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Recycling

Recycling

Blue box program update – what you need to know

As of January 1, 2026, Circular Materials Ontario (external link) manages the residential Blue Box program in Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville. This change is part of Ontario’s recycling regulation that shifts the cost and management of recycling from municipalities to the businesses that sell or supply packaging and paper products (external link).

What’s new

Circular Materials Ontario

  • Circular Materials Ontario will manage the residential Blue Box program.
  • More items will be recycled and will be consistent across Ontario. You will go to Circular Materials Ontario (external link) for information about acceptable recyclable items and how to use the program, or escalate customer service inquiries.

Circular Materials Ontario - Customer service

Miller Waste Systems

Miller Waste Systems, contracted by Circular Materials, will handle curbside collection. You will contact Miller Waste (external link) for customer service inquiries, including reporting a missed collection and how to replace a Blue Box.

Miller Waste Systems – Customer service 

What’s staying the same - same day, same way!

  • Waste collection day
    Collection schedules for all curbside collection, including recycling, remain unchanged.
  • Collection contractor
    Miller Waste Systems, contracted by Circular Materials for blue box, will continue to be the trucks you see in your neighbourhood on collection day.
  • Recycling containers
    You can continue using your existing blue boxes or clear bags for collection.
  • Other waste services
    Halton Region will continue to provide waste management services in the region, including:
    • Residential curbside garbage collection (Includes the ongoing rollout of wheeled garbage carts)
    • Bulk item and metal/appliance curbside collection
    • Green cart (organics) collection and distribution of new carts
    • Leaf and yard waste collection in designated urban areas
    • Commercial garbage and recycling services in designated areas
    • Operation of the Halton Waste Management Site

Stay up to date!

Blue box recycling transition – frequently asked questions

Before December 31, 2025

Please report a missed collection online or call 311.

After January 1, 2026

If your Blue Box wasn’t picked up, please call or email Miller Waste Systems at:

If your Blue Box and Green Cart were both missed for collection, please call Halton Region at 311.

  • Everything stays the same. Use your same Blue Box or clear bags and follow your same collection schedule.
  • You will continue to see the same waste collection trucks in your neighbourhood on collection day and can expect a similar service.
  • Circular Materials Ontario will communicate any changes to service or information.

If you would like to escalate your concern about recycling services, please contact Circular Materials at:

You can request a new, replacement, or additional Blue Boxes through Miller Waste:

Blue Boxes will no longer be available at the Halton Waste Management Site in Milton or the Robert C. Austin Operations Centre in Georgetown.

Halton Region will still distribute Green Carts and Kitchen Carts for organic materials, Wheeled Garbage Carts for residential properties and Wheeled Garbage Carts and Blue Wheeled Carts for designated commercial locations.

The benefit of this Ontario wide recycling program is that acceptable items are consistent across the province.

Accepted materials will vary slightly under the new system. Visit the Circular Materials Ontario website for the most up-to-date list of accepted Blue Box items. 

  • Accepted in Blue Box as of January 1, 2026 (New! Previously Garbage or Green Cart material)
    single use straws | single use plastic cutlery | hot and cold beverage cups | paper egg cartons | single use plates | shredded paper | toothpaste tubes | deodorant tubes | chip bags | cereal liner bags | bubble wrap | foam packaging | empty aerosol containers (e.g. food spray, hair spray, air freshener, shaving cream and deodorant cans) | toilet paper and paper towel rolls | pizza boxes | hand cream tubes | coffee pods | snack wrappers| cookie bags
  • No Longer Accepted in the Blue Box as of January 1, 2026
    Books | Metal pots | Pans | Baking sheets

Get a full list of Acceptable Blue Box items (external link).

  • The new provincial recycling program will use Blue Boxes or clear bags. We will be reaching out to households who have a Blue Cart with information on transitioning back to Blue Boxes for curbside collection and when we will pick up and exchange your Cart back to a Box.
  • Halton Region will continue to roll out the Black Carts for garbage collection and Green Cart for organics as planned.
  • Certain commercial locations, like schools, multi-residential buildings, will continue to have the Blue Cart for recycling.
  • For updates on our Wheeled Cart program, please visit halton.ca/wheeledcarts.

Yes, recycling materials will continue to be accepted at the site. Fees apply to commercial customers.

  • Everything else is the same. You will continue to receive regular garbage, green cart, yard waste and bulk curbside collection from Halton Region.
  • Information about Halton Region waste collection services is available on halton.ca/waste or you can contact us by calling 311 or emailing accesshalton@halton.ca.

Blue box program in 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 (clean, dry and empty)
  • Plastic overwrap (clean, dry and empty)
  • Metal pots, pans and baking sheets
  • Disposable, rigid plastic containers & packaging
  • Plastic plates, cups & coffee lids (no cutlery)
  • Plastic food & beverage containers
  • Plastic bottles
  • Plastic plant pots and trays
  • Boxed beverage containers (Tetra Paks, milk & juice cartons)
  • Empty metal paint cans (dry & lids removed)
  • Aluminum foil/trays, metal food and beverage cans
  • Glass bottles & jars
  • Cardboard cans
  • Boxboard – flattened cereal, detergent, & tissue boxes (plastic liners go in garbage)
  • Newspapers, flyers, paper, magazines, books, envelopes
  • 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 and no earlier than 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.

Public space recycling bins

  • Halton Region has public space recycling bins in the community to help you reduce your waste.
  • Look for the public space recycling bins to properly dispose of bottles, cans, and other recyclables.
  • Together, we can keep our public spaces clean and support a more sustainable Halton!
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