Changes to the Blue Box Program – Starting Dec. 31, 2025
Beginning Dec. 31, 2025, the Town of Georgina will transition its Blue Box recycling program to Circular Materials, the organization responsible for overseeing recycling on behalf of producers throughout Ontario.
This change is part of Ontario’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model under the Blue Box Regulation, which shifts the responsibility for collecting, processing and recycling materials from municipalities to the producers themselves. Companies that manufacture, market and package products will now be fully accountable for managing and funding the entire lifecycle of their materials.
Any future updates to the Blue Box program will be determined by Circular Materials and communicated to the public.
How does this change affect residents?
Residents will see the following changes implemented by Circular Materials:
- New recycling carts – Each household will receive a 95-gallon wheeled cart for recycling. Carts are arriving soon.
- Collection every two weeks – Recycling will be collected every other week instead of weekly starting Jan. 5, 2026.
- Automated collection – Recycling carts will be emptied using trucks with mechanical arms, replacing manual collection by workers.
No blue box collection for the week of Dec. 29, 2025
- For the week of Dec. 29, 2025, there will be no blue box collection. Residents are to begin using the new blue box cart the week of Jan. 5, 2026.
New recycling cart measurements
New 95-gallon (360 litre) wheeled carts for recycling are coming soon.
- Length – 87.3 centimetres/34 3/8 inches
- Width – 63.8 centimetres/25 1/8 inches
- Height – 113 centimetres/44 1/2 inches
- Weight – 13.08 kilograms/28.84 pounds (empty)
Questions regarding the new recycling program?
Contact GFL for questions about:
- Missed collection.
- Replacement carts.
- Special accommodation requests.
- Other recycling questions.
1-833-779-4351
N6Recycling@gflenv.com
gflenv.com/Canada-recycles
Visit circularmaterials.ca/georgina to learn more about your new recycling cart and collection day.
Will the Town still collect garbage, green bin and yard waste?
Yes, the Town of Georgina will continue to provide curbside collection of garbage, green bin and yard waste to areas that currently receive these services. The collection schedule will remain the same.
Transitioning the Blue Box Collection Program for businesses
As of Dec. 31, 2025, the Town of Georgina's contractor will no longer collect blue box recycling from the following:
- Industrial, commercial and institutional properties
- Daycares
- Places of worship
- Businesses within Business Improvement Areas (BIAs)
- Non-profit or charitable organizations and shelters
- Post-secondary institutions (both public and private)
- Municipal facilities and community centres (e.g., libraries, arenas)
Blue Box collection for the above will be transferred to Circular Materials Ontario. The shift will focus on sustainability and waste reduction and will impact blue box collection services for industrial, commercial and institutional properties.
How businesses can prepare
- Arrange for private collection or self-haul
- Private collection: If your business or facility cannot manage recycling on its own, you will need to arrange for a private waste management company to handle recycling collection.
- Self-hauling: Alternatively, you can self-haul recyclables to: Georgina Waste Transfer Station, located at 23068 Warden Ave., Keswick, ON L4P 0N4. Note: this is in place as of now and subject to change by York Region. The Town does not operate the waste transfer station.
- Communicate the changes clearly to employees and stakeholders, so everyone is on board with the new procedures and understands the importance of recycling.
- Stay informed: Look for upcoming communications from the Town and Circular Materials.
The Town is actively updating the website as further information is provided to us by Circular Materials.
Background Information
The Town of Georgina is required to transition to the new Provincial Blue Box regulatory framework on Jan. 1, 2026 to comply with O.Reg. 391/21 This new regulation is being implemented throughout Ontario in two phases:
- Transition period (July 1, 2023 to Dec. 31, 2025); and
- Post-transition period (starting Jan. 1, 2026).
In June 2021, the provincial Blue Box Regulation was finalized to make the producers of recycling materials responsible for their materials, specifically related to recycling costs, to reduce recyclable materials currently going to landfill and enable a common collection blue box program throughout Ontario.
Relevant links
Documents
What changes are coming to the new Blue Box Program?
- New recycling carts: 95-gallon wheeled carts will replace blue boxes (delivery fall 2025).
- Collection frequency: Collection will be bi-weekly beginning Jan. 5, 2026.
- Automated collection: Carts will be emptied by trucks with mechanical arms.
What size is the new blue box cart?
Measurements:
- Length – 87.3 centimetres/34 3/8 inches
- Width – 63.8 centimetres/25 1/8 inches
- Height – 113 centimetres/44 1/2 inches
- Weight – 13.08 kilograms/28.84 pounds (empty)
What do I do with my old blue boxes?
Residents will no longer need to use blue boxes once automated collection begins. Consider reusing or repurposing them for storage or another use. Options for residents to recycle their old blue boxes will be announced at a later date.
What should I do if I need assistance using the new recycling cart?
GFL will be working with residents to make any necessary provisions on a case-by-case basis. We understand the importance of supporting recycling efforts and are committed to supporting residents during this transition to recycling carts. If you have an inquiry regarding the use of recycling carts or require assistance, please contact GFL at 1-833-779-4351 or N6Recycling@gflenv.com.
Has Circular Materials identified the contractor responsible for Blue Box collection services in Georgina?
Yes, Green For Life Environmental (GFL) has been contracted by Circular Materials to provide curbside Blue Box collection services to residents.
Will there be any changes to Green Bin collection?
No changes are being made to the green bin program. Green bin collection will remain weekly and residents should continue to use their current green bin container.
Will this affect my property taxes?
No, cost savings have been reallocated: two-thirds for future contracts and one-third for proposed 2026 budget.
Who do I contact if I have a question about recycling collection?
As of Dec. 31, 2025, recycling collection will be managed by GFL. All inquiries related to Blue Box collection, such as missed pick-ups, damaged carts, special accomodations, or general questions, should be directed to GFL:
What if I have a concern with the recycling contractor?
Concerns related to service delivery that cannot be resolved through GFL should be directed to Circular Materials, the organization managing the Blue Box program on behalf of producers:
https://www.circularmaterials.ca
What items are accepted in the new Blue Box program?
The types of materials accepted in the Blue Box will be standardized across Ontario. In general, most materials currently accepted, such as paper, cardboard, plastics, metal cans, and glass, will continue to be accepted.
However, residents are encouraged to check the most up-to-date list by visiting: circularmaterials.ca/georgina.
Who is Circular Materials?
In Ontario, the Blue Box Regulation (under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016) makes producers fully responsible for the cost and operation of recycling programs for packaging and paper products.
Circular Materials (CM) is a national not-for-profit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that represents and supports producers in meeting their regulatory obligations under extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations across Canada.
CM is a PRO registered with the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) and is also designated as the Administrator of the Common Collection System in Ontario.
As the Administrator, CM has appointed Reverse Logistics Group (RLG) to act as the Operator of the Common Collection System. RLG has been contracted to procure and/or manage collection and receiving facility contracts on behalf of CM.
Overall, CM oversees the delivery of the residential Blue Box collection program.
What is Extended Producer Responsibility?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a system where producers of blue box materials such as Coca-Cola, Amazon, Walmart, etc., are responsible for the entire lifecycle of material they produce. Currently, municipalities cover half of the cost of collection and processing of recyclable materials. Under EPR, producers are logistically and financially accountable for their product packaging from production to disposal, helping to reduce waste and promote recycling.