Return to four garbage bag limit and important waste tips for residents

Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham, City of Oshawa and Town of Whitby, advise residents that the four-bag limit for curbside garbage collection will be returning on Tuesday, September 8, and that the sale of garbage bag tags is now available.

Residents can place up to four garbage bags at the curb every other week. To ensure your items are collected, and for the health and safety of our workers, please follow the below reminders:

• Garbage must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your collection day.
• Garbage bags cannot weigh more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
• Ensure that all garbage and green bin materials are bagged and securely tied. Loose items or bags that are broken will not be collected.
• A standard size garbage bag counts as one bag.
• Additional bags must have garbage bag tags attached. The cost of tags are $2.50 each.
• We do not collect renovation material such as cabinetry, lumber, drywall, doors, carpet or underlay. This material can be dropped off at one the Region of Durham’s Waste Management Facilities. Fees apply.
• Wrap broken glass and sharp objects in a sealed cardboard box, clearly labelled as "GLASS" before setting it out beside your garbage for collection.

For your convenience the Region of Durham, City of Oshawa and Town of Whitby now offer a variety of options for the purchase of bag tags, including purchase via mail. Please allow three to five business days for delivery. In person purchases of bag tags can also be made at some municipal facilities. Please check on facility closures and COVID-19 restrictions in advance. For more information, please refer to:

• durham.ca/waste or 1-800-667-5671
• oshawa.ca/waste or 905-436-3311
• whitby.ca/waste or 905-668-3437

Durham’s Waste Management Centre at 4600 Garrard Road in Whitby will also be reopening September 8 for replacement and sales of blue boxes and green bins. For full details, visit durham.ca/WasteBins.

Please note the Region of Durham provides collection services in Ajax, Brock, Clarington, Pickering, Scugog and Uxbridge. The Region only collects recycling in Oshawa and Whitby, but partners with both municipalities to ensure uniform collection programs region-wide.

Quote

“During the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, while residents were staying home from work and school, the Region, Oshawa and Whitby increased the garbage bag limit from four to six bags based on an assessment of our resident’s needs. Now that Durham has entered stage three and many businesses are reopening, we’ve found that the garbage bag increase is no longer required, and we are returning to our regular four-bag limit.”

- Susan Siopis, Commissioner of Works, Region of Durham

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For more information, please contact Corporate Communications.