(This post was originally shared on my Substack newsletter.)
Here’s part of an email I received from a Stittsville resident named Vince back in June:
“I would just like to register my dissatisfaction with this 3 bag garbage limit nonsense. Our household of four generally uses 2 bags per week so I wasn’t so concerned about the policy.
We purchased a new bed which had a lot of styrofoam resulting in 3 extra bags which were not picked up. The foam is not heavy and very compressible in that big truck… I understand the inconvenience of this is minor but it is a new annoyance which just did not have to happen at all.”
Vince’s story will probably resonate with anyone in Ottawa who has purchased large furniture or appliances recently. They come with a lot of packaging, especially styrofoam. Foam is not currently accepted as a recycling item, and packaging from large items goes straight to the landfill.
That problem will be solved on January 1, 2026, when Ontario launches a new provincial recycling program. Foam packaging, plastic bags and overwrap, and toothpaste tubes are among the expanded list of items that will be accepted in the blue bin.
Under new “producer responsibility” regulations from the province, the responsibility for collecting and processing recycling across Ontario will shift from municipalities to producers of paper and packaging. (This also means that everyone in Ontario will be able to recycle the same materials, regardless of where they live.)
A new not-for-profit organization called Circular Materials will manage the program and you can see a list of eligible materials here.
In Ottawa:
- Circular Materials has contracted Miller Waste to collect the blue and black bins.
- The City of Ottawa will continue to collect garbage, green bins, yard waste, and special consideration pick-ups.
- You can continue using your existing standard-sized blue and black bins.
- All of the items will be collected on the same day, but collection may occur at a different time than usual.
- A new contact number for recycling-related services (like a broken bin or missed collection requests) will be announced soon.
The goal of shifting responsibility to producers is to promote packaging innovation, reduce waste, and ultimately lower costs for consumers and taxpayers.
Back to Vince’s furniture packaging:
- The new program shifts responsibility for managing foam packaging from Vince to the producer.
- Vince won’t have to exceed his 3-item garbage limit.
- The foam stays out of the municipal landfill.
- Since the manufacturer will pay for the recycling cost, they will have an incentive to find more environmentally-friendly – and less expensive – ways to package their products.
- Lower-cost packaging is a competitive advantage for the manufacturer, and should help keep consumer costs down over time.
Ottawa residents are already sending substantially less to the landfill, and my hope is that this expanded recycling program will reduce that even further.