Waterloo Region wants you to reuse old green bins, but drop-off events will also be offered

CTV’s Colton Wiens breaks down your options for getting rid of unwanted green bins.

Wondering what do to do with your old green bin?

The Region of Waterloo has some suggestions now that the community is one month into the new cart-based waste collection system.

One option is to repurpose the bins as storage for soil, mulch or even sports equipment.

“We really encourage residents to reuse them,” said Olivia Kwok, the region’s director of waste management. “We’re approaching yard waste season starting next week. One thing we do encourage is if residents want to reuse their old green bins, you can put a yard waste sticker on it. It’s a yellow sticker. Then that way, it just lets the staff know to collect it for the yard waste program.”

Anyone who wants a yard waste sticker can either pick them up in person or get them delivered.

“Yard waste stickers are available at various regional facilities and area municipal buildings,” Kwok explained, noting that locations are listed on the region’s website. “You can also call our contact centre to get one mailed to you.”

While the region encourages everyone to reuse their old bins, there are a couple other ways to dispose of them.

Drop-off events will be held, starting in April, where the green bins will be collected and then recycled. Those dates are listed below.

Residents can also bring their old bins to any of the region’s Waste Management sites during regular operating hours.

Another option is to set them out at the curb on bulky item pickup day.

“These items will not be recycled,” Kwok warned. “Just make sure you check the day of when your bulky item pickup is.”

“You would label the container saying, ‘Garbage. Please take,’” she noted.

As for the new cart-based collection program, Kwok said there were some issues to start, but it is now run more smoothly.

“Obviously, the first week we had a lot of cases and phone calls coming in just because we were collecting garbage and organics for the whole region,” Kwok said. “Over time, things have settled down and residents are getting used to the program. Our contractors are also getting more familiar with their routes and the equipment. Things have definitely shifted more to a day-to-day kind of mode now.”

Drop-off dates

April 11: Waterloo City Hall (parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April 12: North Dumfries Community Complex (parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April 18: Breslau Community Centre (parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April 19: Wellesley Recreation Centre (adjacent lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April 25: Wilmot Recreation Complex (parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

April 26: Cambridge Farmers Market (parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

May 2: Activa Sports Complex in Kitchener (parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Extra blue bins

Circular Materials took over recycling in the region on March 3. Before the switch, residents received new recycling bins. If they’re not needed, they can be brought back.

“If residents find they do not need the extra boxes, they may return them to Miller Waste at its Cambridge office after June 2026,” Jennifer Kerr, Circular Materials’ director of community and media relations for Ontario, said in an email to CTV News.

As for old or broken recycling bins, they cannot be recycled with Circular Materials. The only option is to put them out as bulky items so they can be collected as garbage. Residents will need to label the bin as garbage if they want them picked up.