Recycling Updates

An Industrial, Commercial, or Institutional (ICI) property is any property not designated as residential according to Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) codes. However, under the new regulation, elementary and secondary schools, as well as non-profit long-term care facilities will continue to be eligible for recycling services.

Properties that are not eligible for the blue box collection and recycling service provided by producers include, but are not limited to, the following:

• All private sector businesses (including Downtown core businesses)
• Place of worship
• Daycares
• Campgrounds (without households)
• Public facing and internal areas of municipal buildings/facilities (e.g., libraries, arenas)
• Not-for-profit organizations
• Commercial farms

Blue Box materials from the residential portion of a mixed-use property will be collected on the designated residential collection day. Apartment buildings that are currently receiving curbside collection will continue to receive curbside recycling collection by Emterra.

Since January 1, 2026, in accordance with the waste By-Law 2024-235, the existing curbside recycling collection service has ended for all ICI properties. If you are impacted by these changes, you should have received a letter from Kawartha Lakes.

We appreciate your commitment to environmental stewardship and encourage you to continue to recycle materials and divert from the waste stream. As per our By-Law 2024-235 (download) waste will require to be sorted with less than 10% recycling contamination in waste placed at the curb.

Businesses will need to arrange for private recycling collection services. Currently, the municipality is exploring the potential for collaborating with adjacent municipalities through a joint procurement process for the collection and processing of non-eligible blue box materials, however nothing has been confirmed.

Waste collection (i.e., waste and recycling) from ICI locations has never been mandated for municipalities in Ontario. When it made economic sense, this service was an added value to further support our communities. However, under the new regulations, ICI properties are not considered eligible for recycling services, and without the economies of scale afforded by the residential curbside program it is no longer feasible for the municipality to support.

Non-eligible properties can choose to contract a private contractor to collect the recycling. The properties’ occupants, owners, or managers can make private arrangements to collect and process their recycling. There are service providers and local businesses that have been preparing for this transition and are ready to offer their services.

We are actively exploring options for businesses so we encourage you to participate in our survey to express your interest in joint procurement opportunities or your preference to find your own service provider.

The City of Kawartha Lakes acknowledges the concerns regarding the exclusion of ICI Blue Box materials from the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model. Here is how the City of Kawartha Lakes is assisting with the transition:

• Advocacy and Support: The City sent a letter (January 6, 2025) to Ontario’s Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to advocate for solutions for managing ICI sector materials. Requesting that amendments be made to Ontario Regulation 391/21: Blue Box to make producers responsible for the end-of-life management of recycling products from all sources.
• Council carried a resolution CR2025-023 that staff continue to explore alternatives to support the provision of services such as a joint procurement with adjacent municipalities and municipal support for a private procurement process.
• Staff have created a survey to gather information from businesses to determine how the City can support business in this transition.

Yes, the municipality will continue to provide curbside collection of garbage, leaf and yard waste, and organics to areas that currently receive these services. The collection schedule will remain the same.

The Ontario Government has made legislated changes to the Blue Box Regulation to expand participation in recycling programs by providing clearer and more comprehensive recycling guidelines across the province. This regulation promotes a more circular economy, where materials are collected, recycled, and reused to create new products and packaging. These changes aim to reduce overall waste, divert waste from landfills, and mitigate impacts on the environment.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a system where producers of Blue Box material, like Coca-Cola, Amazon, Walmart, etc., are responsible for the entire lifecycle of material that they produce. Currently, municipalities cover half of the cost of collection and processing of recyclable materials. Under EPR, producers are logistically and financially accountable for their product packaging from production to disposal, helping to reduce waste and promote recycling.

A circular economy is an approach that shifts away from the traditional make-use-dispose model towards a system that promotes recycling and reuse. It aims to extend the lifecycle of a products, minimize the use of raw materials, maximize the lifespan of materials and resources, and reduce waste and packaging. This system helps create a sustainable cycle where materials are continuously reused and repurposed, reducing environmental impact.

• Ontario Regulation 391/21 - Blue Box
• Circular Materials Website
• By-Law 2024-235 for Collection and Management of Waste and Recyclables Within The City of Kawartha Lakes
• WM2025-001 Update on Blue Box Options for Non-Eligible Sources