Weekly Curbside Blue Box collection is provided to all residential and commercial properties located on existing residential collection routes. Commercial properties wanting to participate in the curbside collection program should contact the Operations Department - Public Works at 519.44BRANT (2.7268), to confirm if they are on an existing route.
Blue Box material and other divertable materials are also accepted for drop off at the Biggars Lane Landfill and Paris Transfer Station; please refer to Landfill and Transfer Station page for more details.
Please set out your acceptable blue box materials at the curbside by 7:00 am on your collection day.
Blue Box are available for $6 at any County of Brant Customer Service Office or Solid Waste Facility. A complimentary free Blue Box is provided to the owner of “Newly Built” single residential properties. Please contact our offices at 519.44BRANT for more information.
Guidelines and Restrictions
Check out our guidelines and related information about the blue box system here with Blue Box Do's and Don'ts. |
The County of Brant Recycling Program
Did you know …?
- County of Brant residents are able to put all of their acceptable blue box materials together loose, or co-mingled, into their blue box. No sorting of materials is required. The table below lists examples of materials which “Do” and materials which “Do Not” go into the County of Brant blue box.
- Recycling markets are commodity markets, driven by the supply and demand of products made from recycled materials. By purchasing products with “post-consumer” recycled content, you will be creating greater demand for the materials which go in your blue box. You will also be creating a demand for new products containing post-consumer recycled content. This helps to create a self-sustaining, circular program.
- The blue box recycling program is currently funded in part by the County and by the “producers and first importers” of the packaged foods and household products that you use every day. For more information on upcoming changes to the blue box program, visit www.rpra.ca.
- The collection and processing of acceptable blue box materials transforms those materials into new products. This helps to extend the life of our landfill, which is both an environmentally and financially positive practice to adopt and promote. Take the time to educate yourself about what materials are acceptable in our blue box program. See the table below.
- “Not everyone knows that Ontario is the birthplace of the Blue Box. The world’s first curbside recycling program made its official debut in Kitchener in 1981. Since then, Ontario’s Blue Box has become a blueprint for recycling programs in more than 150 countries around the world, and has received awards for its healthy curbside appetite.” Full story at https://stewardshipontario.ca
- Recycle right! When you place a non-recyclable item in the blue box, it simply goes on a long and expensive trip to a landfill. Contamination in the blue box only reduces the effectiveness of the recycling program. For examples of the types of products that are made from your acceptable blue box materials, please visit www.rpra.ca.
- Remember, the 3Rs - Reduce Reuse and Recycle, all contribute to waste diversion. We all have the choice of purchasing items that use less packaging (Reduce), or buying items that can be used again (Reuse), or thirdly to Recycle materials rather than dispose of them. With these three options available to us, we all have some control over the effectiveness and the costs of our municipal waste management programs.
- Composting is a great way to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Composting generates a nutrient rich soil amendment, is easy to do, and your lawn and garden will love it.
Blue box collection Dos and Don’ts:
- Do… have your materials placed at the curbside by 7:00 am on your collection day to ensure collection.
- Do… try to put out your blue boxes only when they are full.
- Do… remember to check the County of Brant website regularly for changes to the blue box program.
- Do… Watch the weather! Bring your blue box out the morning of your collection day (by 7:00 am), to avoid materials getting wet overnight by rain and snow, or the contents getting blown around by wind.
- Do… secure cardboard that is too big to fit loose in the blue box with masking tape, packing tape or light string. (Maximum bundle size is 0.8 m x 0.8 m x 0.25 m (32” x 32” x 10”).)
- Do… remember that there is no charge to take your acceptable blue box materials to the either of the County of Brant Waste Management Facilities during regular operating hours.
- Don’t… place your blue box up on top of a snow bank. It should be placed at the end of your driveway, so that the collection crews can access it quickly and efficiently.
- Don’t… put empty oil, anti-freeze, herbicide, pesticide or other hazardous waste containers in your blue box. Please visit www.makethedrop.ca or www.productcare.org for other local disposal outlets for your ‘Municipal Hazardous or Special Wastes’ (MHSW). If paint cans are empty and dry, with lids removed, they can be placed in the blue box.
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Recycling Container Information - Blue Boxes, Clear Plastic Bags, Cardboard Boxes |
"Recycling Container" includes blue boxes offered for sale by the County, and any other container approved by the Designated County Official, by public notice, for the storing and setting out of recyclable material which includes;
Rigid Plastic Containers
- that will not bend or give when lifted
- no taller than 21 inches and 24 inches wide
- have a rim around the top of the container (no lid) and do not have wheels
Clear plastic bags
- maximum size 50 litres (13 gallons) and must be securely tied
Cardboard Boxes
- that will not bend or give when lifted
- no taller than 21 inches and 24 inches wide
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A printable copy is available here: Blue Box Do's and Don'ts PDF
- Unlimited Blue Box containers can be set out
- Materials that are set out late (after collection vehicles have been by your location) will not be picked up until the following collection day
- Rollout carts, or roll out totes will not be picked up, containers must be acceptable in accordance with Solid Waste Bylaw
- All acceptable blue box materials can be placed loose together in the blue box, there is no need to separate the materials
- The maximum weight per container is 20 kg (45 lbs), including the material and container
This image shows how a single stream blue box should be prepared:

Acceptable and Unacceptable Materials
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Type of Material
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Acceptable
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Unacceptable
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How to Recycle Properly
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Plastics
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- Food, beverage containers and bottles, household cleaning and personal hygiene product bottles (laundry/ dish soap) made of mixed plastics (#1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7)
- Clear and black "Clam shell" type fruit/deli/prepared food, bakery and take-out containers
- Plastic plates, cups, and coffee cup lids
- Single serving plastic food containers (ie. yogurt containers) (remove film or foil lids and discard)
- Plastic plant pots & trays
- Single use coffee pods (coffee must be removed)
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- Plastic cutlery
- Styrofoam™ (#6) meat trays, packaging materials and cups
- Grocery / bread bags
- Plastic wrap / films
- Plastic toys and tools
- Hazardous waste containers
- Motor oil bottles
- Blister Packaging
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- Remove lids, place recyclable lids in blue box.
- Rinse out residue.
- Place loose in the Blue box (please do not crush).
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Glass
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- Food and beverage containers, jars and bottles
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- Window glass and mirrors
- Light bulbs
- Drinking glasses and cups
- Ceramics, dishes, ovenware
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- Remove lids, place recyclable lids in blue box.
- Rinse out residue.
- Place loose in the Blue box.
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Metal
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- Steel and Aluminum food and beverage containers only
- Metal lids
- Empty food and personal hygiene aerosol cans
- Empty and dry paint cans (lids removed)
- clean aluminum foil and pie plates
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- Automotive parts
- Metal pots and pans
- Scrap metal
- Hazardous waste containers
- Propane cylinders
- Wire
- Batteries
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- Remove lids, place inside can.
- Rinse out residue.
- Place loose in the Blue box (please do not crush).
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Mixed Paper
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- **NEW** Hot & cold beverage cups
- Magazines, Ad mail, Newspapers and flyers
- Phone books
- Paper back/ hard cover books
- Printer or photocopy paper
- Tetra Pak™ drink and soup cartons
- Gable Top type cartons (milk and juice)
- Ice Cream Cartons
- Cardboard can (ie. juice/ chip containers)
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- Waxed paper
- Gift wrapping
- Butcher paper
- Photographs
- Diapers
- Paper beverage trays
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- Remove and discard plastic caps.
- Rinse out residue.
- Place loose in the Blue box (please do not crush).
- Do not bundle or bag mixed paper. Simply place them neatly in your blue box or in paper bags to reduce blowing litter.
- Shredded paper must be compacted.
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Box Board
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- Packaging made of Boxboard (i.e. Cereal, cracker and tooth paste boxes, paper towel and toilet paper rolls etc.)
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- No waxed boxboard, or soiled, oil stained or painted boxes
- Check if the box is waxed, scratch the outside. If white residue is present it is waxed and not recyclable
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- Remove all inner and outer packaging materials and plastics.
- Break down smaller boxes and place inside larger boxes or in a paper bag.
- Simply place neatly in or beside your blue box
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Cardboard
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- No waxed cardboard or soiled, oil stained or painted boxes
- Check if the box is waxed, scratch the outside. If white residue is present it is waxed and not recyclable
- No grease-stained pizza boxes
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- Remove all inner and outer packaging materials and plastics.
- Pieces should be smaller than 0.8m x 0.8m x .25m (32" x 32" x 10").
- Leave loose or secure bundles with packing tape, twine is no longer required.
- Place neatly beside, under or in your blue box.
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