Landfill

Private vehicle procedure

If you are only using the recycling, hazardous waste and e-waste areas, you don't have to cross the scales and there is no charge.

Take the second right after entering the facility from Mapleward Road to access the household recycling, household hazardous waste and e-waste depots.

If you have other items, you'll need to drive through the scales.

In compliance with Ontario Regulations, all vehicles coming to the main landfill site must be weighed in and out. Residential vehicles including cars, vans and half-ton trucks must stop at the public weigh scale kiosk to be weighed in before proceeding to the main landfill site.

After passing the scales, keep right and your next stop is the public drop-off area where you'll find bins for metals, tires, bulky items, clean wood, and garbage. You can drive from bin to bin, depositing waste into the appropriate area. Attendants are on hand to provide advice, but customers must sort and separate their loads before leaving home.

If you have leaf and yard waste, leave the public drop-off area, turn right, and drive to the leaf and yard waste area on your left near the main landfill tipping face, to deposit your leaf and yard waste.

You will return to weigh scale kiosk be weighed out and pay your tipping fee (minimum $10 for up to 120 kg - see "Tipping Fees" below).

Commercial vehicle procedure

Commercial vehicles, including City waste packers, proceed directly to automated commercial scales by taking the first right upon entering the facility from Mapleward Road. This traffic flow improves efficiency, reduces wait times for all users, and encourages recycling and proper waste management.

Tipping fees

Loads weighing up to 120 kg: $10

Non-hazardous solid waste over 120 kg: $91.89 per tonne

Non-hazardous (approved) contaminated soil: $45.17 per tonne

Revenues from these fees finance the operation of the landfill site. Correct change is appreciated. You may pay by cash, debit, MasterCard or Visa.

View the Non-profit Organizations Waiver of Tipping Fees Application Form (PDF).

Sort and secure your load!

Before leaving home, please sort your load so that you can easily deposit non-garbage items into the following areas and appropriate bins at the landfill site:

• Recycling Depot - paper, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, tetra-packs, milk cartons, aluminum or metal cans, all #1 through #7 plastic containers (e.g. drink bottles, soap bottles, salad and fruit containers). Containers must be rinsed of any liquid or food residue.
• Household Hazardous Waste Depot, and E-Waste (electronic waste) Depot
• Public Drop-off Area Bins: garbage, metal (anything containing metal), scrap tires, bulky items (like mattresses), etc.
• Leaf and Yard Waste Area

If recyclable or compostable material is brought in with regular garbage, it must be clearly separated from the garbage on the load.

Always take the time to tarp and secure your load before you leave home. Unsecured loads are subject to fines through the Highway Traffic Act.

What is and isn't accepted at the landfill

Accepted

• Only garbage generated within the District of Thunder Bay is accepted at the landfill site
• Any scrap metal can be recycled. Any item with metal in it should be placed in the "Metals" bin. Freezers, air conditioners and refrigerators contain recyclable metals and must display a tag or notice signed by a certified technician indicating that the fluorocarbons (Freon, R-12, CFCs, HCFCs or HFCs) have been removed. Once cleared at the kiosk, these items can be left in the "Metals" bin at the Public Waste Disposal area.
• Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs can be recycled free of charge at the facility's Household Hazardous Waste Depot during regular landfill hours.
• Empty, dry paint cans should be deposited in the metal laydown area. Partial cans of paint and all other household hazardous waste can be deposited free of charge at the Household Hazardous Waste Depot.
• There is no longer a surcharge for the disposal of scrap tires. A drop-off bin for tires is located in the Public Drop-off Area. Visit the Ontario Tire Stewardship website for more information on tire collection locations.
• Management of asbestos waste is subject to specific Regulations under Ontario's Environmental Protection Act. The Solid Waste and Recycling Facility currently accepts asbestos provided certain conditions are met. For more information on disposal, contact the Supervisor – Landfill Operations at 625-3392. 

Not Accepted

• Non-tagged freezers, refrigerators, dehumidifiers or air conditioners

A cleaner, greener facility

The Solid Waste & Recycling Facility reflects our community's commitment to sustainable and progressive management of waste and recycling. 2009 enhancements include improved traffic flow and new directional signage, a new administration centre, weigh-scale kiosk and expanded recycling and household hazardous waste areas.

"Green" components of the new site were developed using the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design principles. Features such as solar wall cladding, energy-efficient equipment and water-conserving plumbing reduce environmental impact.

Landfill gas

The City has partnered with Thunder Bay Hydro (now Synergy North) to build a power generating station and heat recovery system that uses the methane gas produced from decaying organic materials as fuel. Thunder Bay Hydro Renewable Power Inc. now operates this plant on land leased from the City at the Mapleward Road Solid Waste & Recycling Facility.

The 3.2 megawatt power generation plant draws methane gas to fuel two engine-driven generator sets and is designed to generate enough electricity to power 2,000 houses.

The project annually converts 263 million cubic feet of methane gas that would otherwise be released into the environment.