Blue Box

What is the two-box sorting system?

The two-box sorting system is when you sort "containers" (cans, cartons, bottles and jars) into one blue box and "paper products and paper bags" (newspaper, flattened and bundled boxes, and bagged bags) into another blue box. 

The advantages of this sorting system are:

1. Convenience.  A larger blue box is allowed for containers. This will help you store and set-out more recyclables in one blue box.
2. Efficiency. Properly sorted blue boxes help collection staff sort into the two compartments of their trucks.

We have stickers to help your household sort recyclables. Please email us your order or call our Customer Service Call Centre at 519-

Why can't all types of packaging be accepted?

Some items cannot go into the blue box because:

• We don't have a processor who can turn it into something else.
• The item may cause health and safety concerns for collection staff. For instance, if you have COVID-19, do not recycle any items that touched your face, such as pop cans and juice cartons. 
• The item is banned from collection.

What happens to my recyclables? Where do they go?

Our collection contractors drop off recyclables at our Nyle Ludolph Materials Recycling Centre, located at 925 Erb Street West (Gate 1), Waterloo. Go to our section explaining about the history and operation of the Nyle Ludolph Materials Recycling Centre.

What do the numbers on plastic containers mean?

The plastic identification symbol tells us the type of plastic an item is made out of, not whether it is recyclable in our program. Some plastic items (such as toys or storage bins) may have these symbols on them, but they can't be accepted in our Blue Box program. (The type of plastic packaging we accept in our program are "containers" - they had to contain something when you purchased the product.)

Please note that Number 6 is Polystyrene. It comes in different forms and some of these forms are not accepted in our Blue Box program. Plastic cutlery, and Styrofoam packing blocks, peanuts, and meat trays are not accepted in our Blue Box program. 

How can I fit more into my blue box?

If your blue box is overflowing with recyclables, it can create litter. Here are some tips to fit more into your blue box:

• Crush or stack metal cans
• Flatten milk and juice cartons
• Flatten plastic bottles (For example, take the lid off of a plastic water bottle, squish the bottle and put the lid back on so it remains flattened)
• Stack paper coffee cups
• Flatten boxes, size, and bundle with twine no larger than 75 x 75 x 20 centimetres (30 x 30 x 8 inches) and place beside your blue box

Why can't I recycle stand-up pouch bags? 

Stand-up pouches are a very common type of packaging, but are not currently accepted in our program.

Stand-up pouches are made with many thin layers of different types of plastic. This makes them strong and lightweight, but it is difficult to separate the layers to recycle. 

Current recycling markets want plastic bags which are made out of only one type of plastic. This allows for the bags to be turned into pellets that have consistent qualities (such as melting temperature). These pellets can then be used to make other products, such as garbage bags. Costly problems are created if different types of plastic/pellets are mixed in, such as holes in garbage bags.

Why aren't bagged containers accepted?

Containers need to be put into the "Containers" blue box loose. Bagged containers

• cannot be processed at our sorting centre since there is no equipment to remove the bags, and
• cannot be marketed/sold. Each type of material (carton, metal, plastic, glass) has to be separated and sent to different end markets/use.

Lids and Labels - on or off?

• Remove a large lid if it is a different type of material than the rest of the container. Examples of this would include removing a metal lid on glass pickle jar, or a plastic lid on a paper coffee cup. This helps each type of material to be recycled separately. For instance, metal lids will get picked up by the magnet at our sorting centre and recycled with steel cans.
• Keep small lids on. If possible, squish the bottle first then replace the lid, to maximize the space in your blue box, and prevent litter.
• Paint cans - remove lids. Paint cans need to be empty and dry and have their lid removed, to ensure they are safe to pick up.
• Labels can stay on. In the early days of recycling programs, labels had to be removed from food and beverage containers, but not anymore. Recycling equipment and processes can now remove labels. 

Can I recycle cardboard cans?

A cardboard can is made out of mixed materials including a metal top and/or bottom, a paper tube, and sometimes a foil peel-away freshness seal and plastic lid. Frozen juice, coffee, and chips are some of the products typically packaged in cardboard cans.

All the different types of materials collected in the Region's Blue Box program have to be sorted and sent to different recycling markets.  If cardboard cans are taken apart,

• Plastic lid:  Recycle with other food/beverage containers
• Metal top/bottom:  Recycle with other food/beverage containers
• Foil peel-away freshness seal:  Put in the garbage
• Paper tube:  Put in the garbage. This type of paper contains a lot of glue and paper mills cannot accept it for recycling.

If cardboard cans are not disassembled, then the can has to be put in the garbage.

Can I use a lid or net to cover my blue box? What about carts?

No, at this time, blue box lids and nets, and carts are not accepted in our Blue Box program.

Background:  Overfilled blue boxes and high winds can create litter and reduce the amount of recyclables collected. To try to find a solution to these issues, municipalities have tested various types of lids and nets on blue boxes. Unfortunately, lids and nets create several challenges and increase collection time and costs. Some of the issues include difficulty in removing, becoming entangled, blowing away after collection, and freezing in cold weather.

In many municipalities, all recyclables are collected together in one cart. While this reduces litter, it affects the quality of the recyclables:

• materials that are difficult to separate, such as glass shards in newsprint
• high levels of unaccepted material (rates can range as high as 25 per cent)

In comparison, the Region of Waterloo's two-box sort system produces quality, marketable recyclables. Our rate of unaccepted material averages between six to eight per cent.

As well, it is important to note that the responsibility for blue box recycling is changing in Ontario, shifting away from municipalities. By the end of 2025, producers of the different types of recyclables are expected to be fully responsible to set up, monitor and report on recycling (Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR). Given this, the Region of Waterloo is not making any changes or additions to our Blue Box program. 

How can I make sure my cardboard is collected? Why do I have to bundle it?

With more deliveries to our homes, we are getting more cardboard. Here are the steps to make sure your cardboard is collectable:

1. Sort: Remove any plastic, foil, or any other non-cardboard items. If the cardboard has large food/grease stains (such as on pizza boxes), tear off the stained part and put it in your green bin. Keep the clean part for your blue box. If the cardboard has any other coatings (such as paint, wax), put it in the garbage.
2. Flatten: Remove tape and staples so you can flatten it. 
3. Size:  Cut down or fold over pieces which are wider or longer than 75 centimetres (30 inches).
4. Bundle:  Stack cardboard no higher than 20 centimetres (8 inches) and tie with string.
5. Set it out beside or in between your blue boxes on your collection day.

Why is this important?

• To fit in the truck compartments. Bundles larger than 75 by 75 by 20 centimetres (30 by 30 by 8 inches) cannot be collected.
• To reduce litter in our community.
• To improve collection efficiency. Bundles are easy to pick up, compared to loose pieces. And cardboard stuffed in a box falls out, and the unflattened box reduces truck capacity. 

Are there other options to recycle it? Yes. Cardboard can be dropped off at the Region's waste management sites (fees will apply). Note: Cardboard has to be flattened to fit through the fence around the bin, but oversized pieces are accepted.

What happens to glass after I put it in the blue box?

In the past, the Region sorted glass by colour to increase the value of the material, and was able to sell glass to recyclers. However markets have changed and recyclers now want paid to receive glass from municipal programs.

Currently, the Region reuses glass. When laying pipe for the landfill gas collection system or building landfill roads, the glass is mixed with rubble, concrete and crushed toilets (more reuse!) and used in place of gravel. This saves money; the Region doesn't have to pay a recycler to take it, and saves about $50,000 each year by not buying gravel. And the Province of Ontario credits the Region of Waterloo with diverting all the glass handled in this way.

We continue to monitor markets for ways to recycle glass, and will make changes when possible.

My blue box wasn't emptied. Why?

There are a number of commons reasons why items are not collected, including by-laws and bans.

If you have concerns about your collection, please use our online form or contact our Call Centre at 519-575-4400, available 24 hours a day, every day.