Recycling

Blue box recycling

Setting out your recycling correctly on collection day will help collectors pick it up fast and efficiently.

Did you know? 

The City collects garbage and green bins, while Miller Waste collects recycling.  You can help collectors by keeping your garbage and green bin together on one side of the curb, and your recycling on the other side. 

REVIEW YOUR COLLECTION CALENDAR

Changes to curbside recycling collection

Circular Materials manages recycling collection, and the City of London manages Green Bin, yard waste and garbage collection.

On January 1, 2026, changes were made to the Ontario Blue Box program. 

Across Ontario, the responsibility of the Blue Box Program has shifted from cities to producers (the companies that supply packaging and paper to residents). This means residential recycling collection in London is no longer be managed by the City.

Circular Materials manages the new system and oversees all residential curbside recycling collection and processing.

What does this mean for you?

For most residents, recycling collection continues without any major changes:

  • Your recycling collection days remain the same. You can view your collection schedule using Zone Finder or the Recycle Coach app.
  • Blue Boxes are still collected at the curb

What is changing?

Customer service requests related to recycling collection will be managed by Miller Waste. Please contact Miller Waste for: 

  • Missed recycling collection
  • Replacement for recycling bins
  • Other recycling questions

Miller Waste 
1-888-852-2376
area24@millerwaste.ca

You are now able to recycle more materials at the curb, such as:

  • Flexible plastic packaging, such as plastic bags and overwrap from paper towels, toilet paper and beverage cases
  • Foam packaging, such as meat trays, takeout containers, cups, plates and bowls
  • Tubes such as toothpaste, deodorant and hand creams

 View of the full list of accepted items

Changes to municipal curbside recycling for businesses

As of January 1, 2026, municipal curbside collection of recycling is no longer available to non-residential properties, including small businesses, daycares, churches, and non-profits.  This means that curbside municipal Blue Box service will stop after the last scheduled collection day at the end of December 2025 for approximately 535 non-residential properties.

Why is this changing?

The province has transferred the responsibility of the Blue Box Program from municipalities to producers of recyclable materials. As a result, commercial, industrial, and institutional recycling must now be collected and processed separately from residential recyclable materials.   

This provincial change eliminates the previous cost-effectiveness of providing municipal curbside recycling services to non-residential properties located on residential routes. At this time, the processing capacity for non-residential materials is unknown while this transition is taking place.  

City Council has directed staff to evaluate options for non-residential recycling services later in 2026 when more information becomes available.  

Read the committee report

Reduce your waste

Battery recycling

The City has launched a one-year pilot project in partnership with Call2Recycle to expand battery recycling services in London! In addition to the City’s EnviroDepots, you can now recycle batteries at the “Smart Containers” at six new locations across the city: 

  • East Lions Community Centre (1731 Churchill Ave)
  • South London Community Centre (1119 Jalna Blvd)
  • Canada Games Aquatic Centre (1045 Wonderland Rd N)
  • Startech.com Community Centre (501 Southdale Rd W)
  • Central Library (251 Dundas St)
  • Kiwanis Seniors' Community Centre (78 Riverside Drive)

Smart Containers accept consumer dry cell batteries weighing 5 kilograms or less each, including: 

  • Alkaline batteries (such as AA and AAA batteries)
  • Lithium ion (Li-on) batteries
  • Lithium primary batteries
  • Nickel cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries
  • Nickel metal hydride batteries (Ni-MH)
  • Nickel zinc batteries (Ni-Zn)
  • Small Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries (excluding SK)

As a safe handling tip, end-of-life batteries should not be stored away for more than three months. Instead, these batteries should be recycled at a participating location within that time frame.  You can store and recycle your end-of-life batteries in a plastic bag.

Recycling electronics

Recycling electronics is convenient and free

London residents can recycle their electronics at City EnviroDepots. Effective January 2021, Ontario is transitioning to a new framework for managing electronic waste.  To learn more about this process visit rpra.ca  and follow this site as the transition gets underway and new information becomes available. 

Reducing textiles

Many textiles that are thrown into the garbage can be given an extended life or reused. Most donation centres accept laundered clothing towels, linens, curtains, fabrics including those that may be worn, torn or stained for reuse or to be repurposed as rags. All donated textiles must be dry and free of any medical or hazardous liquids. As a reminder, please do not leave items outside of donation centres or bins.

• Canadian Diabetes Collection Program

• Goodwill Industries

• Mission Services of London

• Salvation Army

• St. Vincent de Paul

• Talize

• Value Village

Last modified:Monday, February 02, 2026