Recycling

Residents must only use City of Brantford approved blue boxes to put out recyclable materials that are between 60 L to 87 L in size. The use of large wheeled recycling containers is not permitted at single-family households.

Download and use the City of Brantford Recycle Coach application to see what goes where and when in your neighbourhood. Beginning in Spring 2021, Spring/Summer Yard Waste collection will take place every other week (bi-weekly). To see this change reflected on your Recycle Coach collection calendar, you must re-enter your address on your mobile device following these steps:

  1. Open the app 
  2. Click on Menu 
  3. Click on Settings 
  4. Click on Address / Zone
  5. Re-enter your Address

Collection schedule

All recyclable materials should be set out at the curb for collection by 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day, and not before 7:00 p.m. the night before.

Collection occurs on all statutory holidays except Christmas Day and New Year's Day, in which case, collection will occur one day later.

What goes in which box or bin?

Use the "two-sort" method for your recycling box (or bin in multi-residential units):

Containers and cartons (plastic, metal, glass and drink boxes)
  • Aerosol cans (empty)
  • Aluminum foil and pie plates (cleaned)
  • Cartons and drink boxes (milk cartons, juice boxes)
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Metal paint cans (empty or containing no more than ¼” of dried paint)
  • Plastic bottles, tubs and jugs
  • Plastic clamshell containers (no Styrofoam)
  • Spiral wound cardboard cans
  • Steel and aluminum cans (pop and food cans)

Paper and cardboard materials
  • Newspapers and flyers
  • Magazines and catalogues
  • Books (softcover and phone books), hardcover books (hard covers removed)
  • Household paper products (envelopes, writing paper, printer paper)
  • Boxboard (tissue, cereal, shoe, etc..)
  • Egg cartons
  • Tubes and rolls (flatten)
  • Cardboard boxes (flatten, tied and bundled)
  • Place shredded paper securely inside a cardboard box or a paper bag (Please note it will NOT be collected if placed in a plastic bag)

Download the Recycle Coach app for more information on what goes where.

Blue recycling bag with prohibited symbol over top

No plastic bags

Please do not bag your recyclables.

Leave items loose and empty in your recycling bins.

Cardboard boxes

Flatten and tie large cardboard boxes into bundles no larger than 75 cm x 75 cm x 20 cm (30" x 30" x 8") and place securely beside or between your blue boxes.

Recycling on windy days

Follow these steps to prevent litter in your neighbourhood on windy days:

  • Put your waste at the curb by 7:00 a.m. the morning of your collection day, instead of the night before
  • Stack blue boxes by placing heavier items on top of loose papers
  • Don't overfill blue boxes with loose materials
  • Put garbage bags on the curb instead of garbage cans; garbage cans are more likely to blow around

New or replacement blue boxes

The City provides new or replacement blue boxes to Brantford residents as needed and at the discretion of the City of Brantford, at no cost. There is a limit of one replacement blue box per address per year, if boxes are broken, or missing from the curb. Proof of residency may be required.

Broken blue boxes can only be taken to the Mohawk Street Landfill Site to be disposed of, free of charge.

Blue box replacement locations: 

The Tourism Centre has temporarily suspended its blue box/recycling bin distribution program.

Replacement blue box locations, addresses and pick up hours
LocationAddressPick up hours
Mohawk Landfill Site 20 Morrison Road Brantford, ON N3T 5L9 Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tourism Centre 399 Wayne Gretzky Parkway Brantford, ON N3R 8B4 The Tourism Centre has temporarily suspended its blue box/recycling bin distribution program
Public Works Counter 100 Wellington Square Brantford, ON N3T 2M2 Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (closed holidays)