Durham Region Recycling Centre Contact Information

Green Bin

Blue Box or

Garbage ???

What goes where? Confused? Want to have answers so you can place your waste in the appropriate container?

In this document, we will try to list as many items as possible. Want to find an item and where it goes? Simply press CTRL+F on your keyboard (or click on the menu Edit, then Find) and type your item.

You cannot find it, just email us at with the item(s) you are looking for and we will try to get you an answer.

All plastic bottles with a twist-off top / Blue Box
Plastic tubs and lids (yogurt and ice cream type containers) / Blue Box
Metal food and beverage containers / Blue Box
Glass bottles and jars / Blue Box
Paper milk and juice cartons / Blue Box
Empty aerosol cans / Blue Box
Empty metal paint cans with lids removed / Blue Box
Junk mail and envelopes / Blue Box
Catalogues, magazines, paperback books and phone books / Blue Box
Newspapers, office paper and computer paper / Blue Box
Food packaging boxes, shoe boxes, tissue boxes, cereal boxes (no plastic liner), detergent boxes; paper towel rolls and toilet paper rolls / Blue Box
Small plastic yogurt containers / Blue Box
Plastic flavouring or spice bottles with a twist-off top / Blue Box
Aluminium pie plates / Blue Box
Pill containers with a twist-off top / Blue Box
Fruits and vegetables, table scraps, meat, fish, dairy products, fat, bread, rice, pasta, bones, coffee grounds, filters, tea bags, eggshells / Green Bin
Paper egg cartons, fast food drink trays, paper food cartons, paper plates and cups, soiled paper towels, tissues and serviettes, / Green Bin
Sawdust and wood shavings, bedding from pet cages, dryer lint and hair / Green Bin
Sweeping Cloths (Swiffer, etc.) / Green Bin
Paper bags for Jello-O, cake mixes, etc. / Green Bin
Cotton Balls, Cotton make-up pads / Green Bin
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL) /
Batteries and Cell phones, CD players, MP3 players, CDs, Portable DVD players, Ink cartridges /
The metal on paper boxes (wax paper for example) / Garbage
Nut containers metal, foiled cardboard / Garbage
Clear deli containers and lids / Garbage
Cellophane, Cling wrap (Saran-Wrap) / Garbage
Cardboard with metal foil accents / Garbage
Aluminium foil / Garbage
Plastic shopping bags / Garbage
Small plastic sandwich bags / Garbage
Metal nails, screws, brass fittings, etc. / Garbage
Crockery, like cookie jar / Garbage
Toothpaste tubes plastic / Garbage
Foam egg cartons (paper egg cartons in Green Bin) / Garbage
Plastic egg cartons (paper egg cartons in Green Bin) / Garbage
Plastic pots for plants, Plastic plant cells / Garbage
Light bulbs – Incandescent Bulbs / Garbage
Milk bags, frozen food bags, plastic bread bags / Garbage
Plastic tabs from milk and bread bags / Garbage
Drinking glasses, Glass dishes / Garbage
Plastic drink glasses; Plastic straws / Garbage
Tupperware / Garbage
Dog and Cat waste / Garbage
Potato chip bags / Garbage
Plastic from air fresheners (with or without metal) / Garbage
Silver plated containers / Garbage
Switch plates / Garbage
Foil coffee bags / Garbage
Plastic mixing bowls / Garbage
Plastic microwave dishes / Garbage
Pump from soap, hand lotion, etc. / Garbage
Lids from pill containers / Garbage
Plastic knives, forks, spoons / Garbage
DVDs, VHS tapes / Garbage
Wire ties for bags / Garbage
Dryer sheet (Fleecy, Bounce, etc) / Garbage
Vacuum bags (empty or full) / Garbage
Cleaning cloths pre-saturated with chemicals (furniture wipes; kitchen wipes; bathroom wipes) / Garbage
Q-tips, Toothpicks, Corks from wine bottles, Waxed paper from the butcher / Garbage
Diapers (see note on last page) / Garbage
Baby Wipes / Garbage

Durham Region Recycling Centre Contact Information

Tel: 1-800-667-5671 / Email:

Frequently Asked Questions

·  Recycling / ·  Food Waste
·  Garbage / ·  Bulky and White Goods
·  Yard Waste

For additional information click on the following links:

·  Blue Box Recycling / ·  Food Waste Composting
·  Garbage Waste / ·  Yard Waste Composting
·  Backyard Composting / ·  Bulky and White Goods
·  Durham's Waste Disposal Facilities / ·  Household Hazardous Waste
·  Illegal Dumping

Notes on Diapers:

If a family has children that require diapers, then that family is allowed to receive extra yellow tags at no cost. They have to pick them up at the distribution centres where yellow tags are available (click here to find out where these centres are located).

Similarly, if there is an adult or adults in a household who require diapers the same instructions are to be followed.

These extra bags are to be placed at the roadside on regular garbage days which is every other week.

If any family finds that they have additional diaper waste only that they wish to dispose of before collection day, they may take the extra bag(s) to a regional waste management facility at a cost of one bag tag per bag. The bags should contain diapers only. A waste management facility can be located by phoning (905.579.5264 | 1.800.667.5671) or e-mailing the Durham Region Waste Management Staff ().