Starting January 1, 2026, recycling in Petrolia will move to blue boxes for recycling collection. Blue boxes will be delivered to homes in the coming weeks and can be used as of January.
For questions related to:
Please contact:
Emterra
Learn more about recycling collection in Petrolia.
Cardboard boxes
Pizza boxes, direct mail boxes, moving boxes, shoe boxes.
✅ Flatten. No larger than 60 x 60 cm.
Boxboard
Cereal boxes, tissue boxes, egg cartons, rolls from toilet paper and paper towel.
✅ Flatten.
✅ Empty.
Paper laminate packaging
Pet food bags, food service paper bags, and plates.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
Paper laminate containers
Spiral cans, cookie dough package, ice cream containers, and hot and cold beverage cups.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Remove lids.
Cartons
Beverage cartons, juice and milk cartons, coffee creamers, and sugar cartons, soup and sauce cartons.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Keep lids on.
❌ Do not include alcoholic beverage containers.
Paper
Any colour, including flour bags, prescription bags, paper produce bags.
Notepads, white or coloured loose paper, file folders, other printed materials.
Community newspapers, flyers, brochures and magazines.
Greeting cards and envelopes, gift boxes.
✅ Empty.
✅ Place shredded paper in a tied clear plastic bag.
✅ Separate from plastic bags used to cover items, remove elastic bands.
✅ Remove rope handle from bags.
❌ Do not include soft or hard covered books/novels.
Hard plastic containers
Laundry detergent and household cleaner jugs, shampoo, body wash, salad dressing, condiment, dish soap, mouth wash bottles, plastic beverage bottles.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Keep lids on.
❌ Do not include alcoholic beverage containers.
Plastic packaging and containers
Food trays, salad, yogurt, peanut butter, bakery and egg containers, plastic cups, plastic tubs and lids, black plastic containers.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Keep lids on.
❌ Do not include alcoholic beverage containers.
Tubes
Toothpaste tubes, deodorant, hand cream tubes.
✅ Empty and free from residue.
✅ Keep lids on.
Small item plastic packaging
Hand sanitizer bottles, medication bottles, blister packs, plant pots.
✅ Empty and free from food and residue.
✅ Keep lids on.
Flexible plastic packaging
Bags used for dry cleaning, bread, newspapers and flyers. Overwrap (paper towel & toilet paper, beverage containers). Coffee bags or deli pouches, chip bags, bubble wrap, snack wrappers, cereal liner bags, plastic gift bags.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
Foam packaging
Meat trays, takeout containers, cups, plates, bowls, foam packaging for products.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Remove film wrap and absorbent pads from meat trays.
Metal containers
Food cans, metal lids, cookie, coffee and tea tins, beverage cans.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
❌ Do not include alcoholic beverage containers.
Aluminum (foils and trays)
Aluminum foil, pie plates, frozen food trays.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Ball up aluminum foil.
Aerosol containers
Food spray, hairspray, air fresheners, shaving cream, deodorant.
✅ Empty.
✅ Lids on.
❌ Aerosols with toxic, corrosive or flammable symbol are not accepted with the exception of:
Glass containers
Clear and coloured glass.
Food containers, jars and bottles, cosmetic containers, spice bottles, oil and vinegar bottles, non-alcoholic glass beverage containers.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Lids off.
❌ Do not include alcoholic beverage containers.
We recognize the impact of change and thank residents and communities for their continued engagement and participation in recycling through this transition. Resident participation is vital to increasing recycling rates and advancing a more sustainable future.
As part of Ontario’s transition to a new extended producer responsibility (EPR) blue box program, the local recycling collection contractor in Petrolia is changing as of January 1, 2026. The new recycling collection contractor, Emterra, will be using recycling bins, not carts, for recycling collection in Petrolia.
As the administrator of Ontario’s common collection system, Circular Materials follows a standardized procurement process to ensure the fair, effective and efficient provision of services that meets the obligations of the province’s EPR Regulation. Communities’ bin type is determined by their local contractor, based on the contract awarded during the procurement process. Several assessment factors are considered during the procurement process to ensure service delivery meets the needs of residents, the community, and regulatory requirements. Regardless of bin type or collection method, residents can be assured that their efforts to recycle matter and that all post-collection recycling facilities follow standardized sorting processes that align with regulatory performance requirements and result in positive environmental outcomes.
Yes, you may use your own blue box for recycling collection.
The Town of Petrolia is working directly with Waste Management (WM), the Town’s previous recycling collection contractor, to identify a solution for the old recycling carts. More information will be provided by the Town and/or WM, and any inquiries regarding the old recycling carts can be directed to the Town of Petrolia.
