Recycling Has Changed. Here’s What to Know

We are now about two weeks into a major change in how recycling is collected in Toronto, and I want to speak plainly with you about what has happened, what has not worked, and what this new system actually means for residents.

Since January 1, recycling in Toronto has officially stopped being a City-run service. I know that for many of you, this change has not been smooth. My office has heard from residents whose recycling was missed more than once, whose blue bins were damaged, and who struggled — or were unable — to reach Circular Materials for help. Especially around the holidays I know how disruptive missed pick ups can be. That level of service is not acceptable. I share your frustration, and I want to be clear that City Council shares it as well.

What makes this situation particularly challenging is that, under provincial law, and because this is a private collection company, the City, and your local councillor, no longer has the authority we once did to step in and fix these problems directly. That does not mean we stop pushing, escalating, or advocating on your behalf, but it does mean the system has fundamentally changed.

Why the Blue Box Program changed

This shift did not originate at City Hall. It is the result of provincial legislation — the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act and the Blue Box Regulation — which fundamentally restructured how recycling works across Ontario.

As of January 1, 2026, recycling moved to a system called Extended Producer Responsibility, meaning it is no longer municipally operated.

What Extended Producer Responsibility means

Extended Producer Responsibility means that the companies that produce packaging and paper products are now fully responsible for collecting, managing, and paying for recycling. The goal is to move costs away from municipalities and taxpayers, encourage less wasteful packaging, and standardize recycling across Ontario.

As of January 1, producers are fully responsible for residential recycling collection and customer service — including missed pickups, damaged or missing bins, and questions about what can be recycled.

These are laudable goals, but the early rollout has clearly had a negative impact on service for residents.

The City of Toronto did negotiate with the Province to maintain municipal collection of recycling, to preserve the service standards residents are used to and rely on.

Ultimately, however, the Province awarded responsibility for residential recycling to a private organization — Circular Materials — as part of its move to a fully producer-run system.

Who Circular Materials is

Circular Materials is a non-profit Producer Responsibility Organization created and governed by producers of packaging and other forms of recyclable waste. It is legally responsible for operating the Blue Box Program in Toronto and across Ontario, including contracting private collection companies and providing customer service.

Circular Materials does not work for the City, and the City does not direct its day-to-day operations.

What role the City has now

The City of Toronto continues to collect garbage, Green Bin organics, yard waste, and recycling in parks and public spaces. However, the City no longer manages residential recycling operations and no longer has the authority to dispatch trucks, enforce service standards, or resolve missed recycling collection.

While the City does not have a legislated role in communicating Blue Box operational details, we are continuing to work with Circular Materials to ensure residents have access to clear information and to raise concerns when service is falling short. My office is actively escalating patterns and systemic issues, even though the tools available to us are far more limited than before.

What residents are seeing at the curb

For most households, the collection day has not changed. Recycling and garbage continue to alternate bi-weekly, and Green Bin collection remains weekly. In some areas — including parts of Don Valley North — the week that recycling and garbage alternate has changed, and impacted households were notified directly.

Residents may also notice some practical, on-the-ground differences with how collection is happening. One of the most common concerns I’ve heard, and experienced myself, is that recycling pickup is occurring at very different times of day. During the first week of pickup on my street, recycling was not collected until after 7:00 p.m.

That kind of unpredictability is frustrating for several reasons. Like many of you, when I came home from work and saw my bin still at the end of the driveway, my first thought was that it had been missed entirely. And especially in winter, having bins sitting out all day can make getting in and out of your parking space more difficult and less safe.

I am hopeful that as the new service provider becomes more familiar with routes and schedules, pickup times will become more predictable and consistent.

What residents need to do differently

For day-to-day set-out, nothing has changed. Please continue to follow your collection schedule.

The biggest adjustment is who you contact when something goes wrong.

Who to contact for recycling issues

As of January 1, all residential recycling issues must be directed to Circular Materials — not 311.

Circular Materials📞 1-888-921-2686🌐 circularmaterials.ca/toronto

Contact them for:

• Missed recycling collection

• Broken or missing blue bins

• Questions about acceptable materials

If you have contacted Circular Materials and your issue has not been resolved, please let my office know. While we cannot fix individual collections ourselves, we are documenting ongoing service failures and escalating broader concerns directly.

This is one of the biggest changes to municipal services we’ve seen in decades. While Extended Producer Responsibility may offer long-term benefits, the service disruptions many of you are experiencing right now are not acceptable. I will continue pressing for improvements, transparency, and accountability.

Thank you for your patience, and for continuing to flag issues when the system isn’t working as it should.

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