Blue Box Program Changes in 2026
The Province of Ontario is transitioning the blue box program from municipalities to a new model that makes producers of recyclable materials responsible for their collection and processing.
Starting January 1, 2026, your blue box will no longer be collected by the City of Richmond Hill. Instead, the blue box will be collected by a contractor working on behalf of Circular Materials, a non-profit agency representing the producers of recyclable materials and packaging collected in the blue box.
Residents will continue to receive uninterrupted blue box collection service. City staff are working with Circular Materials to help ensure a smooth transition and keep our community informed.
What this means for residents
Starting January 1, 2026, all blue box related inquiries, including missed collections and requests for new or replacement blue boxes must be made directly to the collection contractor, working on behalf of Circular Materials, instead of to the City. Contact details will be posted here once they are available.
The City will continue to collect garbage, green bins and yard waste, as well as large appliances and bulky items.
Frequently Asked Questions
| Are there any changes to the blue box program in 2025? |
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There will be no changes in 2025. The City will continue to be responsible for the blue box program from now until December 31, 2025. |
| Will this affect garbage, green bin and/or yard waste collection? |
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No. The City will continue to be responsible for garbage, green bin and yard waste collection. |
| Who is Circular Materials? |
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Circular Materials is a non-profit organization that will administer the recycling collection system in Ontario on behalf of producers. Circular Materials will set up and manage contracts with waste service providers to collect and process recyclable materials. Visit CircularMaterials.ca for more information. |
| Who are producers? |
| Producers are companies that supply blue box materials, such as product packaging, paper products, or packaging-like products made of paper, glass, metal or plastic into the Ontario market. Producers are responsible for covering the costs of collecting and recycling these materials. |
| Why are these changes happening? |
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Historically, Ontario’s blue box programs were managed by municipalities, with costs shared between municipalities and the producers of blue box materials. A new Provincial Blue Box Regulation is transitioning Ontario to an “Extended Producer Responsibility” (EPR) model, placing full financial and operational responsibility for the blue box program on producers of recyclable materials. The intent is to give producers an incentive to reduce waste and improve recycling across the province. In addition, the blue box program is getting two new enhancements:
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How does this affect multi-residential properties? |
Properties receiving municipal waste collectionStarting January 1, 2026, multi-residential properties currently receiving recycling collection from the City will transition to Circular Materials’ waste collection contractor for this service. The City will continue to collect garbage and organic waste from these buildings. New properties or properties that do not receive municipal waste collectionStarting January 1, 2026, all multi-residential properties in Ontario, including those currently receiving private waste collection, will be eligible for free recycling collection. To receive this service, registration will be required. Information on how to register will be posted here once available. New multi-residential buildings can still apply to the City for free garbage and organic waste collection services by contacting Access Richmond Hill at access@richmondhill.ca. |
| Does this affect industrial, commercial, and institutional properties? |
| Industrial, commercial, and institutional (IC&I) waste is regulated separately from residential waste in Ontario, and is not eligible for collection by Circular Materials as per the Province of Ontario’s Blue Box Regulation. The City does not provide waste collection to IC&I properties; private collection must be arranged. |