Ontario’s new privatized recycler’s move to stop picking up extra bags outside blue bins under review

Ontario’s new private recycler is facing a review after reporting that it would no longer collect overflow recycling in blue bags beside bins in some communities starting this spring.

Circular Materials, a national not-for-profit organization, took over residential recycling pickup from municipalities on Jan. 1 to administer Ontario’s new producer-funded recycling program, but some of its proposed decisions have drawn harsh criticism.

The Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), the agency mandated to enforce the province’s recycling laws, told CTV News Toronto on Wednesday that it is working with the company to ensure its compliance with Ontario’s Blue Box regulations, which state that recyclers must “collect, in a single day, all blue box material set out for curbside collection at the residence.”

“RPRA’s Compliance Team is actively engaged with Circular Materials to understand their operational plans to provide curbside recycling collection services across the province and to ensure they understand and fulfill all of the requirements of the Blue Box Regulation,” a spokesperson for the agency said in an emailed statement.

Peel Region homeowners recently received notices that their communities are among those that will be impacted by the new rule.

Mississauga Councillor Alvin Tedjo told CTV News Toronto that Circular Materials will not be picking up blue bags with overflow or bags inside blue bins starting this spring, either in March or by the end of May. Recycling material will have to be loose inside a blue bin, he said, adding the rules are very unclear and fluid.

“This has made it very challenging for residents,” Tedjo said on Wednesday. “There’s no clarity on the rules in terms of what is recyclable and what isn’t, which are going to be picked up, when are the bins going to be picked up, can you still have bags picked up?”

He added that one of the biggest challenges that residents have faced is the inconsistency between the rules for each municipality.

“That’s been a complete mess. Up until this point we have been used to unlimited recycling. We put as much as we can in the bin, but when you didn’t have more space, you would just put it in blue bags next to it and then it would get picked up,” he said.

“Other cities like Toronto seem to continue to get that service forever, whereas for some reason Mississauga isn’t going to get that service moving forward so that’s very inconsistent.”

‘Disappointed’: Mississauga mayor

In a statement on Wednesday, Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish said she has been disappointed by Circular Material’s launch.

“We can only assume the Circular Materials supervision team is on a learning curve and will improve. What is important now is to have a contact number and sufficient folks to take the numerous complaints calls we were inundated with,” she said.

“Circular Materials have had a long lead time, so I’m disappointed their launch was pretty rough.”

Mississauga Councillor Dipika Damerla said she’s received a mixture of information from the recycling company about whether or not the it would continue picking up overflow bags and till when.

“Originally, they said they won’t pick it up at all. Then they said they would till March 1 and now they extended that till the end of May, which gives us some time to work with Circular Materials to find a way because people with overflow recycling need a solution,” she said.

“I would really like for Circular Materials to continue to pick up the recycling overflow not just until May but permanently.”

She reiterated that the rules should be consistent across municipalities.

“Apparently, in Toronto they’re going to be picking them up permanently so that suggests two different levels of service. So, if you live in Toronto, you get the deluxe service,” she said.

“That’s problematic on two levels. We want all Ontarians to be treated the same, but the other issue is that if you don’t make it easy for people to recycle, then they won’t recycle. They are just going to start dumping stuff either into the garbage or public spaces.”

‘Only the case in some communities’: Circular Materials

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, Circular Materials CEO Allen Langdon said some communities in the province will have “automated cart collection systems” that require all recycling to be placed inside the bins provided.

“This includes not leaving extra materials outside of the bin,” Langdon explained. “This is only the case in some communities in Ontario, and further details and instructions are communicated directly with residents in these communities.”