Recycling Collection and Depots

• The City of Thunder Bay’s residential curbside recycling program is now managed by Circular Materials (as of July 1, 2024); Circular Materials is the administrator of the common collection system in Ontario on behalf of producers
• Circular materials has hired GFL Environmental Inc. to provide residential curbside recycling collection services on their behalf in Thunder Bay
• The City is no longer operationally and financially responsible for the residential Blue Box (blue bag) program in the community
• The use of automated recycling carts has begun
• Blue bags for curbside recycling are no longer accepted - place recyclables directly into your cart
• If you are unsatisfied with residential curbside recycling services, please contact Circular Materials' service provider, GFL Environmental Inc., not the City

• GFL continues to provide recycling collection services to residential and multi-residential households
• GFL continues to operate the three existing City-owned residential recycling depots during the transition period between July 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2025
• The City continues to be responsible for all other waste diversion/recycling operations and programs, including recycling collection in parks, municipal facilities and city events
• The City continues to manage the curbside collection of garbage, and Leaf & Yard Waste
  
  
  As of July 1:
  
  

Circular Materials is a national, not-for-profit organization that builds efficient and effective recycling systems in which materials are collected, recycled, and returned to producers to use as recycled content in new packaging and paper.

As the administrator of Ontario’s common collection system, Circular Materials is responsible for operating the new system for Blue Box materials. They are committed to increasing recycling rates across Ontario and ensuring more materials are looped into the circular economy, benefitting both people and the environment.

• The new Blue Box Regulation (amended) shifts the responsibility for providing recycling services, including funding and operation, away from municipalities and onto producers that create products and packaging. This shift includes the curbside recycling collection, materials sorting, processing and recycling of materials, as well as resident education and promotion.
• The shift of all of Ontario’s current municipally run blue box programs to full producer responsibility is being phased in over a three-year period between July 2023 and Dec. 2025.
  
  Learn about EPR in this short video from Circular Materials:
  
  
  
  

• unifying the residential recycling ("Blue Box") programs across Ontario starting in 2026
• potentially decreasing and/or improving packaging
• potentially moving more waste away from the landfill after recovery targets come into effect in 2026 and onward

What time to place recycling cart at the curb

Place your recycling cart at the curb after 4 pm on the day before collection, or before 7 am on the day of collection. It is important to make sure recycling and garbage areat the curb on time. Collection schedules can vary!

How to recycle

Recycling is as easy as 1, 2, 3 with your two-chamber recycling cart!

1. PAPER UNDER THE GREY LID: newspapers, flyers, junk mail, magazines, paperbacks, fine paper, paper food and beverage cartons (egg cartons), boxboard such as cereal boxes. Cardboard must be flattened.
2. CONTAINERS UNDER THE BLUE LID: pop cans, milk cartons, juice boxes, metal cans, all #1 through #7 plastic containers (e.g. drink bottles, soap bottles, salad and fruit containers), glass bottles and jars. Containers must be rinsed of any liquid or food residue.
3. EXCESS CARDBOARD BUNDLED: If you have excess cardboard (large cereal boxes, shoeboxes, clean delivery boxes) that will not fit under the grey lid, bundle it and tie it with twine, and place beside recycling cart for collection. Please do not set out excess carboard bundles unless your grey-lid (paper & cardboard) chamber is full.

Pro tip #1: rinse your containers - do your part to keep the recycling stream clean!

Pro tip #2: remember, single-use bags, plastic film and styrofoam are not allowed in the recycling stream.  

Automated recycling cart pick-up

Position your recycling cart at the side of the street on a flat surface clear of snow and ice, so that the wheels are away from the curb (towards your home). Cart should be at least 3 feet in front of/beside fences or vehicles, and 3 feet from garbage, so that GFL truck can pick it up.

Do not place recycling carts on snowbanks

Waste collection staff cannot collect recycling carts from the top of snowbanks for safety reasons. 

What if I live in an apartment?

Do you live in an apartment or large multi-unit dwelling? Contact your Superintendent for recycling information.

Mountdale Avenue at Walsh Street Recycling Depot

• Across from Westgate High School
• Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 6:30 pm and Saturday 8 am to 4:30 pm
• Closed Sundays and all statutory holidays

Front Street Recycling Depot

• Between McIntyre and Van Horne Streets
• Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 6:30 pm and Saturday 8 am to 4:30 pm
• Closed Sundays and all statutory holidays

City of Thunder Bay Solid Waste & Recycling Facility Recycling Depot

• 5405 Mapleward Road (take the second right after entering the gate, before crossing the scales)
• Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 6:30 pm and Saturday 8 am to 4:30 pm
• Closed Sundays and statutory holidays

Tips for using the recycling depots

• Watch the signs at the depots - bins are labelled for speciic recycling streams
• Only leave recyclables at the depots - take garbage and large items away with you
• For information on disposing of larger items, call 807-625-2195

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Depot location and hours

Location

Solid Waste & Recycling Facility (landfill site), 5405 Mapleward Rd., between Oliver Road and John Street Road.

Hours

Monday to Friday: 8 am - 6:30 pm

Saturday: 8 am - 4:30 pm

Closed Sundays and statutory holidays

What does the HHW Depot accept?

The HHW Depot only accepts special residential waste such as:

• Household cleaners - e.g. drain cleaner, spot remover, oven cleaner, toilet cleaner
• Garden chemicals - e.g. insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers
• Paint, and solvents such as Varsol, paint remover, acetone
• Used motor oil and oil filters (limit of two 5-gallon containers of used oil at any one time)
• Household batteries under 5 kg (note: lithium batteries must be individually bagged or have the positive terminal taped for safe storage)
• Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)
• Empty propane tanks
• Electronic waste

Drop off hazardous waste in its original container, or label all products you bring to the Depot.

Never mix hazardous wastes.

Identifying hazardous waste

Consumers often rely on product labels for information, but labels may not list all ingredients. You can consider a product potentially hazardous if you see these symbols or signal words: Danger, Warning, Poison, Caution, Caustic, Irritant, Volatile.

Products labelled "Danger" are the most hazardous.

Sharps and used medications

Via Canada's Health Products Stewardship Association, Ontarians can return unused or expired medications and sharps, free of charge, to many pharmacies in our community. Collection locations near you. 

How to recycle electronic items

Drop off electronic items at the Household Hazardous Waste Depot at the Solid Waste & Recycling Facility (landfill site). We accept:

• Personal computers, printers, monitors, cameras, external hard drives
• DVD players, VCRs
• Printer ink cartridges
• Video gaming devices
• Audio equipment
• Telephones, including cell phones
• Radios and stereos, including vehicle sound systems
• Headphones
• Speakers
• Security cameras
• Video recorders
• Drones with audiovisual features
• AC adapters ("wall-warts"), cables, power cords and chargers  
• Handheld point-of-sale devices
• Electronic musical instruments

What happens to electronics being recycled?

Ontario Electronic Stewardship funds the collection and consolidation of e-waste in Ontario. Waste is collected and shipped to industries that disassemble and re-use up to 90% of the e-waste components.

Working electronics

Items still in working condition, and not obsolete, can be donated to agencies such as The Salvation Army - just call first to confirm. Check the Yellow Pages of the telephone book under Second-Hand Store or Computers - some local businesses will buy used computers in working condition.