Publications and Resources

Blue box

• Using the blue box brochure 
• History of the blue box factsheet
• What happens to glass after I put it in the blue box?

Cart recycling (for schools and multi-unit buildings)

• Blue and Grey Cart recycling brochure 
• Blue and Grey Cart recycling posters (3 - Containers, Paper products and bags, Cardboard)
• Blue box what goes where instructional poster
• Recycle that inspirational poster (Children)
• Recycle that inspirational poster (Adult) 
• Green cart brochure 
• Green bin instructional poster for primary schools
• Green bin instructional poster for schools

Garbage collection

• Garbage weight and size restrictions 

Green bin

• Using the green bin brochure
• Green bin set up flyer
• Green bin liners flyer
• Keeping pests out of your green bin flyer
• Managing pet waste flyer
• Make your own kitchen container liner

Yard waste

• Yard waste collection begins the week of April 13. See Yard Waste collection schedule or go to our Yard Waste page for more information.

Landfill operations

• Closed landfills factsheet 
• Landfill gas to energy factsheet
• Environmental controls factsheet
• Banned material information
• User fee schedule - residential, commercial

Resources for landlords and property managers

• Collection standards
• Information notice for landlords
• Page for property owners and managers

Environews

Fall 2019

Spring 2019

Fall 2018

Spring 2018 

Fall 2017

Spring 2017

Fall 2016

Waste Management Division electronic newsletter

May 2020

April 2020

March 2020

February 2020

January 2020

December 2019

November 2019

October 2019

September 2019

August 2019

July 2019

June 2019

May 2019

April 2019

March 2019

February 2019

January 2019

Waste Management Master Plan

Our latest Waste Management Master Plan (WMMP) was approved by Regional Council in November, 2013, after extensive research, and public consultation (including an online survey and public information sessions). We needed a new WMMP given the majority of the original 1986 WMMP had been implemented.

Our WMMP provides a guideline on:

• new ways to divert (reduce, reuse and recycle) waste from our one-and-only landfill, and
• long term, sustainable option for dealing with garbage, after our landfill closes in about 15 years. Note:  We adopted a waste hierarchy that includes “Recovery” and considers recovery of energy and resources above landfilling.

The lists of priorities and options in this master plan still require individual, detailed implementation plans, budgets and approval by Regional Council.

To date, we have made good progress on our WMMP:

1. March, 2017:  We implemented curbside collection policy changes to increase diversion including garbage bag/can limits, bi-weekly garbage collection, standardized Regional residential waste collection in all seven area municipalities, and a “user pay” program (garbage tags), and standardized the Regional waste by-law.
2. June, 2018:  Drywall and wooden pallet recycling drop-off programs started at our transfer stations.
3. We have started investigating thermal technology options for residual garbage, established an inter-municipal working group to explore potential partnership opportunities, and continue to pursue opportunities with the Water Services Division to maximize synergies for processing and disposal of residual waste and biosolids.

Future plans include:

• Investigate waste diversion options for multi-unit buildings (expected between 2019 to 2021)
• Modifying depot drop-offs (design work is underway for our Waterloo site)

Reports and documents

• Final Master Plan report (2MB)* which includes the Waste Reduction and Diversion Study (3 MB)* These historical documents are not in an accessible format
• E13-127* Waste Management Master Plan:  Final Study Report to Planning and Works Committee November 12, 2013, approved by Regional Council on November 20, 2013 (see the minutes* starting on page 13)
• TES-WMS-15-01*:  Waste Management Master Plan Implementation Update, February 3, 2015 
• TES-WMS-16-05*:  Waste Management Master Plan Update, Completion of Thermal Treatment and Energy Recovery for Residual Waste Management Feasibility Study (Consultant Presentation), June 14, 2016

*Documents available in accessible format upon request.

1.  Virtual Tour:

This amazing virtual tour will take you “behind the scenes” in our Nyle Ludolph Materials Recycling Centre and landfill area at our Waterloo site. Take your time, move your cursor right, left and all the way around for an in-depth view of the different areas. To really bring the video alive, watch it with virtual-reality goggles.

During the video tour, you will see symbols:

When you click on the camera icon, it will take you to a photo with a written description.

When you click on this icon, a video will play.

Also, there are may viewing points inside the Nyle Ludolph Materials Recycling Centre. Below is a map to help you navigate them. 

2. Fly-over video of our Waterloo landfill operations:

3. Video on recycling plastic bags in the "Paper" blue box:

4.  Video on recycling containers in the "Containers only" blue box:

5.  Video about what can't be recycled in the Blue Box program:

6.  Video on how to use garbage tags:

7.  Video on handling disposable diapers: 

8. Video about where garbage goes:

 9.  Video about our blue box materials sorting facility: