A standardized recycling system is now in effect across the province, expanding the list of items residents can place in their blue boxes and changing how recycling programs are managed
Recycling rules across Ontario, including in North Bay, have changed, with more materials now accepted in blue boxes as of Jan. 1.
The province has implemented a standardized recycling system that sets the same list of accepted materials across Ontario. The change also shifts control of blue box programs to manufacturers and producers instead of municipalities.
The City of North Bay says residents can now recycle items that were previously not accepted locally. These include flexible plastic packaging such as plastic bags, chip bags, and bubble wrap, along with foam packaging like meat trays, takeout containers, and cups. Personal care tubes, including toothpaste, deodorant, and hand cream tubes, are also now accepted.
Additional items added to the provincewide list include black plastic containers, hot and cold beverage cups, frozen juice containers, and ice cream tubs.
See: Here are some of the new rules in Ontario coming into effect on Jan. 1
Officials say the standardized system is intended to reduce confusion by allowing the same materials to be recycled anywhere in Ontario.
“No matter where you are in the province—home, on vacation, or just passing through—you’ll be able to recycle the same materials,” Circular Materials, the organization overseeing Ontario’s new recycling system, says on its website.
“No more having to determine what goes where in each community.”
The new system also includes preparation guidelines. Residents are asked to rinse containers, flatten cardboard, and ensure materials are clean, dry, and loose before placing them in blue boxes. Hazardous materials, such as batteries and sharps, should not be placed in recycling.
A full list of accepted materials and preparation instructions is available here.