Collection Issues

Top 7 tips to ensure your items are collected

1. Set out your items by 7 a.m. on your collection day. Collection crews start at 7 a.m. and their routes change without notice. 
2. Set out your items as close to the street as possible, in a safe and accessible spot. Items placed behind or on top of snowbanks, or on opposite side of sidewalks cannot be collected.
3. Ensure your items are visible. Please do not place items behind parked cars, light posts, or snowbanks. 
4. Properly sort and prepare your items. Check Waste Whiz, our online search tool, to find out how to prepare specific items for collection. Use this sorting guide. Do not set out hazardous items. 
5. Use approved collection containers. 
6. Stay within the weight limit of 23 kilograms (50 pounds) for each blue box, green bin, garbage bag or can, bundle, and yard waste item. 
7. Stay within the set out limits for garbage and bulky items. If you have garbage bags/cans over the limit, use garbage tags.

Troubleshooting guide to "Oops!" stickers and common collection issues

When an item has been set out on time and not collected, the collection crew will leave a sticker to indicate why it wasn't collected.

Below is a troubleshooting guide that shows each type of sticker, how to deal with items that were not collected, and how to prevent getting a sticker.

Oops! Wrong week:  Garbage, bulky items and appliances, and seasonal yard waste are not collected every week. Bring in your item(s) and put them back out on your next scheduled collection day.

Please note also that Christmas trees have a specific collection period. Check the Holiday/Christmas trees schedule.

Oops! No allowed:  An item may not be allowed due to health and safety issues, by-law requirements, or it may not be something that we collect curbside. Some examples include:

• Bagged recyclable containers (cans, cartons, bottles and jars) in a blue box
• Styrofoam in a blue box
• Regular plastic bags in a green bin
• Electronic waste (not collected at the curb - use local drop-off programs)
• Broken glass, and syringes which are not safe to collect.

Check the Waste Whiz for details on how to properly prepare and dispose of your item.

Oops! Not bundled properly:  Items that need to be bundled, such as cardboard, wood or branches, need to be sized and tied correctly for collection crews to pick up safely and to fit into their trucks.

Check the Waste Whiz for details and properly prepare the bundles for your next collection day.

Oops! Too heavy:  Each blue box, green bin, garbage bag/can, bundle, and yard waste item must be no heavier than 23 kilograms (50 pounds). If your item exceeds the weight limit, split up the material into separate containers/bundles and set out on your next collection day.

Some bulky items and appliances have different weight limits. Please check Waste Whiz for details, and prepare the item for set out (or drop off) according to the instructions provided.

Oops! Too many:  There are limits on the number of garbage cans/bags and bulky items/appliances you can set out for collection.

Please:

• Check the limits for garbage and bulky items.
• Use a garbage tag for each garbage bag/can you set out that is above the limit.
• Bring in the items that were not collected, and set out on your next scheduled collection day within the limits. Option: Bring extra items to a Regional waste management site. Fees will apply.

Oops! Contents were frozen: Items could not be collected because they were frozen to the container at the time of collection. This sometimes happens with green bin organics.

Tip: Ensure your organics are easy to empty out by

• Draining liquids before placing organics in the bin
• Using liner bags (and loosening the liner bag when you set the green bin to the curb)
• Layering paper organics with food scraps
• Placing a paper egg carton or balled up newsprint on the bottom of your green bin.

How to set out items for collection in cold and snowy conditions

Collection crews cannot collect items that are not safe to access, are not visible and are frozen inside of containers. Use these tips to help keep pedestrians, vehicles and our collection crews safe, and collection efficient in cold, snowy conditions:

• Make sure items are easily accessible.

  • Place the items either at the end of your driveway or shovel a ledge in the snowbank near the end of your driveway. Please make sure the ledge or "shelf" is on the road-side, not the sidewalk-side.

  • Do not place items on top of snowbanks.

  • Clear any snow and ice that may accumulate.

• Ensure containers are visible. 

  • If you use garbage bags, use black or green garbage bags. Do not set out garbage in white garbage bags.

  • Do not set items behind snowbanks, parked cars, shrubs or lamp posts.

  • Brush off snow that may accumulate on your items.

• Ensure your organics are easy to empty out of your green bin by:

  • Draining liquids before placing organics in the bin

  • Using liner bags and loosening it from the sides when you set your green bin out for collection

  • Layering paper organics with food scraps

  • Placing a paper egg carton or balled up newsprint on the bottom of your green bin

• Place items out the day of collection by 7 a.m., rather than the night before.

Thanks for helping to make collection safe and efficient.

How to set out items in windy or stormy conditions

• Don't set items to the curb the night before collection if a storm or high winds are expected. Place your items at the curb by 7 a.m. on the day of collection.

• Save lightweight items for your next collection day.

• Prepare your blue box materials so that they do not blow away:

  • Crush containers so they fit better in the blue box, and aren't as easily lifted by wind.

  • Stuff all plastic bags in one bag and tie the handles of the outer bag.

  • Put paper in a plastic grocery bag and tie the handles of the bag.

  • Flatten, size, and bundle all boxes, such as corrugated cardboard.

  • Stack your blue boxes. Place your Paper Products and Plastic Bags blue box on top of your Containers Only blue box.   

• Write your address on your blue boxes, green bin, and garbage can in permanent marker. This makes it easier for them to be returned.

Thanks for preventing litter in our community!

Tips for moving day

Whether you are moving into or out of Waterloo Region, below is information to help prevent collection issues.