "lid" for your blue box.
In the winter, place blue boxes on cleared parts of your driveway. Do not put them on top of snowbanks or icy patches.
There is no limit to the number of blue boxes you can set out for collection.
Containers blue box - accepted materials
Aluminum drink cans
Aluminum foil and trays
Empty paint and aerosol cans (lids removed)
Glass bottles and jars
Juice boxes (no straws)
Milk cartons
Plastic bakery and cookie trays
Plastic bottles
Plastic egg cartons.
Plastic fruit and vegetable containers
Plastic takeout food containers
Single-serve yogurt and pudding cups
Spiral containers
Steel food and drink cans
Toiletry bottles
Papers blue box - accepted materials
Boxboard (fold boxes flat)
Cardboard (fold boxes flat, tie and bundle the same size as your blue box. Place next to or on top of your blue box)
Catalogues, magazines and phonebooks
Junk mail and envelopes
Newspaper
Office and computer paper
Shredded paper (place inside a smaller box, such as a cereal box)
Unacceptable materials
Coffee cups
Coffee pods
Food or beverage pouches
Hangers
Motor oil containers
Plastic bags
Plastic straws or cutlery
Propane or helium cylinders
Tupperware-type containers
Motor oil containers
Green bin
Diapers, menstrual products, incontinence products, pet waste and pet litter can now go in the Green Bin for weekly collection.
A limited number of additional Green Bins will be available for residents to purchase, to a maximum of one per household, at a reduced rate of $10. Residents may purchase more Green Bins from the Region at the full cost of $19 each. There is no limit to the number of Green Bins that can be set out for collection each week. The maximum weight per Green Bin remains at 20 kilograms (44 pounds) for the health and safety of our collectors.
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.
Will the weight allowance of the Green Bin be increased?
The maximum weight per green bin remains at 20 kilograms (44 pounds) for the health and safety of our collectors.
How is the Green Bin material processed?
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.
Where is the Green Bin material processed?
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.
Are residents still required to use compostable bags?
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.
Why are compostable bags still required when the program now accepts items with plastic components?
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.
Am I required to use a Green Bin if I have a backyard composter?
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.
Are Green Bins animal resistant?
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.
How will the additional materials in the enhanced Green Bin affect the quality of the organic residue?
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.
Does the free compost shared with residents during Durham's Compost Giveaway events come from the Green Bin program?
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.
How is the renewable natural gas (RNG) from the AD process used?
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.
What is the difference between compostable and biodegradable?
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.
How will baby diapers and baby wipes be managed?
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.
How are menstrual products managed?
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.
Tips to make the switch from plastic to compostable
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.
Place your green bin at the curb every week on your collection day.
Rules
Your green bin must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your collection day.
Green bins cannot weigh more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
Ensure all green bin organic waste is bagged in 100 per cent compostable bags. Any loose organics will not be collected.
Please remove all tie-downs (i.e. bungee cords) prior to collection.
In the winter, place your green bin on cleared parts of your driveway. Do not put them on top of snowbanks or icy patches.
Accepted materials
Food waste
Baked goods
Bread and cereal
Coffee grounds and filters
Dairy products
Eggs and eggshells
Flour and grains
Fruits
Meat, bones, fish and shellfish
Nuts and shells
Pasta, couscous, rice and potatoes
Tea bags
Vegetables
Paper products
Paper egg cartons and drink trays
Paper towels and napkins
Shredded paper
Tissue
Other compostable items
Diapers
Dryer lint
Feathers
Hair
Houseplants
Incontinence products
Menstrual products
Pet fur
Pet waste and pet litter
Sawdust and wood shavings
Unacceptable materials
Aluminum foil
Baby wipes
Coffee cups
Coffee pods
Disposable mop sheets
Plastic bags
Plastic wrap
Green bin liners
You can line your kitchen bin or your curbside bin. Use only certified compostable or paper liners.
When buying liners, buy only certified compostable liners. They should have one of these logos on the box:
Garbage
You can place up to four garbage bags at the curb every other week.
Rules
Your garbage must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your collection day.
Garbage bags or cans cannot weigh more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
Ensure all garbage is bagged and securely tied, even if it is in garbage cans. Any loose garbage will not be collected.
Residents living in Oshawa and Whitby must use garbage bags. Garbage cans are not acceptable in these areas.
If your garbage bag breaks when we lift it, we will leave it.
A standard size garbage bag or can counts as one bag.
Additional bags or cans must have garbage bag tags attached. Tags are $2.50 each.
We do not collect renovation material such as cabinetry, lumber, drywall, doors, carpet or underlay.
Wrap broken glass and sharp objects in a sealed cardboard box, clearly labelled as "GLASS" before setting it out beside your garbage for collection.
Please remove all tie-downs (i.e. bungee cords) prior to collection.
You can buy garbage bag tags for garbage bags or cans over the four-bag limit. Tags are $2.50 each (sold in sheets of 5 tags for $12.50).
For your convenience the Region is now offering contactless options for purchasing bag tags. Bag tags may be purchase online or by calling the Region at 311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).
Requests are processed and mailed within 2 business days. Please plan ahead. The Region is not responsible for any postal delays.
In person purchases of tags can also be made at the following locations.
Ajax
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
Brock
Township of Brock Municipal Office 1 Cameron Street East, Cannington 705-432-2355
Special consideration for garbage bag limits program
We make special considerations for residents with a medical condition or households with three children under the age of three years old. If you have any questions, call us at 311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).
Please be advised that the Region of Durham only collects home healthcare waste from properties deemed residential by Durham Region. All products must be rinsed, cleaned and should also be double bagged for curbside collection.
Approved collection containers
Garbage cans:
Garbage cans must hold less than 125 litres (30 gallons).
Maximum can size: Height 95 centimetres (38 inches), and width 60 centimetres (24 inches). Cans must have two handles, and any lids must be removable.
The weight of the garbage can and its contents must not exceed 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
Residents living in Oshawa and Whitby must use garbage bags. Garbage cans are not acceptable in these areas.
Garbage bags:
Maximum garbage bag size: 66 centimetres (26 inches) by 90 centimetres (36 inches) when empty.
The weight of the garbage bag and its contents must not exceed 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
Residents who set out their waste in oversized garbage cans or bags will not have their garbage collected.
Accepted materials
Coffee cups
Coffee pods
Filters
Juice and food pouches
Plant trays
Plastic bags
Plastic plates, cups and cutlery
Snack bags and wrappers
Styrofoam food trays
Toys
Wipes
Wooden fruit boxes
Yard waste and Christmas tree collection
Yard waste is collected from April to early December. Christmas tree collection is in January.
Rules
Only use paper yard waste bags or clearly labelled, returnable open-top containers. We do not pick up yard waste in cardboard boxes, blue boxes, green bins or plastic bags.
If you are using a reusable open-top container, you should drill holes in the bottom of the container for drainage.
Yard waste cannot weigh more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
Securely tie brush in bundles up to one metre (three feet) long and 76 centimetres (30 inches) wide. No branch should be more than 10 centimetres (4 inches) in diameters.
Place your tree at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day.
All tinsel, decorations, wire, lights, and stands must be removed.
Trees exceeding three metres (10 feet) must be cut in half for collection.
Ensure Christmas trees do not freeze or get stuck in snow banks. We do not collect trees buried in snow banks.
Christmas trees set out in plastic bags will not be collected.
Furniture and large items
Select your area to see what services we offer.
Ajax and Pickering
Furniture and large items pickup is on your regular biweekly garbage collection day. You do not need to make an appointment. We collect up to two items per pickup. Please see accepted bulky materials below. Metal goods, electronics and porcelain require appointments.
Note: A separate truck will pickup large items. This material is not collected at the same time as your garbage bags.
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.
Call us at 311 (within Regional limits) or 905-668-7711 (toll-free 1-800-372-1102).
Oshawa
The City of Oshawa picks up furniture and other large items. Call them at 905-436-3311 to learn more. The Region of Durham does not pick up these items for Oshawa.
Whitby
The Town of Whitby picks up furniture and large items. Call them at 905-668-3437 to learn more. The Region of Durham does not pick up these items for Whitby.
Rules
Your furniture or large items must be at the curb by 7 a.m. on your pickup day.
We will take up to two items per collection.
We do not pick up unacceptable items. We will tag them with an explanatory notice.
Remove unacceptable items from the curb.
You do not need bag tags for furniture and large items.
Accepted bulky materials
Artificial Christmas trees
Beanbag chairs
Chairs and recliners
Coffee tables
Couches, loveseats and sectional sofas
Cribs
Desks
Dressers
End tables
Entertainment units
Garden hoses
Headboards
Luggage
Mattress and box springs
Ottomans
Patio umbrellas
Sports equipment
Vacuums
Wooden chests
Metal goods
Select your area to see what services we offer.
Ajax and Pickering
We only pick up metal goods by appointment. Please see accepted metal goods below.
RPRA's 'Where to Recycle' map display locations across Ontario where you can drop off used materials to be recycled, such as batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting and tires. Find locations near you.
Batteries
We pick up batteries at the curb twice a year in the spring and fall. Place sealed battery bag on top of your Green Bin on your designated battery recycling day.
Battery collection date
Collection April 28 to May 2, 2025
Collection October 6 to 10, 2025
Rules
Put masking tape over both ends of lithium, button cell, and 9-volt batteries. This is for safety reasons.
Place used or unwanted batteries in a clear zipper style bag.
Seal the labelled battery bag. Put it on top of green bin on your battery recycling day.
Accepted materials
Standard A, AA, AAA, C, D (standard or heavy duty) batteries
6-volt batteries
9-volt batteries
Button cell batteries
Rechargeable battery packs (NiCad, NiMH, or lithium ion)
Store batteries in a cool, dry place. Store them away from any flammable materials. In storage, battery terminals should not touch conductive materials. Cover the terminals on 9-volt batteries before storing them.
Alternative drop off locations
RPRA's 'Where to Recycle' map display locations across Ontario where you can drop off used materials to be recycled, such as batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting and tires. Find locations near you.
Backyard composting
What is backyard composting?
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.
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.
Getting started with backyard composting
Step 1: Setup Backyard Composter
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.
What can go in a backyard composter?
“Browns” (Carbon-Rich Materials)
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)
What should not go in a backyard composter?
Diseased or insect-infected plants – put these out for seasonal curbside yard waste collection
Dog and cat feces – put these in your green bin 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
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. 
Backyard composters are 