Collection calendar | City of London

Finding your collection zone and schedule

London has six collection zones with a separate schedule for the downtown and core area.

Use the Zone Finder tool to view the collection schedule online.

Recycle Coach app

Download the free Recycle Coach app from your app store. You will be able to access your collection schedule for garbage, recycling, and yard waste from your phone or device. Recycle Coach can also send reminders about your collection day, and help answer questions about what items go where.

Printed collection calendar

The printed version of the calendar is available to pick up at City of London EnviroDepots. You can also request a digital copy of the calendar be emailed to you through Zone Finder.

Report a collection issue

If you encounter an issue with your garbage, recycling, or yard waste collection, please report it through Service London online.

Report an issue

Developing London's Green Bin program

The City of London is continuing to engage residents in the design of our Green Bin program. We are hoping to learn more about what will drive your ability and desire to participate in this new program.

A Green Bin is like a blue recycling bin, but for food waste such as fruit and vegetable skins, spoiled leftovers, and other inedible food waste like bones. The Green Bin would be collected from your home at the curbside much like your blue box is, and the materials from your Green Bin would be composted or digested.

Get involved

Removing your Christmas tree and seasonal greenery

Please drop off your tree and greenery at a City of London EnviroDepot. Please remove all of your decorations and lights from your tree before visiting.

If you have space, you can also store your tree in your backyard. Your tree will become a habitat for birds. Wait until spring and place your tree and greenery out for Yard Waste Collection in the new year (only trees up to three meters in height will be collected).

Christmas trees are no longer collected at the curb.

Additional holiday recycling tips

Put gift wrap, ribbons, bows, and bags in the trash can. These items are not recyclable.
Break down, flatten and bundle your cardboard boxes or stack them flattened in your recycling bin.
Things like take-out coffee cups, milk cartons, and juice boxes belong with other recyclable containers, and not paper. Here's a tip to help you sort it right: If you can drink out of it, it's a container.
Avoid “Wishcycling.” Just because you “wish” you could recycle something, doesn’t mean you can. When in doubt, leave it out.
Download the Recycle Coach app to help answer what goes where in our recycling program. Recycle Coach also includes personalized collection calendars, information on London’s recycling program, and collection reminders all accessible from your phone or device.

Holiday collection schedule for multi-residential properties

Holiday collection schedule for apartment buildings

If you live in a multi-residential property, please contact your property management for more details about your property's waste and recycling collection.

If your regular collection day is…	Rescheduled Day for Garbage	Rescheduled Day for Recycling
Christmas Day Friday, December 25	Saturday, December 26	Saturday, December 26
Boxing Day (Holiday Observed) Monday, December 28	Tuesday, December 29	as scheduled
Tuesday, December 29	Wednesday, December 30	as scheduled
New Year’s Day Friday, January 1, 2021	Saturday, January 2	as scheduled
Family Day Monday, February 15	Tuesday, February 16	as scheduled
Tuesday, February 16	Wednesday, February 17	as scheduled
Good Friday Friday, April 2	Saturday, April 3	as scheduled
Easter Monday Monday, April 5	Tuesday, April 6	as scheduled
Tuesday, April 6	Wednesday, April 7	as scheduled
Victoria Day Monday, May 24	Tuesday, May 25	as scheduled
Tuesday, May 25	Wednesday, May 26	as scheduled
Canada Day Thursday, July 1	Friday, July 2	as scheduled
Friday, July 2	Saturday, July 3	as scheduled
Civic Holiday Monday, August 2	Tuesday, August 3	as scheduled
Tuesday, August 3	Wednesday, August 4	as scheduled
Labour Day Monday, September 6	Tuesday, September 7	as scheduled
Tuesday, September 7	Wednesday, September 8	as scheduled
Thanksgiving Monday, October 11	Tuesday, October 12	as scheduled
Tuesday, October 12	Wednesday, October 13	as scheduled

Collection at townhomes:

Your collection schedule at townhomes depends on the type of garbage and recycling containers being used

Garbage placed in dumpsters – follow the schedule above.
Garbage in individual bags/cans – follow the 2020-2021 Waste Reduction & Conservation Calendar.
Recycling placed in large blue carts – follow the schedule above.
Recycling placed in individual Blue Boxes - follow the 2020-2021 Waste Reduction & Conservation Calendar.

Buildings with Wednesday garbage pickup:

Buildings North of Hamilton Road

On weeks following a Holiday Monday, your garbage will be collected on Tuesday.

Buildings South of Hamilton Road

On weeks following a Holiday Monday, your regular pick up will not change and garbage will be collected on Wednesday.

Cardboard collection at multi-residential buildings:

On weeks following a Holiday Monday, regular Wednesday cardboard collection will be rescheduled for Thursday.

For more information about collection at multi-residential properties, the 2020/2021 holiday schedule, or purchasing recycling carts, please contact Jane Kittmer at jkittmer@london.ca or call 519-661-2489 x 2334

Downtown and core area collection

Downtown and core area garbage collection – changes to night collection

In an effort to improve the cleanliness of downtown and a few other areas, the City of London is conducting a new pilot project for garbage collection. The goal is to reduce the length of time that bagged garbage sits at the curb, reduce the amount of litter, and better meet the needs of businesses and those living in the core.

Garbage will now be collected in the evening (and shortly after midnight) instead of in the early morning. There is also a minor change to collection days.

Area affected by the change

A map of the core area garbage collection zone. For assistance and to ask questions, please contact es@london.ca

To ask questions about the garbage collection map, or to confirm if you are located in the collection zone, please contact es@london.ca

There is currently an East and a West collection zone, which are separated by Clarence Street. This East / West split is not changing during this pilot project.

West zone

Includes the area of Clarence Street and West of Clarence Street
Collection now occurs on Monday and Wednesday nights (changed from Tuesday and Thursday mornings)
Please set garbage to the curb by 7 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday

East zone

Includes the area East of Clarence Street
Collection now occurs on Tuesday and Thursday nights (changed from Wednesday and Friday mornings)
Please set garbage to the curb by 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday

Dundas Place

If you are located on Dundas Place (Dundas Street between Ridout and Wellington Streets) please set garbage within 1 metre of the road’s edge by 7 p.m.

We need your help

Please do not set out your garbage too far in advance of the set-out time of 7 p.m. This will help keep streets free of litter and reduce the time that garbage sits out at the curbside or sidewalk.

Garbage preparation requirements for core area businesses

Garbage must be placed inside large, strong plastic bags (minimum size 30 litre, maximum size 125 litre). Bags must weigh less than 20 kg (44 pounds). Do not place small plastic grocery bags at the curbside. Place them in larger bags.

A maximum of 12 bags per business will be collected.

The City will collect “commercial” waste. This refers to waste produced from a retail activity (i.e., from the retail area and office area of the business) but shall not include “trade waste”. Furniture, equipment, wooden pallets, discarded inventory, machinery parts, are examples of materials that are not collectible and considered “trade waste.”

Garbage preparation requirements for core area residents

There is a 3-container garbage limit per residential unit
A container is a garbage can or a garbage bag of a size between 30 L (minimum) and 125 L (maximum)
Each container of garbage must weigh less than 20 kg (44 lbs)
Garbage must be placed inside large, strong plastic bags or in a can. Do not place small plastic grocery bags at the curbside.

COVID-19 precautions

To slow the spread of COVID-19 and reduce litter please ensure that items such as tissues, paper towel, wipes, used gloves and sanitary products and diapers are secured in plastic bags, and not placed loosely in a garbage can.

Needles and sharp items

To protect collection staff and the public, take precautions with broken glass and sharp metal objects. Place in a sealed cardboard box and label clearly as ‘glass’ or ‘sharps’.

Don’t put needles in the garbage. Place in a rigid container and contact your local pharmacy or visit healthsteward.ca or london.ca/needles for safe disposal options.

Disposing of furniture and other bulky waste

Bulky waste includes furniture, carpet and mattresses. Some items require preparation (e.g., cut carpet into 3 foot lengths, roll and tie in bundles). Many items will not be collected at the curbside (e.g., appliances, electronics, scrap metal, tires, and renovation materials).

Check the Recycle Coach App for details on how to prepare waste, what will be collected at the curbside, and where to take items that will not be collected.