Recycling

Recycling helps keep our community clean and sustainable—learn how to properly sort and set out your materials in the County of Brant.

Recycling Program and Contact

Since January 2025, the County of Brant’s Blue Box Recycling Program has been managed by Circular Materials, with curbside recycling collection provided by Emterra Environmental.

While the County no longer oversees the Blue Box program directly, recycling collection will continue as usual, with Emterra Environmental handling day-to-day operations.

For recycling questions or to request a free Blue Box, contact Emterra at 1.888.597.1541 or customercareont@emterra.ca.

Thank you for continuing to recycle and helping to keep our community clean and sustainable!

Acceptable Recycling Materials

County of Brant residents can place all acceptable blue box materials together—loose and co-mingled—into their blue box. There's no need to sort materials. See below for a list of acceptable and unacceptable items.

Box Board

Acceptable Box Board:

Packaging made of boxboard including cereal and cracker boxes, toothpaste boxes, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, etc.

Unacceptable Box Board:

No waxed box board, soiled, oil stained or painted boxes

How to Properly Recycle:

Remove all inner and outer packaging materials and plastics
Break down smaller boxes and place insider larger boxes or in a paper bag
Simply place neatly in or beside your blue box

Cardboard

Acceptable Cardboards:

Packaging made of clean corrugated cardboard
Maximum bundle size of 0.8m x 0.8m x 0.25m (32” x 32x” x 10”)
Secure cardboard that is too big to fit loose in the blue box with masking tape, packing tape or light string

Unacceptable Cardboards:

No waxed cardboard or soiled, oil stained or painted boxes
No grease-stained pizza boxes

How to Properly Recycle:

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 small pieces loose in your blue box and secure bundles with packing tape or twine
Place neatly beside, under or in your blue box

Glass

Acceptable Glass:

Food and beverage glass containers

Unacceptable Glass:

Window glass and mirrors
Lightbulbs
Drinking glasses and cups
Ceramics, dishes and ovenware

How to Properly Recycle:

Remove lids, place recyclable lids in blue box
Rinse out residue
Place loose in the blue box

Metals

Acceptable Metals:

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 foils

Unacceptable Metals:

Automotive Parts
Metal pots and pans
Scrap Metal
Hazardous Waste Containers
Propane Cylinders
Wire
Batteries

How to Properly Recycle:

Remove lids, place recyclable lids in blue box
Rinse out residue
Place loose in the blue box

Mixed Paper

Acceptable Mixed Paper:

Hot and cold beverage cups
Magazines, ad mail, newspapers and flyers
Phonebooks
Paper back and hard copy books
Printer or photocopy paper
Tetra Pak™ drink and soup cartons
Gable Top type cartons (milk and juice)
Ice Cream Cartons
Cardboard can (examples juice and chip containers)

Unacceptable Mixed Paper:

Waxed paper
Gift Wrapping
Butcher Paper
Photographs
Diapers
Paper Beverage Trays

How to Properly Recycle:

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

Plastics

Acceptable Plastics:

Food, beverage containers and bottles, household cleaning and personal hygiene product bottles (laundry / dish soap) made of mixed plastics
Clear and black "clam shell" type fruit/deli/prepared food, bakery and takeout containers
Plastic plates, cups and coffee cup lids
Single serving plastic food containers (example yogurt containers - please remove film or foil lids and discard)
Plastic plant pots and trays
Single use coffee pods (coffee must be removed)

Unacceptable Plastics:

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

How to Properly Recycle:

Remove lids, place recyclable lids in blue box
Rinse out residue
Place loose in the blue box (do not crush)

New Recycle Items Coming in 2026

Starting in 2026, you can recycle more items!

New materials accepted as of January 1, 2026:

Flexible plastic packaging [plastic bags, deli meat bags, chip bags, overwarp (paper towel rolls packaging wrap)]
Foam packaging (meat trays, take out containers, cups, plates, bowls)
Empty aerosol containers (food and personal care products)

Recycling Containers

Free Blue Boxes can be requested through Emterra Environmental at 1.888.597.1541 or customercareont@emterra.ca
Delivery or Pick Up will be coordinated by Emterra Environmental
Pick up location is 5 Craig Street, Brantford

Blue Boxes and Blue Box Lids are also available for purchase at any County of Brant Customer Service Office or Solid Waste Facility.

Blue Box: $10.00
Blue Box Lid: $3.50
Please note that all sales of blue boxes are final; returns, exchanges, and refunds are not accepted.