Skip to Content

City of Oshawa homepage City of Oshawa homepage

Text Resize

Regular Large X-Large

Colour Contrast

Default High

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, please contact [email protected]

View Our Accessibility Plan

  • Careers
  • Live Chat
  • Apply & Register
    • Animal Licence
    • Apply for a Job
    • Bid Opportunity
    • Blue Box and Green Bin
    • Building Permits
    • Business Licence
    • Certification of Recognition
    • Development Application
    • Freedom of Information Request
    • Grant or Rebate
    • Parking Permit
  • Pay & Buy
    • Animal Licences
    • By-law Penalty
    • Donations
    • Parking Tickets
    • Property Taxes
    • Recreation Program
  • Get Involved
    • Attend or View a Meeting
    • Connect with Oshawa
    • Contact Council
    • Service Feedback
    • Speak at a meeting
    • Submit a Complaint
    • Volunteer
  • Report an Issue
    • City or Park Tree Maintenance
    • Faulty Parking Meter or Pay Machine
    • Lost Pet
    • Missed Garbage Collection
    • Parks or Trail Maintenance
    • Roadway or Sidewalk Maintenance
    • Streetlight Out
    • Service Oshawa Online
Contact Us
  • Parks, Recreation and Culture
    • Parks, Recreation and Culture
    • Arts and Culture
    • Community Clubs, Groups and Organizations
    • Events Calendar
    • Festivals and Events
    • History and Heritage
    • Libraries
    • Parks, Trails and Open Spaces
    • Recreation
    • Visiting Oshawa
    • Volunteering
    • Waterfront
  • Home and Property
    • Home and Property
    • Animal Services
    • Building and Renovating
    • Cemeteries
    • City Services Map
    • Environment
    • Fire Services
    • Garbage, Recycling and Green Bin
    • Housing Permits and Licences
    • New Subdivision Homeowners
    • New to Oshawa
    • Parking
    • Property Maintenance and Standards
    • Property Taxes
    • Snow Clearing
    • Tenants
    • Traffic Safety
    • Zoning
  • Fire Services and Community Support
    • Fire Services and Community Support
    • Accessibility
    • Animal Services
    • Community Engagement
    • Community Safety, Security and Well-Being
    • COVID-19
    • Education
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Feed the Need Oshawa
    • Fire Services
    • Oshawa Community Grants
    • PulsePoint
    • Seniors
    • Tribute Communities Centre Suite and Bowl Tickets
    • Unsheltered or Homelessness
  • Transportation and Parking
    • Transportation and Parking
    • Cycling
    • Development Map
    • Interactive Map
    • Oshawa Executive Airport
    • Parking
    • Regional Roads
    • Road and Sidewalk Closures
    • Road and Engineering Projects
    • Road Maintenance
    • Road Permits
    • Roundabouts
    • Snow Clearing
    • Street Naming Policy
    • Traffic Safety
    • Transit
    • Weight Restrictions
  • Business and Development
    • Business and Development
    • Bid Opportunities
    • Building and Renovating
    • Business Directory
    • Business Licences and Permits
    • Development Map
    • Downtown Oshawa
    • Filming in Oshawa
    • GO East Durham
    • Housing Permits and Licences
    • Incentives and Programs
    • Invest Oshawa
    • Major Construction and Renewal Projects
    • Mayors Economic Recovery Task Force
    • Planning and Development
    • Shop Local
    • Sponsorship and Advertising
    • TeachingCity Oshawa
    • Tour of Growth and Development
  • City Hall
    • City Hall
    • Accessibility
    • Applications, Licences and Permits
    • Bid Opportunities
    • Budget and Financial
    • By-laws
    • Careers
    • City Committees
    • City Council
    • City Records
    • Commissioner of Oaths
    • Community Engagement
    • Complaints
    • Contact Us
    • COVID-19 Information and Updates
    • Departments
    • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
    • Elections
    • Government Services
    • Major Construction and Renewal Projects
    • Merchandise and Souvenirs
    • News Centre
    • Our Oshawa
    • Plans, Reports and Studies
    • Recognition and Awards

yard waste bags, garbage bags, green bin and blue boxes set out at the curb

Waste Tips

HomeHome and PropertyGarbage, Recycling and Green BinWaste Tips
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Visit the Reducing Your Waste page for appropriate alternatives to sending materials to landfills.

Visiting a City facility or our downtown? Check the Waste On The Go page to learn how to dispose of your litter in our diversion bins.

Know Before You Throw Tool

Not sure how to sort your waste? Look up an item to identify where to dispose or recycle it.

Common set out mistakes

Here are some common reasons your waste may have been left at the curb and helpful tips to ensure your collection is not missed.

General mistakes

Late set out

  • Set your materials by the curb no later than 7 a.m. on the day of your collection and no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before.

Overweight

  • Your materials may be too heavy. Garbage bags, yard waste and green bins have weight limits of 20 kg (44 lbs).

Not within reach

  • Make sure your materials are visible and accessible.
  • Placing materials within 30cm (1 ft) of the curb and at ground level will help our collection staff be more efficient.
  • In the winter, be sure to place your materials in an area free of snow and ice.
  • Parked cars or snowbanks make it difficult for collection operators to see and collect your waste.
  • To reduce worker injury, materials must be placed at ground level at the end of your driveway in an area free of snow and ice.

Not acceptable

  • Household hazardous waste (syringes, batteries, paint, oil etc.), construction/demolition materials (drywall, wood, bricks), and grass clippings should not be set out at the curb for collection.
  • Visit the Region of Durham's Waste Management Facility in Oshawa or hire a private contractor to collect unacceptable materials.

Not your collection day

  • Check your collection schedule by downloading the Durham Region Waste App or using our schedule lookup tool on the Collection Schedule page.
  • There is no waste collection service on statutory holidays. After a holiday, collection occurs one day later than your regular collection day. Visit our Holiday Collection page for more information.

Waste specific mistakes

Blue box recycling

Cardboard was not broken down

Fold cardboard boxes flat and cut, tie and bundle cardboard. The cardboard should not be larger than the size of your blue box.

 

Materials are not separated

Recycling must be separated into paper fibres placed in one blue box and containers placed in a separate blue box. Mixed materials are harder to separate at the recycling facility.

For more details about this waste, visit the Recycling page.

Green bin waste

Incorrect liner bags in the green bin.

Use only 100% certified compostable liner bags.

For more details about this waste, visit the Green Bin page.

Garbage

Garbage bags are too big

Only use standard sized garbage bags no larger than 66 cm x 90 cm (26" x 36"). Purchase bag tags if necessary, visit the Garbage page.

 

Garbage was set out in a garbage can

For collection efficiency, the City does not pick up garbage that has been set out in returnable containers or cans. Instead, use garbage bags at the curb.

 

Incorrect set out day

Garbage collection occurs every other week. Check your schedule or use the schedule lookup tool on the Collection Schedule page to verify that you have the correct day.

For more details about this waste, visit the Garbage page.

Large item collection

The pick up was not scheduled for collecting large items (furniture or appliances)

Call Service Oshawa or book online on the Large Item Collection page at least two business days before your garbage collection to arrange for the pick-up of large items.

 

Exceeds the 12 item limit

Up to 12 items may be picked up during a large item collection. Small items must be placed in garbage bags, set out with your regular curbside garbage collection, and affixed with a bag tag if necessary. Additional large item collections may be booked for a $25 fee. Alternatively, items may be taken to the Region of Durham's Waste Management Facility.

 

Items exceed the size restrictions

For materials to fit into the collection vehicle and to ensure worker safety, large items should not exceed 3 m (10 ft.) in length or weigh more than 70 kg (154 lbs.). Bundled items must not exceed 76 cm (30 in) in length, 36 cm (14 in) in width and 36 cm (14 in) in height and weigh less than 20 kg (44 lbs.).

If your waste was not collected, please remove it from the curb by 8 p.m. Items left at the curb are subject to a fine or clean up fees.

For more details about this waste, visit the Large Item Collection page.

Yard waste

Incorrect day

Yard waste is collected seasonally, every other week on the same day as your garbage day, starting in the spring and ending in late fall. Check your collection schedule by downloading the Durham Region Waste App or using our schedule lookup tool on the Collection Schedule page.

 

Grass clippings

Grass clippings are not allowed at the curb because they cause issues at the compost facility. Instead, leave grass clippings on your lawn and let them decay naturally. This saves time and improves the health of your lawn.

 

Unacceptable container

Yard waste set out in plastic bags will not be collected. Instead, use only kraft paper bags or clearly labelled returnable open-top containers.

 

Higher than normal volumes

The spring and fall often are periods with higher volumes of yard waste. During these periods, residents may experience delays of up to two business days in yard waste collection services. Check our website for service updates. We appreciate your patience.

For more details about this waste, visit the Yard Waste page.

Home and Property
  • Garbage, Recycling and Green Bin
    • Collection Schedule
      • Holiday Collection
    • Community Clean Up
    • Downtown Waste Collection
    • Garbage
    • Green Bin
    • Large Item Collection
    • Multi-residential Services
    • Recycling
    • Waste Disposal Sites
    • Waste Tips
      • Reducing Your Waste
      • Waste On The Go
    • Yard Waste
  • View Full Home and Property Menu
    • Home and Property
    • Animal Services
      • Donations
      • Lost and Found Pets
      • Off-Leash Parks
      • Pet Adoption
      • Pet Cremation Services
      • Pet Licences
      • Trap Neuter Return Manage Program
      • Volunteering
      • Wildlife
        • Coyotes
        • Rodents
    • Building and Renovating
      • Accessory Apartments
      • Backflow Device
      • Basement Renovations
      • Building Inspections
      • Building Permits
      • Building Permit Documents
      • Building Permit Drawings
      • Decks
      • Demolitions
      • Driveways and Curbs
      • Fences
      • Heritage Properties
      • Landscaping and Grading
      • Pools and Hot Tubs
      • Sheds and Garages
      • Sign Permits
      • Stormwater Management
    • Cemeteries
      • Cemetery Services
      • Union Cemetery
    • City Services Map
    • Environment
      • Air Quality
      • Gardening
      • Growing with Pride
      • Trees
    • Fire Services
    • Housing Permits and Licences
    • New Subdivision Homeowners
    • New to Oshawa
    • Parking
    • Property Maintenance and Standards
      • Creek Bank Erosion
      • Flooding
      • Grass Cutting Assistance
      • Noise
      • Trees
        • Emerald Ash Borer
        • Street Trees and Tree Care
        • Tree Planting
      • Weeds, Plants and Lawns
    • Property Taxes
      • Assessments
      • Changing Your School Support
      • Paying Property Taxes
      • Property Tax Certificates
      • Property Tax Calculator
      • Property Tax By-laws
      • Tax Rebates and Reductions
      • Tax Sales
    • Snow Clearing
    • Tenants
    • Traffic Safety
    • Zoning
      • Zoning By-laws

Contact Us

© 2022 City of Oshawa

Service Oshawa
1st Floor, West Wing, City Hall
50 Centre St. S.
Oshawa, ON L1H 3Z7

Phone: 905-436-3311
Toll Free: 1-800-667-4292
Email: [email protected]

  • Resources

    • Accessibility
    • Contact Us
    • Freedom of Information
    • Land Acknowledgement
    • Privacy & Terms of Use
    • Sitemap
    • Website Feedback
  • Open new window to view our Facebook page
  • Open new window to view our Twitter page
  • Open new window to view our Instagram page
  • Open new window to view our Youtube page
  • Open new window to view our LinkedIn page

Browser Compatibility Notification

It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.