Recycling

Blue boxes and recycling are picked up every week. Your recycling must be placed at the curb in front of your property between 7 pm on the evening before and 7 am on the morning of your scheduled pick up day.

You can put out as many blue boxes as you need, but since Hamilton has a two stream recycling system you will need at least 2 blue recycling boxes for proper sorting. Put all your bottles, cans, cartons and jars into one blue box and put all your paper and cardboard into a different blue box. Throw the items loosely into the blue box and don't bag it!

Books (hardcover removed)

Computer paper, writing paper and envelopes

Magazines and catalogues

Newspaper and flyers

Boxboard (cereal, detergent, tissue and frozen food boxes)

Paper egg cartons, toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls

Gift bags and wrapping paper (handles removed, non-metallic)

Cardboard boxes (flatten, tie in bundles and place beside your blue box)

Aluminum and metal cans

Aluminum foil, plates and trays

Paint cans (empty)

Cartons (juice, milk and soup)

Glass bottles and jars

Plastic bottles (lids off)

Plastic plates, cups and coffee lids*

Plastic tubs and lids

Plastic fruit baskets and containers

Plastic flower pots and trays (light colours only)

Molded plastic (from toys, etc.)

Plastic bags and plastic product wrap (bread, milk (outer bag only), grocery and produce bags) *inner milk bags are garbage

* Effective May 1, 2018, please put single use black plastic and Styrofoam products in the garbage due to the unpredictability of the recycling market.

Every plastic container or bottle has a recycling symbol. The symbol is a number ranging from 1 to 7, within a triangle. The City of Hamilton currently accepts #1, #2, #4, #5 and, #6 and #7 with restrictions. It's important to know even though a plastic type can be recycled, it may not be accepted in our curbside blue box program.

Plastic #1- PETE or PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) includes clear food packaging/clamshell containers such as berry, baked good and pre-made salad containers, pop bottles, water bottles, salad dressing containers, mouthwash bottles and peanut butter containers

Plastic #2 - HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) includes plastic grocery bags, household cleaner containers, detergent bottles, yogurt and sour cream tubs, juice bottles, and shampoo and conditioner bottles

Plastic #3 – PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) NOT ACCEPTED

Plastic #4 – LDPE (Low Density Polyethylene) includes squeezable condiment bottles like mustard, mayonnaise bottles, and stretchy plastic frozen food, grocery and bread bags. Unacceptable #4 plastics include cling wrap and zipper bags. These items are garbage in Hamilton.

Plastic #5 – PP (Polypropylene) includes plastic tubs and lids like margarine, sour cream and yogurt containers, ,ketchup bottles and syrup bottles.

*Plastic #6 – PS (Polystyrene or Styrofoam) includes plastic single-use plates and cups. This also includes foam egg cartons, meat trays, plates, cups and take-out containers; styrofoam items are not accepted in the curbside blue box program and should be placed in the garbage. Large foam packaging can be recycled at one of the Community Recycle Centres (please link CRC to the CRC page).

*Plastic #7 – (Miscellaneous Plastics) include many non-recyclable items like sunglasses, computer cases, baby bottles, etc. They also include large 3 & 5 gal water bottles which are accepted in the blue box or at a Community Recycling Centre.

Ensure that you separate your recycling accordingly. Hamilton has a two stream recycling system; this means that papers and cardboard go into one blue box and containers go into a separate blue box.

Flatten your cardboard and tie it in bundles no bigger than 76 cm x 76 cm x 20 cm (or 30 in x 30 in x 8 in).

Stack a heavier blue box on top of a lighter blue box so your recycling doesn't blow away.

Stand paper and cardboard up-and-down instead of laying them flat so they don't blow away.

Paper and cardboard will only be picked up if they are in a blue recycling box from the City of Hamilton, a plastic container that is the same size and shape as a blue box from the City of Hamilton or a clear plastic bag that is tied at the top.

Paper products that don't go in the paper and cardboard stream:

Paper coffee cups, paper plates and paper towels go in your green bin, not in your blue box.

If the paper product is difficult to rip, or if there is visible plastic or metallic lining, it is garbage.

Milk and juice cartons and juice boxes go in your blue box with glass, plastic, cans, cartons and containers.

All of your bottles, cans, cartons and jars must be empty before you put them in your blue box.

Give your bottles, cans, cartons and jars a quick rinse before you put them in your blue box.

Throw all your metal lids into your blue box.

Plastic bags and plastic product outer wraps (must be bagged together and double tied)

Make sure each blue box does not weigh more than 13 kg (or 30 lbs).

Bottles, cans, cartons and jars will only be picked up if they are in:

a blue recycling box from the City of Hamilton,

a plastic container that is the same size and shape as a blue box from The City, or

a clear plastic bag that is tied at the top.

Bag all of your stretchy plastic bags and plastic product outer wrap together, double tie the bag, and put it in your containers blue box.

Plastic bags and product wrap – like bread, grocery, milk and produce bags, and product wrap used on paper towels, diapers, bathroom tissue and water bottles are recyclable.

You may also be able to return clean, dry, empty plastic bags and product wrap to a retail store, or bring them to a Community Recycling Centre

The City of Hamilton will take bulky, rigid, hard plastic items that are not accepted in the blue box free of charge. Please bring them to a Community Recycling Centre.

If you see a bright orange "oops! sticker" on your blue box after the recycling truck has come by, it means there are items in your blue box that don't belong.

Flatten your cardboard and tie it in bundles no bigger than 76 cm x 76 cm x 20 cm (or 30 in x 30 in x 8 in).

Make sure each blue box doesn't weigh more than 13 kg (or 30 lbs).

Put all your paper and cardboard into one blue box, and put all your bottles, cans, cartons and jars into a different blue box.

Paper that has food on it doesn't go in your blue box – it goes in your green bin:

Brown paper bags

Facial tissues

Paper coffee cups and cups

Paper towels

Waxed paper

Waxed paper coffee cups and cups

These go in your garbage:

Carbon paper

Construction paper (with tape, glue or staples)

Diapers

Hard covers from books (The pages go in your papers blue box.)

You will get an Oops! sticker if you put any of these things in your blue box with your bottles, cans, cartons and jars:

Batteries

black plastic food containers

Broken glass

Bubble wrap

Candy wrappers

CDs (compact discs)

Cereal box bags

Chip bags

Cling wrap

Cracker box bags

dark coloured plant pots and trays

Drink pouches

Glass drinking cups

Light bulbs

Mirrors

Motor oil bottles

Needles

Pails

plastic coffee cup lids

Syringes

Toys

Windows

styrofoam

Some containers that contained hazardous waste liquids and oils are not recyclable. Empty containers from motor oil, anti-freeze fluid and transmission fluid go in your garbage.

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