Waste Collection Requirements
This page provides information about the residential waste collection services that the Region of Waterloo offers eligible residents within Waterloo Region (City of Cambridge, City of Kitchener, City of Waterloo, Township of North Dumfries, Township of Wellesley, Township of Wilmot, Township of Woolwich).
To report a collection concern:
- Crews start collecting at 7 a.m. and have into the evening to collect.
- Check to see if collection crews left behind an Oops sticker to indicate a problem.
- If there is no sticker, your items were set out by 7 a.m., and it's into the evening, keep your items at the curb and complete the online form. Include your email address and/or phone number so staff can follow-up with you.
- If you would prefer to call, you can contact our 24/7 Customer Service Call Centre at 519-575-4400.
Is your address eligible for curbside waste collection?
Use Waste Whiz to find out if you are eligible to receive our waste collection services. Select the Calendar tab and type in your address in the search box. If you are eligible, your collection schedule will be listed. If you are not eligible, contact your landlord or property manager to find out what waste collection services they have set up.
Are you an off-campus student?
If you are a post-secondary student living off-campus, contact your landlord, they are responsible to orientate you to waste collection systems at your building and provide you with the correct containers. All curbside waste collection rules and information outlined below and on this website apply to off-campus homes that receive our curbside waste collection services.
Collection services |
The Region of Waterloo's curbside waste collection services focus on residential waste.
2. Apartments over six units and other townhouse complexes may be eligible for our Blue and Grey Cart recycling program. 3. Schools: May qualify for our cart-based programs for recyclables and organics. Go to our Cart page for more information. Download our free Waste Whiz app to set reminders, receive collection alerts, and have the handy item search box at your fingertips. And there's a fun sorting game to play, too! |
Collection rules |
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Collection during the holidays |
Curbside waste collection continues on all holidays except for Christmas Day and New Years Day. When these days fall on weekdays, collection will be delayed. We will advertise the holiday collection schedule on our website, on social media and through our Waste Whiz app. Our waste management sites and offices are closed on all statutory and designated holidays. After certain holidays (January 1, Easter, Thanksgiving, and December 25), double the amount of garbage can be set out. For details, please go our garbage page. Tree-cycle from January 2 to 13, 2023: For two weeks after Christmas Day, we collect natural Christmas trees (which we chip into mulch).
Disposal options after our special Christmas tree collection program has ended:
What about artificial trees? If you set an artificial tree to the curb, it will be collected as a bulky item. |
Collection in a construction zone |
For new developments, project managers are responsible to work with our staff to ensure the development meets our waste collection guidelines and our collection crews can safely and efficiently collect waste. At times, new homes may be occupied, but due to the road conditions and other factors, our collection crews cannot provide service. In these cases, the developer is responsible to manage waste set out.
As well, when streets are under construction for watermain replacement, resurfacing or other reasons, waste collection vehicles cannot safely or directly access the items you set out. Managers of the construction project are responsible to arrange changes to waste collection with our staff, and provide you with instructions. In most cases, construction crews will move all the waste to certain location(s) on adjoining streets which are accessible to our collection crews. If you are living in a construction zone, please
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Collection update: COVID-19 |
Curbside waste collection continues as scheduled and our drop-off sites are open during regular hours. However, there are some changes to our programs and services. See details below. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we are trying to protect the wellbeing of residents and workers. At our Waste Management sites:
For waste collection:
By bagging all garbage and green bin organics, you are helping to reduce the exposure of collection crews to waste materials. Thank you! |
Collection issues: Oops stickers |
Oops stickers are an educational tool to help inform residents of an issue and help guide them. Check the Waste Whiz search tool for sorting and preparation details and download our Waste Whiz app to access to your calendar and get reminders. Pink = Not allowed An item may be not allowed for collection because it is unaccepted in our system, improperly prepared, health and safety issues or there may be By-law requirements. Blue = Not bundled properly Items like cardboard, lumber, branches and carpet have to be cut to size and tied correctly so that collection crews can pick them up safely and to ensure bundles can fit into their trucks. Turquoise = Too heavy Each blue box, green bin, garbage bag/can, bundle and yard waste bag/can must be no heavier than 23 kilograms (50 pounds). Consider splitting up the material in separate containers/bundles and set out on your next collection day. The maximum weight for a bulky item is 90 kilograms (200 pounds). Some items such as pool tables, cast iron bathtubs and pianos, exceed the weight limit and are not collected at the curb. Green = Wrong/missing green bin bag or liner Placing green bin material in paper or certified compostable bag ensures that:
When placing bins curbside remember to twist or roll bags shut. Green bins with incorrect liner bags or in the case of exposed pet waste, will be stickered and left behind. Purple = Too many This sticker is used when the limit for garbage bags/cans or bulky items has been exceeded. Please,
Orange = Contents were frozen Items were frozen to the container at the time of collection. This sometimes happens with blue box items and green bin organics.
Yellow = Wrong week Garbage, bulky items and seasonal yard waste are not collected every week. Remove your item(s) from the curb and put them back out on your next scheduled collection day. Christmas trees have a specific collection period. Check the holiday section for details. |
Moving out tips |
Plan ahead. We know it’s a busy time for you, but please figure out what you need to set to the curb or donate ahead of time.
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Windy weather setout tips |
Thanks for preventing litter in our community! |
Summer setout tips |
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Winter setout tips |
Use the following tips to help keep pedestrians, vehicles and our collection crews safe, and collection efficient in cold and snowy conditions:
Ensure items are visible:
Make your green bin easy to empty out:
Place items out the day of collection by 7 a.m., rather than the night before. Consider not setting out your waste during major snow events. Remove your empty containers promptly. Prevent them from getting buried with snow, blowing around or damaged. Make sure your address is written on your containers, too! Please note:
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Should I share a stop with my neighbour? |
When you share a stop, you are placing your waste items beside your neighbour's items. This can be helpful if there's limited curbside space. And it is appreciated by collection crews since each of them make approximately 1,000 stops each day. However, with limits on garbage and bulky items, items over the limit could be stickered and left behind by collection crews.
Here are some tips to make sharing a stop work:
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Frequently asked questions for Curbside Waste Collection Changes:
A new curbside waste collection contract is required by March 2026 to align with the end of the existing contract. Currently, service providers are experiencing lead times of two years or more to obtain new collection vehicles. This means that the new waste collection contract should be awarded in late 2023 or early 2024, so the service provider has adequate time to have resources in place for March 2026.
What are the challenges with our current manual waste collection program? |
There are on-going and evolving changes to the waste industry with major challenges around staff recruitment and retention for manual waste collection. Specifically, challenges exist due to:
Based on industry research, it will be difficult to receive competitive bids from service providers to continue to provide manual waste collection for garbage and organics. |
What are the benefits by converting to automated cart collection for garbage and organics? |
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How will bulky items, yard waste and Christmas trees be collected? |
Items such as bulky or large metal items, yard waste and Christmas trees will continue to be collected manually due to the variable quantity of waste and size limit of a cart for large items. |
Why is the Region looking to change the collection schedule from five days to four days? |
Changing waste collection from five days (Monday to Friday) to four days (Tuesday to Friday) will:
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Why is the Region looking to use alternative fuels to power the fleet? |
Alternative fuel sources such as compressed natural gas or renewable natural gas will be recommended:
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Who will receive waste collection services? |
Service levels will remain the same for single-family homes, duplexes, 3 to 6 unit buildings, and multi-family units and townhouses that meet truck-access criteria. Staff will examine the level of service for curbside waste collection for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional properties that currently receive curbside collection and report back to Committee with options for consideration. |
What other municipalities in Ontario use automated cart collection? |
Many municipalities collect their waste with carts. Some examples are: |
Curbside Waste Collection Changes Related Council Reports |
February 7, 2023 - Curbside Waste Collection Changes |
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