Recycling to switch to provincial system from Oshawa to Pickering

A new company formed by producers of recyclables will soon be taking over blue box collection across Durham Region.

Ontario has directed several companies to create “Circular Materials” a “not-for-profit, producer-governed producer responsibility organization” formed in 2021

The move came after the Ontario government ended its Blue Box Regulation. The new group will take over blue bin collection across the province by July 2026.

The program established in 2016 is designed to “hold persons who are most responsible for the design of products and packaging responsible for the products and packaging at the end of life.”

Durham will be a bit early with their transition beginning this July 1.

The transition is designed to be seamless, the Region says, and residents should not expect any changes to their routine. Nor will there be any change to what is accepted in the blue box. The Region will continue to use two bins for paper and containers respectively.

However, changes may occur after Circular Materials fully takes over Ontario’s operations in 2026. That decision will be in their hands, not any level of government.

Circular Materials was formed by;

• Costco Wholesale Canada Ltd.
• Empire Company
• Kraft-Heinz Canada
• Keurig Dr Pepper Canada
• Lassonde Industries Inc.
• Loblaw Companies Limited
• Maple Leaf Foods
• McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited
• Metro Inc.
• The Minute Maid Company Canada Inc.
• Nestlé Canada
• PepsiCo Canada
• Procter & Gamble Inc.
• Restaurant Brands International, and
• The Clorox Company of Canada Inc.