Torontonians are confused about upcoming changes to the city’s recycling system set to start early next year; here’s what you need to know.
Residents are being warned that they will see changes to Toronto’s Blue Bin program by the beginning of next year.
Starting Jan 1, 2026, the City of Toronto will no longer be responsible for collecting recyclables from single-family homes, multi-residential buildings, schools or long-term care facilities. Instead, a non-profit organization will be taking over the job and will be fully responsible for recycling services in these locations.
Some residents have already received notice of the changes, and are taking to social media to understand what it means.
On Reddit, a user shared a photo of a flyer announcing the new Blue Bin program, which confused many residents in the comments.
“After reading that I am even more confused now,” one user said.
“Does this mean we have to save our recycling and go out of our way to take it somewhere else, or does it mean we can call them to come and get it?! Ahhh I don’t understand!” another user added.
“I’m sorry. I read this twice and I don’t really understand why we require stickers,” a different user pointed out.
WHAT DO RESIDENTS NEED TO DO?
Now Toronto spoke to a City of Toronto spokesperson who explained the upcoming changes.
As the city will no longer be responsible for collecting blue bin materials from residential buildings, the service will be managed by a third-party recycling company, Circular Materials.
This non-profit organization helps producers meet Canadian production regulations, and aims to enhance recycling systems, and will be responsible for continuing the recycling collection process in the city.
According to a Circular Materials spokesperson, regular curbside recycling service will continue following the transition, and residents don’t need to contact the new organization for pickup.
But starting Jan. 1, residents will need to contact Circular Materials instead of the city if they have any issues with collection and bin repairs.
However, the city will still be in charge of collecting recyclable materials from commercial locations, including institutions, charities, religious organizations, and public divisions and agencies.
Starting this spring, residents can expect to receive a sticker on their residential Blue Bins, which will contain the contact information for Circular Materials.
Torontonians who live between Steeles Ave. and Lake Ontario to the south, and Victoria Park to the west and Pickering town line to the east will be the first to see the changes, as bin stickers are expected to be distributed in this area starting May 20.
Other areas will receive stickers later in the year, and residents can check out the full schedule for sticker distribution on the city’s website.
Leading up to and after residents get the sticker on their Blue Bins, they are expected to continue placing their bins at the curb, or other regular collection location, as usual based on their recycling schedule.
TRANSITION AIMS TO REDUCE WASTE
According to a spokesperson for Circular Materials, the change in Toronto’s Blue Bin system will ensure that more material can be recycled and greatly reduce waste.
“This new system, operated by Circular Materials, represents the evolution from product stewardship to a more circular economy where materials are collected, recycled and returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging. More material looped into the circular economy means less waste, which not only benefits consumers but also the environment,” the spokesperson told Now Toronto.
The Blue Bin system shift is a result of a new regulation introduced by the Ontario government in 2021 that ordered the transition of the province’s Blue Box Program to full Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
The new program shifts accountability to producers, making them fully responsible for operating, financing and managing recycling of paper, packaging and other products they make in Ontario.
According to the Toronto Environmental Alliance, shifting to EPR brings in a series of benefits. As the program encourages more companies to produce less waste and recycle, potentially driving them to produce more durable products, as they attempt to cut recycling costs.
Several countries across the world operate with EPR, including several in the European Union, like Denmark, Belgium and Austria. The program has also been implemented in some Ontario municipalities, such as Windsor, which started the transition in 2023 and is moving to a full shift by next year.
