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Recycling bin mascot imageApartment recycling

If your apartment is participating in the recycling program, blue recycling bins will be in a central location on the building property. If you are not sure where they are located, check with your building manager.

All multi-family dwellings now have no-sort collection. Your blue bins are marked to indicate they can accept any recyclables - containers, paper products and glass. Don't sort them. Don't tie them. Just empty them and toss them in loose. And no plastic bags.

You can recycle:

Containers recycling image
  • plastic containers with a recycling triangle on the bottom, including all bottles, pails, tubs, and jugs
  • aluminum drink cans
  • steel (tin) food cans
  • milk and juice cartons
  • juice boxes
recycling triangle
Paper recycling image
  • newspapers and inserts, flyers and junk mail
  • magazines, phone books, household paper, shredded paper and envelopes
  • cardboard egg cartons and paper tubes
  • flattened cardboard, no more than 1 metre in any direction, e.g., cereal, cracker, tissue, laundry, shoe and packing boxes
Glass recycling image
  • glass jars and bottles (clear and coloured).
    Warning: Bins may contain broken glass. Use caution when placing items in bins.

Common items you can't recycle:

  • plastic bags, plastic packaging and cellophane
  • household hazardous waste containers, such as antifreeze, motor oil, windshield washer fluid, bleach, pesticide or herbicide. You can identify many hazardous waste products by the danger symbols (e.g., corrosive, explosive, poison and flammable)
    Corrosive, explosive, poison and flammable hazardous waste symbols
  • aluminum foil or foil pie plates
  • foil or foam takeout food containers
  • foam packaging, foam egg cartons or foam meat trays
  • mirrors, window glass or light bulbs
  • drinking glasses, ceramics or cookware

Recycling tips:

  • Don't put plastic bags into any of the bins and don't put your recyclable items in plastic bags.
  • Don't leave any items on the ground.
  • Don't tie materials together as the processing facility can't remove bags, string, wire, etc.
  • Put your recyclable items loosely into the appropriate bins. This ensures that your recycling becomes a new product and not garbage.
  • Leave lids on containers, caps on bottles, staples in paper, labels on containers and windows in envelopes.
  • Give your containers a quick rinse to get rid of bacteria and odours.
  • Crush plastic bottles, milk jugs and milk and juice cartons to leave more room in the bins.
  • The bins are emptied on the same day each week.

Recycling cart photoIf a cart is damaged during collection, the City pays for repairs or replacement. Property owners are responsible for all other cart maintenance, repair or replacement costs. Contact 311 for replacement parts or carts.

If your building does not have recycling services, contact your property manager or take your recyclables to one of our conveniently located recycling depots. They're open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Information on recycling depots is also available by calling the recycling and garbage information line at 986-8888, code 9819 or contacting 311.

For more information on apartment recycling, call the recycling and garbage information line at 986-8888, Code 9818 or contact 311.

Large recycling cart mascot image Recycling
Good for our city,
Good for our planet.

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This page was last updated on August 12, 2009