Garbage, Recycling, Green Bin and Other Collection

• The Town of Whitby collects garbage every other week on your regular collection day. 
• Place your garbage at the curb for no later then 7 a.m. on the day of your collection.
• We don't collect from garbage cans, only garbage bags. Make sure you are using standard sized garbage bags (26 inches by 36 inches at the time of purchase).  Oversized bags will not be collected. 
• There is a four bag limit for garbage collection. Each additional garbage bag over the four-bag limit requires a pre-purchased bag tag to be affixed to the neck of the extra garbage bag(s).

Garbage Common Set Out Mistakes

• Ensure you are only disposing of the correct material. 
• We do not collect renovation material such as cabinetry, lumber, drywall, doors, carpet or underlay.
• Your Garbage bag could be over the weight limit of 20 kg (44 lbs). 
• Exceeding the bag limit, each household is entitled to a maximum of four (4) bags per collection.
• Lose material is not accepted, your waste must be bagged for collection.
• Do not place sharp objects in garbage bags please set these items out in a carboard box labelled 'SHARP'. 
• Please remove all tie-downs (i.e. bungee cords) prior to collection.
• In the winter, place your garbage bags on cleared parts of your driveway. Do not put them on top of snowbanks or icy patches

• The Town of Whitby collects green bin (organic) waste weekly on your regular collection day. 

• Place your green bin at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day and remove any additional locking mechanisms, such as bungee cords before collection. 

• As of July 1, 2024, more items can go in the Green Bin! Diapers, pet waste and sanitary products are now accepted in this program.
• Please keep Green Bins under 20 kilograms (44 pounds). There is no limit on the amount of Green Bins that can be placed curbside for collection. Bins that are overweight will not be collected.

Green Bin Common Set Out Mistakes

• Ensure you are only disposing of the correct material.
• Only use the accepted bag types. 
• All material in the green bin must be bagged.
• Your materials may be too heavy, the weight limit your green bin is 20 kg (44 lbs). 
• Please remove all tie-downs (i.e. bungee cords) prior to collection.
• In the winter, place your green bin on cleared parts of your driveway. Do not put them on top of snowbanks or icy patches.

Getting Your Own Green Bin 

The Region of Durham provides new and replacement green bins if you have moved into a new residence or need a replacement bin for one that has broken.

You can buy an extra green bin from the Region for a fee. 

Circular Materials is responsible for the Blue Box Program, a not-for-profit who represents the producers and importers of the products and packaging collected in the blue box. 

For any recycling collection inquiries, please reach out to your recycling contractor. They can be contacted about replacement bins, missed collection and any other recycling questions. 

Leaf and yard waste is collected every other week from the beginning of April through to the end of November on your regular garbage collection day. Place your yard waste in Kraft paper bags, found in grocery stores and hardware stores, or in approved reusable open-top containers.

Grass clippings

Whitby does not accept grass clippings in any of our waste collection programs. We recommend that you leave grass clippings on the lawn so they can break down naturally. This is called Grasscycling. This helps return nutrients back into the soil, and reduces the need to fertilize and water your lawn. 

Grasscycling Tips

• Allow your lawn to grow at least 9 cm (3.5 inches) in height 
• Do not cut your lawn shorter than 6 cm (2.3 inches) in height 
• Do not cut your grass when it is wet 
• Grass is 80 to 90% water. Leave your grass clipping on your lawn and you'll see it disappear in a few days, leaving you no mess! 

Bundled brush and branches

Brush or tree branches must be in securely tied bundles no larger than 1 m in length (or 3 feet), 76 cm (or 30 inches) in width and 10 cm (or four inches) in diameter. 

Bag and container limits

The maximum weight per yard waste bag or container is 20 kg (or 44 pounds). The maximum height of an approved reusable open-top container is 82 cm (or 32 inches).

The Item set out limit is 16 Yard Waste Receptacles or bundles for a given collection from April though to September. October and November do not have collection limits for Yard Waste. 

Acceptable yard waste

• Decorative cornstalks 
• Fallen fruit from trees 
• Halloween pumpkins and gourds 
• Hedge trimmings
• Leaves and pine needles
• Plant and garden waste
• Weeds 

Unacceptable yard waste

• Grass clippings 
• Hay bales 
• Lawn aeration plugs 
• Milled lumber and lattice 
• Plastic bags and plastic flower pots 
• Pressure treated wood 
• Rocks 
• Sod, soil and clay 
• Tree stumps 

Yard Waste Common Set Out Mistakes

• Ensure you are only disposing of the correct material. Grass clippings are not accepted in the yard waste program.
• Only use paper yard waste bags or clearly labelled, returnable open-top containers. We do not pick up yard waste in cardboard boxes, blue boxes, green bins or plastic bags.
• Yard waste cannot weigh more than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).
• Securely tie brush in bundles up to one metre (three feet) long and 76 centimetres (30 inches) wide. No branch should be more than 10 centimetres (4 inches) in diameters.

Christmas tree collection

We collect natural Christmas trees every January on a designated week. Check your waste collection schedule to learn more.

Please remove all decorations, wiring, strands and plastic. If your tree is longer than 3 m (or 10 feet), please cut it in half before collection. Trees frozen in snow banks will not be collected. 

We don't collect household hazardous waste at the curb because this type of waste requires special care during collection, handling and disposal.

Where can I dispose of hazardous waste?

Hazardous waste should be taken to one of the Region of Durham's waste management facilities at no cost for a designated load. You can also find alternative drop-off locations through product stewardship take-back programs such as: 

Schedule a Special Collection for your Bulky and Metal Items $25 per booking of 12 items: 

Book your Special collection through our Special collections booking tool. 

• Your metal goods must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your pickup day.
• Book your metal collection through our special collection booking tool.
• We do not pick up unacceptable items. We will tag them with an explanatory notice and leave them behind.
• You must get rid of unacceptable items from the curb. 

Accepted metal goods materials

• Your electronics must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your pickup day.
• Book your electronics collection through our special collection booking tool.
• There is no item limit for electronics.
• We pick up electronics for recycling with a separate truck. We do not pick up electronics with the regular garbage truck.
• You do not need bag tags for electronics. 

Accepted electronics

Battery Curbside recycling Pilot

Batteries will be collected twice a year at the curb on designated weeks in the spring and fall. Please place batteries in a clear zipper style sealed bag on top of your Green Bin on your designated collection day. 

Battery collection dates

Fall 2025 Battery Collection Week - (Oct 6-10)

Spring 2026 Battery Collection Week - (April 20-24) 

Rules

• Put masking tape over both ends of lithium, button cell, and 9-volt batteries. This is for safety reasons.
• Place used or unwanted batteries in a clear zipper style bag.
• Put it on top of green bin on your battery recycling day.

Accepted materials

• Standard A, AA, AAA, C, D (standard or heavy duty) batteries
• 6-volt batteries
• 9-volt batteries
• Button cell batteries
• Rechargeable battery packs (NiCad, NiMH, or lithium ion)

Unaccepted materials

• Automotive batteries
• Damaged, leaking or wet cell batteries
• Industrial batteries

Drop off unacceptable batteries at a waste management facility.

If you have missed your battery collection, the following locations have battery recycling bins available anytime:

• Town Hall – 575 Rossland Rd. E.
• Whitby Central Library – 405 Dundas St. W.
• 55+ Recreation Centre - 801 Brock St. S.
• Brooklin Community Centre and Library - 8 Vipond Rd.
• Iroquois Park Sports Centre - 500 Victoria St. W.

Safe battery storage

Store batteries in a cool, dry place. Store them away from any flammable materials. In storage, battery terminals should not touch conductive materials. Cover the terminals on 9-volt batteries before storing them. 

• Your porcelain items must be at the curb before 7 a.m. on your pickup day.
• Book your Porcelain collection through our special collection booking tool.
• There is no item limit for porcelain items.
• For two-piece toilets, separate the tank from the bowl.
• Do not put whole porcelain items in a cardboard box. Use a cardboard box only for items that are broken into smaller pieces.
• We pick up porcelain for recycling with a separate truck. We do not pick up porcelain with the regular garbage truck.
• You do not need bag tags for porcelain. 

Porcelain Common Set Out Mistakes

• Residents must separate the tank from the bowl for two-piece toilets.

Accepted porcelain materials

Special Consideration Program

If you have a medical condition that causes you to generate a greater amount of waste, you may be eligible for an annual allotment of garbage bag tags under the Special Consideration Program. To apply, fill out the Special Consideration Application form and submit it to:

Manager of Waste Services 
Town of Whitby Community Services - Operations
575 Rossland Road East
Whitby, Ontario L1N 2M8

Accessibility Accommodation for Waste Set-Out

The Town of Whitby is committed to providing inclusive waste collection services for all residents. If there is a physical impairment that restricts your ability to bring waste to the designated curbside set-out location, and there are no other supports in the household that can assist, you may be eligible for an Accessibility Accommodation for waste collection. 

To apply, please contact the Whitby Operations Centre: 905-668-3437 | operations@whitby.ca

Notice: Due to the ongoing postal strike, bag tags cannot be mailed out. Residents who purchase bag tags online must pick them up in person at the Town of Whitby’s Operations Centre (333 McKinney Dr.), during regular business hours Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., until further notice. If other arrangements are needed, please contact us directly at 905-668-3437.

Bag tags are sold in a set of 5 and cost $12.50 ($2.50 per tag).  

Purchasing bag tags - Online

You can order bag tags online. Please allow for 7-10 business days to receive your tags in the mail. 

Purchasing bag tags - In-Person

Learn more about our Waste Collection By-law 7812-21.

Learn more Technical and Risk Guidelines for Waste Collection Service on Private Property