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Learn how to properly sort your waste. Read the sorting guide to find acceptable program items, frequency of collection and program specific collection tips. You can also order garbage or diaper tags, and where you can pick-up blue boxes and green carts.

Sorting Guide

Refer to the list below or use the Put Waste in its Place tool to find out where items should be placed for curbside collection.

Blue Box

Blue clear recycling bag with recycling insideRecycling bin from Halton.

Frequency

Weekly, on your collection day.

Size

85 litres or less.

  • 40cm length x 51cm width x 54cm height
  • 15.5" length x 20" width x 21" height

Accepted Materials

  • plastic bags
    Plastic bags (clean, dry and empty)
  • plastic overwrap
    Plastic overwrap (clean, dry and empty)
  • metal pots, pans and baking sheets
    Metal pots, pans and baking sheets
  • plastic containers and packaging
    Disposable, rigid plastic containers & packaging
  • plastic plates, cups and coffee lids
    Plastic plates, cups & coffee lids (no cutlery)
  • plastic food and beverage containers
    Plastic food & beverage containers
  • plastic bottles
    Plastic bottles
  • plastic plant pots and trays
    Plastic plant pots and trays
  • boxed beverage containers
    Boxed beverage containers (Tetra Paks, milk & juice cartons)
  • metal paint cans
    Empty metal paint cans (dry & lids removed)
  • aluminum foil/trays, metal food and beverage cans
    Aluminum foil/trays, metal food and beverage cans
  • glass bottle jars
    Glass bottles & jars
  • cardboard cans
    Cardboard cans
  • boxboard and tissue boxes
    Boxboard – flattened cereal, detergent, & tissue boxes (plastic liners go in garbage)
  • newspaper, flyers, paper, magazines, books, envelopes
    Newspapers, flyers, paper, magazines, books, envelopes
  • corrugated cardboard
    Corrugated cardboard (tie in bundles no larger than 120 cm x 120 cm x 30 cm (4 ft x 4 ft x 1 ft) and place under or beside blue box)

Unacceptable Materials

  • Styrofoam (polystyrene foam)
  • Coffee cups
  • Paper towels
  • Shredded paper
  • Coffee Pods

Information

  • Put recycling out by 7 a.m. and no earlier than 5 p.m. the evening before your collection day.
  • Place recyclables in a Blue Box or clear plastic bag only. Recyclables in cardboard boxes, grocery bins, laundry baskets or garbage cans will not be collected.
  • There is no limit to how many Blue Boxes or clear plastic bags of recyclable material that can be placed for collection.
  • You can mix all recyclable material into the same Blue Box or clear plastic bag.
  • Corrugated cardboard is to be tied in bundles no larger than 4 ft x 4 ft x 1 ft (120cm x 120 cm x 30 cm).
  • Bundle all plastic bags and plastic overwrap in one plastic bag and tie shut.
  • Plastic, glass and metal materials must be empty, rinsed clean and dry.
  • Paper material with food residue should be placed in the Green Cart.

Tips

  • Do not overfill your Blue Box.
  • Maximize space in your Blue Box by partially squeezing cans, bottles and cartons.
  • To minimize litter on windy days, bundle and tie newspaper and place on top of your Blue Box or place material in a clear plastic bag for curbside collection.

Green Cart

Update

All food waste and compostable papers, such as paper towels and facial tissue, must be contained. Please place items in paper or certified compostable bags or completely wrap in newspaper/flyers. Loose items will not be collected.

greencart and kitchen catcher

Frequency

Weekly, on your collection day.

Size

  • 40cm length x 46 cm width x 60 cm height (with handle, height is 68cm).
  • 15.5" length x 18" width x 24" height (with handle, height is 27cm)

Weight limit of 50 pounds (23 kilograms).

Liners

Do your part to help keep Halton’s compost plastic free. Please use one of the acceptable Green Cart liners listed below:

BPI logo
  • Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI)-certified bags (see logo on right)
  • Paper towels
  • Newspaper or flyers
  • Cardboard
  • Paper bags

Accepted Materials

  • greencart acceptable food items
    All food waste
    • fruits
    • vegetables
    • candy
    • shells
    • meat and bones
    • baked goods
    • fats
    • oils and sauces
  • other greencart acceptable items
    Other Items
    • feathers
    • hair
    • houseplants
    • wooden popsicle sticks
    • wooden chopsticks
    • sawdust and wood ashes (in paper bags)
    • shredded paper
  • greencart acceptable paper items
    Paper products
    • paper rolls
    • paper egg cartons
    • paper plates and cups
    • paper towels and tissues
    • paper bags
    • paper frozen dinner trays
    • coffee filters

Unacceptable Materials

  • Plastic food containers
  • Plastic bags
  • Glass
  • Metal
  • Styrofoam
  • Gum
  • Stickers
  • Elastics
  • Pet waste
  • Diapers
  • PLA or BPI certified plastic resin food packaging (Plates, Cups, Cutlery)
  • Coffee Pods

Information & Tips

  • Put Green Cart out by 7 a.m.
  • Line your cart with acceptable Green Cart liners such as paper bags, or compostable bags with BPI logo. Do not use plastic shopping bags to line your kitchen catcher or green cart.
  • Please bag and tie all organic material, such as used tissues. Loose items will not be collected.
  • Remove additional locking mechanisms before collection
  • Do not put Kitchen Catchers at the curb, only your Green Cart
  • Take food out of plastic packaging before putting in the Green Cart
  • Remove stickers and elastic bands from fruits and vegetables
  • Rinse your cart regularly with hot water and soap

Garbage

Update

Please bag and tie all garbage material, including masks, disposable gloves and personal hygiene products. Loose items will not be collected.

Frequency

Once every other week. Garbage and bulk waste collection takes place in urban and rural areas excluding Halton Hills collection areas C and D (3 garbage bag/cans).

Size

Use bins designed to be easily collected by crews.  Please ensure containers or bins weigh no more than 23 kg (50 lbs). Bins cannot be larger than 125 L (27 gallons) or 50 cm wide x 100 cm high.

Accepted Materials

  • caps and cutlery
    Plastic cutlery, straws, bottle caps
  • snack bags, wrappers and cookie bags
    Snack bags, wrappers and cookie bags
  • diapers
    Diapers
  • gift wrap, ribbons and bows
    Gift wrap, ribbons and bows

  • Household items such as garden hose, furnace filters
  • broken ceramics
    Broken ceramics (plates, cups, mugs)
  • clothes hangers
    Clothes hangers
  • bubble wrap and sandwich bags
    Bubble wrap and sandwich bags
  • box liner bags
    Plastic liner bags eg. Cereal bags
  • pet waste and cat litter
    Pet waste and cat litter
  • plastic wrap and film
    Plastic wrap and film
  • styrofoam
    Styrofoam (polystyrene foam)
  • kids toys
    Kids toys

Unacceptable Materials

Information & Tips

  • Place items at curb by 7 a.m. and no earlier than 5 p.m.
  • You may place up to 3 garbage bags or cans at the curb every other week on your collection day. Please bag and tie all garbage material. Loose items will not be collected.
  • For more than 3 bags, buy garbage tags
  • A maximum of 6 bags or cans can be placed out for collection (3 untagged, 3 tagged)
  • Overweight bags/cans will not be collected

Bulk Waste

Update

Please wrap all mattresses and box springs in plastic (no tarps) before placing at the curb for bulk waste collection.

 

Frequency

Three bulk items for pick-up on the curbside including an old hose reel, wrapped and tied carpet, and a old golf bag.

Once every other week with your garbage (up to 3 items).

Size

Over 50 lbs

  • Does not fit into a closed garbage bag or container

Accepted Materials

  • Furniture
    • couches
    • chairs
    • tables
    • mattresses and box springs – must be wrapped in plastic 
  • Flooring
    • carpets
    • under padding
    • linoleum, bundled & tied 1.7m x 1m (5ft x 3ft)
  • Toilets (remove top/tank from base)
  • Wood (dismantled, bundled & tied no larger than 1.7m x 1m or 5ft x 3ft)
    • fencing
    • picnic tables
    • shelving
    • skids
    • doors
  • Windows and mirrors no larger than 1.7m x 1m (5 ft x 3 ft) - tape an X pattern across glass to prevent shattering. 
  • Please check the online put waste in its place sorting tool for additional accepted materials and special set out instrctions.

Unacceptable Materials

  • Hazardous waste
  • Metal & appliances
  • Recyclable material
  • Electronics
  • Tires
  • Automobile parts
  • Building & demolition debris
  • Mixed waste piles
  • Tree branches or stumps
  • Water coolers with refrigeration
  • Propane Tanks
  • Soil and rocks

Information & Tips

  • Place items at curb by 7 a.m.
  • 3 item limit (additional items will not be collected)
  • Do not pile items
  • Remove nails & staples
  • Items collected go to landfill. Please consider donating to Reuse Depot instead
  • Ensure only items you want collected are at the curb. Items may be mistakenly picked up by the collection truck.
  • Do not place bulk items in cardboard boxes

Yard Waste

Frequency

yard waste bag and yard waste container

First week of April to the second week of December

Size

Up to 125L (weighs no more than 50lbs)

  • Brush must be tied in bundles no larger than 2m x 1m (6ft x 3ft) wide, with branches a maximum of 7.5 cm (3 inches) in diameter

Accepted Materials

  • Leaves
  • Sticks & twigs
  • Tree trimmings (no larger than 6ft x 3ft wide)
  • Decorative cornstalks
  • Fallen fruit from trees
  • Yard & garden trimmings
  • Pumpkins

Unacceptable Materials

  • Tree stumps
  • Sod
  • Soil
  • Rocks
  • Clay
  • Plastic bags
  • Plastic flower pots & tags
  • Giant hogweed
  • Grass clippings

Information & Tips

  • For urban areas only
  • Use only paper yard waste bags or open, labelled, reusable, rigid containers (no lid)
  • Yard waste labels must be placed on your reusable container to receive collection
  • Unacceptable containers such as a Blue Box, Green Cart, laundry basket, plastic or non-paper compostable bags will not be collected
  • Do not put yard waste at the curb more than one day prior to collection
  • Leave grass clippings on your lawn to provide up to 25% of the lawn's annual fertilizer needs
  • Grass clippings are accepted in yard waste from October to May in Burlington only

Garbage, diaper, and healthcare bag tags

Garbage Tags

  • Use: For disposal of additional garbage. Tag up to 3 bags to allow a total of 6 bags maximum per collection
  • Cost: 5 for $10
  • Collection: Every other week
  • Expiration: No expiry
  • Order garbage bag tags online or call 311
  • Pick up tags at select retail locations and municipal buildings.

Find pickup locations

Diaper Tags

  • Use: For disposal of diapers in households with young children
  • Cost: Free - up to 40 tags per year
  • Collection: Every other week, with garbage. Diapers must be placed in clear garbage bags with the diaper bag tag clearly visible. Solid-coloured bags (even with a diaper bag tag) will not be collected.
  • Expiration: No expiry
  • Order diaper bag tags online or call 311

Residents can drop off clear diaper bags with bag tags attached at the following locations (see map below for directions):

  • Halton Waste Management Site
  • Leferink Transfer Station
  • Norjohn Transfer Station

Please inform staff that you are participating in the diaper or healthcare bag tag program upon arrival.

Drop off locations

Healthcare Tags

  • Use: For disposal of diapers and other medical waste in households with a person experiencing a medical condition
  • Cost: Free - up to 40 tags per year
  • Collection: Every other week, with garbage. Items (e.g., diapers) can be placed in black garbage bags with the healthcare bag tag clearly visible.
  • Expiration: No expiry
  • Order healthcare bag tags online or call 311

Residents can drop off black healthcare bags, with bag tags attached to the following locations:

  • Halton Waste Management Site
  • Leferink Transfer Station
  • Norjohn Transfer Station

Please inform staff that you are participating in the diaper or healthcare bag tag program upon arrival.

Drop off locations

Yard Waste Collection

Starting the first week of April, yard waste is collected in urban areas every other week on the same day as garbage. To order yellow yard waste labels, use our online form.

Preparing your yard for winter? Find helpful Yard Waste collection tips from Halton Region’s recent interview with YourTV Halton, including acceptable items, correct containers and where to put your items for collection: Halton Yard Waste Best Practices(video)

 

Information & Tips

  • Place items at curb by 7 a.m. and no earlier than 5 p.m.
  • You may place 3 garbage bags/cans or fewer at the curb every other week on your collection day.
  • Please bag and tie all garbage and organic material. Loose items will not be collected.
  • A total of 6 bags/can maximum can be placed out for collection (3 untagged, 3 tagged)
  • There is no limit to how many Blue Boxes you place out for collection
  • Don't overfill your Blue Box
  • Rinse and dry. Blue box materials must be empty, clean and dry.

Pick up or exchange a Blue Box or Green Cart

Halton residents may pick up one free Blue Box each year from any of the locations listed below. Broken Blue Boxes and broken Green Carts are recycled into new containers and may be returned and exchanged for free. 

Please call 311 to confirm availability before visiting to pick up or exchange a Blue Box. Green Carts can be picked up at the Halton Waste Management Site.

 

Backyard composters

Backyard composters can be purchased at the Halton Waste Management Site for $15 each. Limit 2 per household. Please call 311 before visiting to confirm availability.

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