A new, province-wide blue box recycling program is beginning next month. Here’s what you need to know
Saultites will be able to toss more materials into their recycling bins as part of upcoming changes to the province’s recycling program.
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, Ontario residents will be able to recycle all of the same materials right across the board — including a few new ones.
The new materials will include:
Hot and cold beverage cups (coffee cups)
Deodorant and toothpaste tubes
Ice cream tubs
Black plastic containers
Frozen juice containers
“This new unified material list in Ontario will make it easier for residents to recycle, improving recovery rates and benefitting both people and the environment,” said Circular Materials spokesperson Jennifer Kerr.
“The unified material list and new materials included are a great example of how extended producer responsibility advances innovation and improves environmental outcomes.”
Kerr said the recycling collection schedule in the Sault will stay exactly the same, and residents will not experience any changes to their existing collection service.
Circular Materials will oversee the province-wide recycling program, while GFL Environmental will be contracted by the company as the recycling collection service provider locally.
The province’s new blue box recycling program will be funded by companies that produce packaging and paper products in Ontario under an extended producer responsibility model.
“This means municipalities and taxpayers are no longer paying for recycling services as this cost is paid for by producers,” Kerr said.
“By shifting financial responsibility to producers, EPR enables municipalities to redirect their budgets to other local initiatives.”
The complete list of recyclable materials is available on the Circular Materials website.