Ontario recycling rules just changed — Here's everything you can now put in your blue bin
Ontario just rolled out a massive update to its blue bin program, and it means big changes for what you can now toss in the recycle bin.
If you've ever moved cities or travelled within Ontario and gotten all mixed up about what goes in the blue bin, that confusion is finally over. As of January 1, 2026, a new provincewide recycling system is in place, and it's a game changer for anyone who cares about the environment (or just wants to recycle right).
Under the new system, it no longer matters if you're recycling in Toronto, Ottawa or Thunder Bay — everyone in Ontario can now recycle the same materials. That means less second-guessing and more stuff getting a second life instead of going to landfill.
The list of recyclables has also expanded to include things like toothpaste tubes, coffee cups, plastic bags and styrofoam.
So, what's changed?
The big switch is part of Ontario's move to extended producer responsibility, or EPR. It comes from the province's updated Blue Box regulation, which came out in 2021 and has been rolling out in phases since July 2023.
Basically, EPR means that the companies that make and sell food, beverage and consumer products are now responsible for collecting and recycling the packaging they sell them in. This pushes companies to think more critically about the packaging materials they choose and holds them responsible for the cost of recycling them when they're no longer useful.
Now that the three-year transition period is complete, municipalities are officially out of the residential recycling game. Instead, Circular Materials, a non-profit funded by the companies behind the packaging — including Costco, Loblaw, McDonald's, Coca-Cola and more — is footing the bill and running the show.
Ontario Environment Minister Todd McCarthy says the change will make recycling "easier and more consistent" across the province. According to Circular Materials, municipalities are collectively saving more than $200 million under the new system.
Who's picking up your blue bin now?
While Circular Materials is coordinating the provincewide system, they're not the ones actually collecting your recycling off the curb. That job falls to a handful of local contractors, depending on where you live.
Here's a breakdown of who's doing pickup in some of Ontario's major regions (this list is not exhaustive):
- GFL: Toronto, Peel Region, Hamilton, Windsor–Essex, Oshawa, Whitby, Thunder Bay, Newmarket
- Miller Waste: Ottawa, York Region, Waterloo Region, Halton Region, Niagara Region, London, Burlington, Ajax
- Emterra: Barrie, Kingston, Brantford, Peterborough
- Waste Management: Sudbury, Guelph
- Waste Connections: Chatham–Kent
If something goes wrong or you have questions about recycling collection, your city likely can't help you anymore — instead, contact your local service provider directly.
To find out who to contact for questions about your blue bin, missed pickups or what goes where, head to CircularMaterials.ca/ON.
Full list of recyclables
With this new setup, the list of recyclable items has grown — and it's the same everywhere.
If you live in a single-stream community like Toronto or Peel, you can continue to toss all approved recyclables into one blue bin, same as usual.
If you're in a dual-stream city like Ottawa or Hamilton, you'll still need to sort items into blue (containers) and black or grey (fibres) bins.
Here's everything that's accepted now:
Paper & fibre
The following paper and cardboard items can be put in your blue bin or, in dual-stream systems, your black or grey bin:
- Cardboard boxes (max 60x60 cm)
- Boxboard — cereal boxes, tissue boxes, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, egg cartons
- Paper laminate packaging — pet food bags, glossy paper bags, paper plates
- Notepads, loose paper, file folders, other printed materials
- Newspapers, flyers, magazines, brochures
- Paper bags, gift boxes, greeting cards, envelopes
- Shredded paper (in a tied clear plastic bag)
Containers
The following plastic, glass, metal and other containers can be put in the blue bin, no matter where in Ontario you are:
- Paper laminate containers — spiral cans, ice cream tubs, hot and cold beverage cups (lids off) (NEW)
- Cartons — for milk, creamer, broth, soup, molasses, etc. (lids on)
- Rigid plastics — laundry detergent jugs, shampoo bottles, peanut butter jars, yogurt containers, food trays, black plastic containers (lids on)
- Tubes — for toothpaste, deodorant tubes, hand cream, etc. (lids on) (NEW)
- Foam packaging — styrofoam containers, meat trays, takeout cups, packing peanuts (NEW)
- Glass — bottles and jars, cosmetic bottles, spice containers (lids off)
- Metal — cans, tins, metal lids, aluminum foil (balled up), pie plates, frozen food trays
- Aerosol cans — food sprays, hairspray, air fresheners, shaving cream, deodorant (non-toxic only, lids on) (NEW)
Flexible plastic packaging
In most dual-stream municipalities, flexible plastics go in the fibre (black or grey) bin. However, some municipalities (like Ottawa and Niagara) treat them as containers (blue bin). Check your local rules at CircularMaterials.ca/ON if you're in a dual-stream region. No matter your city, though, you can now recycle the following soft plastic items:
- Plastic bags — for produce, bread, milk, dry cleaning, newspapers, etc. (NEW)
- Overwrap — for paper towel, toilet paper, etc. (NEW)
- Bubble wrap, plastic gift bags (NEW)
- Coffee bags, deli pouches, chip bags, snack wrappers, cereal liner bags (NEW)
As always, all recyclables should be empty and rinsed so that they're free from food and other residues. Cardboard should also be flattened.
And yes — you still can't recycle any alcohol containers in the blue bin. Instead, you should take those to The Beer Store to get your deposit back.
What stays the same?
In most municipalities, your bin itself stays the same and your collection schedule hasn't changed. Keep in mind, though, that while your recycling should still be picked up on the same day as usual, it will be a different truck coming to collect, and it may come at a different time of day than you're used to.
Meanwhile, garbage, green bin and yard waste collection remain totally unchanged and will still be handled by your local municipality as usual.
Ultimately, Ontario's new blue bin system is all about making recycling easier and more consistent. And with producers footing the bill, your efforts at the curb are going even further to reduce waste and build a cleaner, more sustainable Ontario.
Be honest — did you know your city's recycling rules before now?
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