More than 700 pick-up zones “accidentally omitted” from the province’s new Ontario-wide recycling contract will now be serviced in Mississauga, Caledon and Brampton, Mayor Patrick Brown says.

Launched in the new year with the goal of bringing uniformity to residential recycling collection across Ontario, the program created confusion as to what types of items can and can’t be recycled.

There have also been complaints about missed collections and poor communication, and Brampton’s mayor says over 700 pickup zones were initially missed in the province-wide roll out.

Brown said he has met with the company that services the Region of Peel recycling pickup for Circular Materials, the non-profit company tasked with unifying the way curbside recycling across Ontario.

“They informed me that, when Circular Materials took over under the province’s new system, 735 pickup zones in Peel were accidentally omitted from the new provincial contract,” Brown said in a post on social media this week, adding that the company “now has authority to service them.”

Despite the shaky start, Brown said he’s “optimistic” that the early issues with the recycling changeover “will be resolved moving forward.”

Starting next month, the Circular Materials recycling program will undergo another shakeup, only items placed inside recycling blue bins will be collected.

That means blue recycling bags, large cardboard boxes and other items left outside of the bin will not be picked up. Circular Materials has said additional recycling bins will soon be made available for residents to accommodate overflow waste.

Some Peel neighbourhoods report that the blue recycling bags already have not been picked up during recent collection periods.

Until the beginning of 2026, the collection of recyclables was the responsibility of municipalities in Ontario, with each having different rules regarding what could be placed in blue bins and blue boxes.

Anyone who has experienced a gap in their recycling pickup schedule can contact Circular Materials by calling 1-877-667-2626 or by visiting www.circularmaterials.ca.

– With files from Steve Pecar


INsauga’s Editorial Standards and Policies

Last 30 Days: 75,280 Votes

All Time: 1,225,674 Votes

1097 VOTES
Should bike lanes stay or be removed?

WIN A $100 GIFT CARD

Subscribe to INsauga’s daily email newsletter for a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card.