Beginning December 31, 2025, as mandated by the province, Circular Materials (CM) will manage the collection of recyclable materials. EG will no longer manage the recycling program but will continue to manage garbage, green bin and yard waste collection. This change is part of Ontario’s Extended Producer Responsibility model as mandated by (O. Reg. 391/21: BLUE BOX).  

Until December 31, 2025, there are no changes to the current recycling collection program.

Changes to Residential Recycling

Image showing recycling cart size

New recycling carts - Each home received a 360-litre wheeled cart for recycling. Please do not use it until January 2026. 

Bi-weekly collection - Recycling will be collected every other week on your collection day using the new cart. No recycling collection will occur during the week of December 30, 2025 to January 3, 2026 to support the transition to bi-weekly collections. Cart collection will begin the week of January 6, 2026.  

Items added to recycling - Coffee cups and other plastic-lined paper, beverage cups, black plastic containers, frozen juice containers, ice cream tubs, deodorant and toothpaste tubes can be recycled. 

Questions

Please direct all inquiries regarding the new recycling program to Circular Materials: 

Telephone: 1-877-667-2626
Email: customerservice@circularmaterials.ca 
Website

Frequently Asked Questions

When will my recycling be collected?
Until the end of 2025, please continue to follow EG’s current recycling schedule and use your existing blue bins. Beginning in 2026, recycling will be collected every other week on your scheduled collection day starting the week of January 6, 2026.
How is the Blue Box program changing?

Circular Materials (CM), a non-profit organization will oversee the collection of recyclable materials from homes, residential buildings, and the residential portions of mixed commercial and residential properties across Ontario. By January 1, 2026, all municipalities in Ontario will have fully transitioned to this new producer responsibility collection system, marking a significant shift toward greater accountability and sustainability in waste management. 

Effective December 31, 2025, CM will take over the delivery of residential recycling collection services currently managed by East Gwillimbury. The contractor responsible for recycling collection is Green For Life (GFL).

East Gwillimbury continues to maintain responsibility for the curbside collection of: 

  • Garbage and large/oversized household items (e.g. couches and tables) 

  • Green Bin organics 

  • Leaf and yard waste 

  • Metal goods (e.g. BBQs and dishwashers) 
Why are these changes happening? 

The Government of Ontario introduced legislation that transforms the management and collection of Blue Box materials in the province. The Blue Box Regulation, enacted under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, is a cornerstone of Ontario’s Strategy for a Waste Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy. 

This regulation shifts the current cost-sharing model, which divides expenses between municipal taxpayers and producers of Blue Box materials, to a new system where producers are fully responsible for funding, operating, and meeting performance targets for the recycling program. Producers will be accountable for collecting and recycling Blue Box materials, reporting to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), and achieving progressively higher recycling targets. 

By placing the full financial, operational, and performance responsibility on producers, this new approach creates a direct incentive to minimize waste and enhance recycling efforts, leading to reduced natural resource extraction, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. 
What do I do with my old blue box? 

After December 31, 2025, you are encouraged to reuse your Blue Boxes around your home. They could be used for storage, transferring recycling from inside the home to the recycling cart, and so much more.

Residents can also drop off unwanted Blue Boxes during the month of January in 2026 to the East Gwillimbury Operations Centre (19850 Woodbine Ave.) or the Georgina Transfer Station (23068 Warden Ave.) to be recycled (for free).
Are there different sized recycling carts? 

Circular Materials has two cart options. Visit the Circular Materials website for details.
Can I use my Blue Box instead? 
Effective December 31, 2025, Blue Boxes will no longer be accepted for curbside collection in East Gwillimbury. 
What do I do with recycling that won’t fit inside my recycling cart? 
All recyclable materials for collection must be placed inside the recycling cart. For further information on this, please visit the Circular Materials website. 
What to do if you have accessibility concerns or require assistance?

If you have an inquiry regarding the use of recycling carts or require assistance, please contact Circular Materials at customerservice@circularmaterials.ca or 1-877-667-2626.
Is there a limit to how many carts I can put out for collection? 
For more information on this, please visit the Circular Materials website. 
Who do I call if my cart is broken or needs replacing? 
Call GFL at 1-833-779-4351 or email N6Recycling@gflenv.com 
What can be collected as recycling now? 

There will be an increased list of items accepted for recycling across all of Ontario. Learn more about items accepted in the new recycling program starting December 31, 2025 on the Circular Materials website.
What about Industrial, Commercial and Institutional customers? 

In Ontario, Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (IC&I) waste is regulated separately from residential waste. Producers are not responsible for the collection or management of Blue Box material from the following ‘non-eligible’ sources: 

  • Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) properties 

  • Daycares 

  • Places of worship 

  • Businesses in BIAs 

  • Non-profit/charitable organizations and shelters 

  • Post-secondary institutions (public or private) 

  • Municipal facilities and community centres (e.g. libraries, arenas)  

For properties that have both residential and commercial units, producers are only required to collect from those units that are defined as an eligible source. 

Effective January 1, 2026, the Town’s recycling collection program for IC&I locations will be discontinued, and these properties will need to make alternate arrangements as they will not be serviced by Circular Materials as per the Ontario Government’s regulation. Garbage and organics collection will not be affected.

As of January 1, 2026, all municipalities, including East Gwillimbury, will no longer manage recycling services and are not obligated to do so under the new Blue Box regulation. The potential costs to the Town to continue to provide recycling collection services to IC&I properties (non-eligible sources) would be significantly higher than current rates, adding a significant cost to taxpayers. Non-eligible sources represent a small fraction (1%) of total properties that receive recycling collection provided by the Town. 

 

Yard waste bags on the street
Garbage, Recycling and Green Bin
Learn more about collection schedules, information on yard waste, green bins, garbage, and large item pick-up in EG.
Learn more
Circular Materials logo
Circular Materials
EG’s recycling program will be managed by Circular Materials, a not-for-profit organization committed to building an efficient and effective recycling system.
Learn more
Green for Life logo
Green For Life
Green For Life (GFL) is the company contracted by the Town and Circular Materials to collect recycling in East Gwillimbury. Contact GFL to replace carts or report missed collections.
Learn more

What Isn’t Changing

The Town will continue to collect the following for residential properties:

  • Garbage
  • Green bin (organics)
  • Yard waste
  • Christmas trees
  • Bulky or large items

These services are not affected by the provincial changes and will continue to be offered to residential properties after December 31, 2025.