Waste Questions
Collection Reminders
Click or tap on the question to see your answer.
We take the 3R's very seriously at the Association. They are reduce, reuse and recycle. Included in that is composting as well. Waste disposal should always be a last resort final option, and if you browse our site and recycling guide, you will notice we only suggest garbage disposal if the material simply has no other form of disposal. You can read valuable information on landfills here, as well as our company philosophy. If you want further reading on the negative impact on waste, check out our curriculum guide which is completely online. Please do your very best to review all your options before throwing your materials in the garbage.
One of the first things you can do is use our Recycling Guide here. It contains practically every item you could think of and will give you instructions of whether the material is waste or not. In general, all materials that cannot be recycled or composted will be waste, including hazardous materials and electronic waste.
No! Just because an item is considered waste does not mean it should be disposed in your garbage bag or depot. Items such as electronics and certain metals may not be recyclable with our program, but they CAN be recycled by other organizations. Refer to our Recycling Guide for your specific item. In addition, check out www.makethedrop.ca for disposal methods.
No, there are exceptions designated by type, and size/weight limitations as well. All non-recyclable or compostable materials are accepted on the curb except:
- Explosive Items
- Corrosive Items
- Flammable Items
- Radioactive Items
- Liquid Items
- Toxic Items
- Biomedical Items
- Electronic Items
- Construction & Demolition Materials
- Oversize Items (larger than 30 gallons or longer than 30")
- Overweight Items (heavier than 45 lbs)
Each of these items will have special disposal methods, whether it be at a local depot, or a specialized area that services these particular wastes. Please visit our Recycling Guide here to find your material and its preferred disposal method. Don’t just throw everything out!
The item may be rejected at the curb or at the material recovery facility. You run the risk of loosing access to the recycling program if you are a repeat offender.
Here are some general guidelines. (You may also download and print this handy PDF)
- To ensure your materials are collected, place your items out on the proper side of the road by 7:00am on your designated collection day.
- Please do not hide your containers. Be sure not to place it behind an obstruction where it cannot be clearly seen from the road.
- Do not place any hot ashes in the container.
- Remove cans from the curb after service.
- Items cannot exceed 45lbs, 30 gallons or 30" in length.
- Apply a user pay tag where applicable.
You can check out all your community information right on our site! Visit the schedule section here. Find your county, then your municipality, which will discuss any user pay requirements and locations to purchase bag tags.
You can check out all your collection information right on our site! Visit the schedule section here. Find your county, then your municipality, which will have handy print outs for your specific collection day and maps to guide you if you have different zones.
- For most hazardous materials, there are safe drop-off locations scattered across Southwestern Ontario. Visit Make The Drop for the closest area near you.
- For electronic waste, the Bluewater Recycling Association accepts all materials at our Material Recovery Facility located at 415 Canada Avenue in Huron Park. For other e-waste recycling locations see the Recycle Your Electronics web site at http://www.recycleyourelectronics.ca.
- For oversized, bulky or construction & demolition waste – consider a containerized service in your area. Contact a local bulk or containerized waste removal company found it the Yellow Pages under the heading rubbish removal. Mars Environmental is one of those companies that may service your area. Visit their website here.
- For a lower fee, residents may dispose of mixed construction waste at the Try Recycling facility near London.
All other waste not accepted on the curb can be brought to your local landfill. View a map of all our community landfills.
This is a common question asked by residents. The idea of a man-made structure used to hold waste does not seem appealing, though there is sometimes no choice. Modern technology has helped the landfill design, and process significantly, and some landfills are extremely reasonable to the environment. Click here to visit our special section on landfills, where you can also find a handy print out map of our local landfills.
We release many publications throughout the year and convert many of them online. As noted above, if you have a question which is not answered in this help section, feel free to contact us here. Otherwise, check out our publications section to handouts, reports, guides, and special releases. You can also register to receive free updates via email. Get your annual calendar, notice of service cancellation or new recyclable materials by signing up here.
