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Recycling

For issues regarding recycling collection or for blue boxes, please call Emterra at 1-888-597-1541.

Responsibility for the collection of recyclables is provided by Circular Materials. For issues with missed or incomplete collection, please contact Emterra directly at 1-888-597-1541. If you are not able to resolve your recycling issues with Emterra, please direct all concerns to Circular Materials at customerservice@circularmaterials.ca or 1-877-667-2626.

Recycling is one way that we contribute to environmental sustainability and reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill, which in turn decreases long-term costs by extending the life of the landfill site. Recyclable materials are not accepted in garbage collection.

Materials sorting

Your recyclables are sorted into two streams – a containers box and a paper box. To find out what goes where, you can search with our interactive sorting wizard below.

We request that all containers be kept loose in your blue bin for collection. Bagged containers create a major problems at the processing plant, including de-bagging and increased contamination. Any bagged containers will be left uncollected at the curb. Please use blue boxes for recycling.

If you need to bag containers, these should be taken to the Drop-Off Depot at 390 Pido Rd. and emptied.

Accepted items

  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Steel and aluminium cans, aluminium foil and pie plates
  • All plastic food and beverage containers
  • Food and beverage cartons (e.g., milk, juice and soup containers) and coffee cups (lids go into the garbage)
  • Empty paint and aerosol cans

Tips

Do

  • Keep all containers loose
  • Rinse containers if they are excessively soiled
  • Flatten containers whenever possible
  • Remove lids from coffee cups – the lids are garbage

Don't

  • Bag containers, keep them loose
  • Put in ceramics, china or non-container glass
  • Put in Tupperware-type containers
  • Put in styrofoam

Accepted items

  • Newspaper, magazines, novels
  • Cardboard, boxboard, file folders
  • Office paper, envelopes
  • Film plastic
  • Inner tubes from wrapping paper
  • Brown bags

Tips

Do

  • Bundle and tie loose cardboard
  • Put light items on the bottom so they won't blow out
  • Place paper items in a grocery bag to reduce blowing. Shredded paper can be placed in a clear or transparent blue bag and tied at the top to prevent to materials from spilling or blowing and creating litter
  • Stuff all plastic bags into one bag and tie the top of the bag to prevent contents from spilling

Don't

  • Put in waxed cardboard
  • Put in paper towels or tissues
  • Put in chip bags, cheese wrappers or stretch wrap

You should put out recycling no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before your collection day and no later than 7 a.m. the morning of your collection. 

Blue boxes shouldn't be any heavier than 22 kg (50 lbs) when full. Please use only proper blue boxes (22-, 16- and 6-gallons) for setting recyclables to the curb for collection.

Collection schedule and sorting tool

You can use the online tool below to find the day of your collection schedule, changes due to holidays, whether a particular item is recyclable in Peterborough, and how your blue box materials need to be sorted.

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Material Recycling Facility

The Material Recycling Facility at 390 Pido Rd. is open to drop off recyclables 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Contact Us

City Hall
500 George St. N.
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3R9

Phone: 705-742-7777
Toll Free: 1-855-738-3755
Email Us

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