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Garbage, Recycling and Green Bin

Circular Materials Program (Blue Bin)

The Region of Durham recycling program is now managed by Circular Materials, the administrator of the common collection system and a national not-for-profit organization that is committed to building an efficient and effective recycling system in Ontario. Visit Circular Materials’ website.

Who do I call if my blue box collection is missed or I have an issue with my blue bin?

City of Pickering residents need to contact Miller Waste at 1.888.852.4723 or email area8@millerwaste.ca.

Region of Durham (Garbage, Green Bin and Yard Waste)

Visit Region of Durham, Waste Management or download their app to find your pick up schedule, and seasonal collection dates.  Visit the Region of Durham website or email the Works Department at waste@durham.ca for more information.

Follow the links below for more information on waste diversion, collection dates and disposal facilities. Note that most links will redirect to the Region of Durham website.

Pickering residents can now purchase new Green Bins, kitchen containers and backyard composters or exchange broken Green Bins and kitchen containers online with free delivery. To purchase or exchange your bins, visit durham.ca/NewBins.

Visit the Region of Durham website or email the Works Department at waste@durham.ca for more information.

Waste Diversion Programs

Textile Donation Bins
The City of Pickering in partnership with Diabetes Canada have conveniently located bins at the following locations:

These textile recycling bins provide secure access for residents to drop off gently used textiles including for example, accessories, clothing, curtains, towels, blankets, sleeping bags, sheets and footwear. Diabetes Canada also offers to collect textiles and small household items from your home, to schedule this free pickup visit declutter.diabetes.ca.

Recycle Your Textiles
Help keep textiles out of the garbage by recycling your used clothing at various collection locations across Pickering. Residents can drop off their textile waste at collection bins located at the H&M store in the Pickering Town Centre, Value Village and the Thrift Store. You can also donate textiles by contacting Diabetes Canada to schedule a free pick up at your home or use one of their donation bins. Click here to find a bin near you.  In addition to used clothing Diabetes Canada (through scheduled pick-up), the Thrift Store and, Value Village accept gently used housewares, electronics, kitchenware and other items.

Properly Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste
Household hazardous waste includes products with the following warnings on the label: danger, flammable, poison, toxic, corrosive. Input your postal code on the website and find the closest free disposal location.

Recycle your Electronics
Find out what kind of electronic waste can be dropped off near you for free by using the search feature on the website.

Battery Recycling Stations
Collecting rechargeable batteries is easy as 1-2-3 and it's free! Participate in this easy and free way to keep toxic waste from entering landfills.

Businesses Recycle your Batteries
Register your business with one of many charities that accept cell phones, rechargeable batteries and ink cartridges.

Recycle Cell Phones for Conservation
The Toronto Zoo provides 100% landfill free cell phone recycling services to individual schools, community groups, corporate environments and many other partners across Ontario.

Recycle your Paint
When you need to dispose of unwanted but useable paints or stains bring them to the reuse centre at Durham Region's Waste Disposal Site in Oshawa. The Centre also offers residents good re-useable paints and stains at "no charge."

Recycle Your Old Tires
Drop off your used tires at Canadian Tire for recycling at no charge to you. The recycled tires will be turned into useful items such as rubber surfaces for children’s playgrounds. Simply input your postal code on the Canadian Tire website to find a store near you. 

Use your Green Bin
Durham Region residents can separate food waste from the regular garbage and set out along the curb each week in a large green bin. This food waste material is composted at a facility in Pickering rather than sent to landfill.

World Cleanup Day
World Cleanup Day harnesses the power of people from around the world to achieve incredible things by joining together. Join millions of volunteers from across the globe to clean up litter from parks, beaches, rivers and forests!

Provincial Day of Action on Litter
The second Tuesday of May marks Ontario’s Official Day of Action on Litter. This day focuses on raising awareness of the impacts of waste in the environment, and what actions each and every Ontarian can take to prevent, reduce and divert waste, right at home. Check out the Act on Litter for simple actions you can take to help reduce litter in your community.

Green Your Place of Worship
This practical program was developed to assist faith communities with the "how-to" side of audits, retrofits and generally reducing the faith community's ecological footprint.

Stop Junk Mail
Many local and national businesses distribute unaddressed advertising.  If you do not wish to receive these items, simply place a note in or on your mailbox stating that you do not wish to receive Unaddressed Admail.

Reduce Waste at Home, Work and School
We've compiled a list of resources that you can use to find different ways to reduce your waste at home, work and/or school.

Region of Durham Reuse Days
The Region of Durham offers various giveaway and waste events throughout the year, including Curbside Giveaway Days, Environment Days and Compost Giveaway Events.

The Brides Project
Providing a sustainable, socially conscious and budget friendly option for the savvy and sensible bride.

Africycle
Africycle’s main purpose is to help improve access to quality and affordable bicycles in Malawi. This is being achieved through a network of partners and supporters who collect and ship second hand bicycles to our program from around the world.

Habitat for Humanity Restores
Accepts items from renovations such as windows, doors, paint, hardware, lumber, tools, lighting fixtures and even the kitchen sink.

Initiatives to Reduce Waste

Improving waste diversion at City facilities and events:

  • installed battery collection bins for residents to recycle their used household batteries at the Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex, East Shore Community Centre, George Ashe Library Branch, and the Pickering Central Library
  • offer recycling and green bin collection at facilities where it's feasible
  • reuse office items, print double-sided, discourage unsolicited sales catalogues, recycle batteries, printer cartridges, old cell phones and milk bags
  • eliminating the use of plastic water bottles
  • created a staff checklist for sustainable meetings and events
  • provide documents online to avoid the need to print paper copies
  • use reusable plates, napkins, cutlery, etc.; when attendance is large, such as for Ribfest, biodegradable options are used and green bins provided

Increasing public awareness of waste diversion

  • partner with the Region of Durham to offer annual electronic waste and household hazardous waste collection events
  • participate in the National Waste Reduction Week every year by carrying out internal and external education campaigns and waste reduction challenges

Encouraging the diversion of dog waste

  • offer the Dog Waste Diversion Program in 18 parks to allow residents to use biodegradable bags provided by the City when stooping and scooping after their dogs in parks

Contact Us

Sustainability
One The Esplanade
Pickering, Ontario
Canada L1V 6K7

905.420.4617

Email Sustainability

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