Starting on March 3, 2026, Waterloo Region will transition to a recycling system that includes a new collection schedule and recycling boxes.
Recycling collection will move to every other week. To accommodate this change in frequency, two extra recycling boxes will be delivered between January and February. You can start to use the new boxes from March 3.
For questions related to:
Please contact:
Miller Waste
Learn more about recycling collection in Waterloo Region.
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
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.
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.
Glass containers
Clear and coloured glass. Food containers, jars and bottles. Cosmetic containers, spice bottles, oil and vinegar bottles.
✅ Empty and free from food residue.
✅ Lids and caps off.
Plastic containers
Laundry detergent and household cleaner jugs, shampoo, body wash, salad dressing, condiment, dish soap, mouth wash bottles.
✅ Empty.
✅ Lids and caps on.
Plastic food containers
Food trays, salad, yogurt, peanut butter, bakery and egg containers, plastic cups, plastic tubs and lids.
✅ Empty.
✅ Lids and caps on.
Paper laminate containers
Spiral cans, cookie dough package, ice cream containers, and hot and cold beverage cups.
✅ Empty.
✅ Remove lids.
Cartons
Dairy and dairy substitute cartons, molasses and sugar cartons, laundry and cleaning cartons, soup and sauce cartons, coffee cartons.
✅ Rinse and dry.
✅ Lids and caps on.
Aluminum (foils and trays)
Aluminum foil, pie plates, frozen food trays.
✅ Rinse and dry.
✅ Ball up aluminum foil.
Metal
Food cans, metal lids, candle, cookie, coffee and tea tins.
✅ Rinse and dry.
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.
Tubes
Toothpaste tubes, deodorant, hand cream tubes.
Empty.
Lids and caps on.
Small plastic containers
Small item packaging, hand sanitizer bottles, plant pots.
Empty.
Lids and caps on.
Aerosol containers
Food spray, hairspray, air fresheners, shaving cream, deodorant.
Empty.
Lids and caps on.
Please contact Miller Waste:
To support the change in collection frequency, each household will receive two additional blue boxes, providing more space to store recycling between collection weeks.
Your recycling day is changing to align with other waste collection in your area, creating a more efficient and consistent collection system. By coordinating schedules, fewer collection trucks are needed on the road, which reduces traffic and emissions. This change is designed to make recycling simpler for residents while also supporting long-term environmental and operational sustainability.
Yes, you may use your own blue box for recycling collection. The size of the boxes should be between 60 and 90 litres in size.
Residents do not need to accept the additional boxes if they feel they are not required. Boxes can be returned to the Miller offices located at 2138 Eagle Street North, Cambridge.
The additional boxes can be stacked inside one another until the box is required to store material for recycling.
Residents should check their recycling collection calendar issued by Circular Materials for the proper week of collection commencing March 2026. The recycling collection will be on the opposite week of waste collection.
