Waste Drop-off Sites and Programs

Locations and hours

The Region of Waterloo operates two waste management sites (transfer stations) where residents can drop-off various types of waste. Fees apply for all loads. Our locations only accept waste that has been generated within Waterloo Region. Waste from other municipalities is not allowed. Review our Plan Your Visit page for additional information you should know before bringing waste to our sites, and information while on site.

Plan Your Visit: Important Notes

The hours of operation (except for holidays) are for residential customers and do not apply to commercial customers.

Cambridge Waste Management site: 201 Savage Drive, Cambridge

Waterloo Waste Management site: 925 Erb Street West, Gate 2, Waterloo

Hours of operation for residential customers are as follows:

Monday to Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (closed all statutory and designated holidays)

Hours of operation for commercial customers are as follows:

Monday to Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: Waterloo is open from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Cambridge is closed for commercial use.
Holidays: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (commercial customers only)

Gate Access

Determine what gate/site you can access based on your type of vehicle:

Gate 2 at our Waterloo site can only accept small vehicles such as cars, vans, single axle trailers and pickup trucks with a maximum length of 10 metres (35 feet) and total gross weight (combined weight of vehicle and load) of less than 25,000 kilograms (55,000 pounds).
Gate 1 of our Waterloo site can accept vehicles such as pickup trucks with self-tipping and tandem axle trailers, roll-off trucks, dump trucks, and tractor trailers up to 24 metres (80 feet) and weighing up to 80,000 kilograms (176,000 pounds).
Our Cambridge site can accept all kinds of vehicles from cars and pickup trucks to tractor trailers up to 24 metres (80 feet) long and weighing up to 80,000 kilograms (176,000 pounds). If you have a dump trailer, please inform the scale operator and you'll be directed to the tipping floor of our transfer building. Note: This option is not available on Saturdays.

Fees

General Information

There is a minimum $15 fee on all loads. For example, the $15 fee covers up to 125 kilograms of garbage, or about 182 kilograms of recyclables. Note that the minimum fee is in place to partially recover the costs of operating this service and to encourage residents to use their curbside service.

Sort the waste to ensure recyclables get recycled and only garbage goes into our local landfill.
Loads of mixed materials will be charged at the highest rate. For example, if you have garbage and recyclables, you will be charged the garbage rate.
Payment options: Debit, Credit (Visa, Mastercard and American Express) or cash. The credit card must be present at the time of drop off; calling in credit card numbers is not accepted. Garbage tags cannot be used towards payment at our locations
Our sites are closed for residential drop-off on all statutory and designated holidays.

Fees by type of waste product

The fees below come into effect as of April 1, 2026:

General refuse/garbage is charged at $120 per metric tonne.
Garbage requiring special handling (Waterloo site only): $240 per metric tonne. Examples include stumps greater than 60 centimetres (24 inches) in diameter, brush greater than 2.4 metres (8 feet) in length, wire, and Styrofoam.
Asbestos (Waterloo site only): $425 per metric tonne. This material type has special requirements including pre-approval before dropping off.
Recyclables, green bin organics and yard waste (such as brush, leaves) are charged at $82.50 per metric tonne.
Inerts, such as clean fill, bricks, soil and concrete rubble, are charged at $120 per metric tonne. Note: A surcharge rate of $240 per metric tonne applies if concrete rubble contains rebar, wire mesh, or other embedded materials or is in oversized pieces (larger than 3 ft x 3 ft). Oversized inerts are only accepted at the Waterloo (Gate #1) location.
Appliances and scrap metal are charged at $82.50 per metric tonne. For some appliances, a $10 per unit Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) removal fee also applies.
Drywall (gypsum wallboard) is charged at $120 per metric tonne. Painted drywall and wet drywall (from rain or snow) is accepted, as well as metal screws, nails and corner bead. No cement wallboard (often used in bathrooms), wood, plastic, insulation, ceramic tiles and other garbage.
Wooden pallets/skids are charged at $120 per metric tonne. Wooden pallets that are wet (from rain or snow) are accepted. No metal or plastic banding, plastic wrap, and any other garbage. No other wood is accepted.

Our locations only accept waste generated within Waterloo Region. Waste from other municipalities is not allowed.

Blue boxes: additional or exchanges

For any recycling collection inquiries please reach out Miller Waste Systems - Email: area22@millerwaste.ca, Phone: 1-888-852-3450

Access on site differs. For Cambridge, get direction by speaking with staff at the scale house and for Waterloo, Gate #2, go to the Household Hazardous Waste area assistance.

Other services:

Garbage bag tags are sold at the Cambridge and Waterloo (Gate 2) scale houses.
Weighing personal vehicle is charged at $15 per vehicle.
Cooking oil can be dropped off. Maximum 25 litres. Cost: Free
Diapers and incontinence products: Residents who receive our curbside collection can drop off a clear bag containing diapers or incontinence products only to either of the Region's waste management sites. Cost: Free
Household Hazardous Waste includes batteries, paint, medicine, motor oil, syringes and cleaning products.