Everything you need to know about holiday waste collection
Here is everything you need to know about waste collection in the City of Vaughan throughout the festive season:
Waste collection schedule
Waste collection will not be affected over the holidays. Remember to have all waste items placed curbside by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Staff will not return for items set out late. Please note pickup times may be impacted by winter weather.
Christmas tree collection
For the weeks of Tuesday, Jan. 3 and Tuesday, Jan. 10, real Christmas trees will be collected curbside on your regularly scheduled collection day. Artificial trees are collected as garbage and must be bagged.
For the safety of the City’s waste collectors, follow these tips:
- Do not place your real Christmas tree in a tree bag or plastic bag.
- Remove all decorations (including tinsel and ornaments) and stands before collection.
- Ensure your tree is less than two metres (seven feet) in height. Cut the tree in half if it exceeds this height.
- Safely package any broken glass, such as ornaments or décor, in a sealed cardboard box labelled “broken glass,” then place the box curbside with your regular garbage.
Real Christmas trees can also be dropped off at a York Region waste depot that accepts yard waste (fees will apply). Visit york.ca/WasteDepots for more information.
If you have leftover leaf and yard waste materials, you can also place them curbside during Christmas tree collection.
Double-Up Days
On your scheduled garbage collection day during the weeks of Tuesday, Jan. 3 or Tuesday, Jan. 10, you can place up to six items at the curb – no paid tags are required. Some large and bulky items, such as furniture and mattresses, can be placed curbside and count as one item toward the six-item limit. Ensure items do not exceed 68 kilograms (150 pounds) and are free of hazards, such as protruding nails. If disassembled, furniture parts must be safely secured together in a bundle not exceeding 20 kilograms (45 pounds). The City reserves the right to refuse unsafe, overweight or oversized items. For more information, visit the City’s large and bulky items webpage.
Winter waste set-out
With many snowy days ahead, it’s important to set waste back from the curb approximately one metre on the right-hand side of the driveway (when facing the home) where possible. Bins, bags and Christmas trees should never be placed on top of or behind snowbanks. This allows crews to collect waste safely and for plows to clear snow effectively and efficiently in residential areas.
What goes where?
If you’re unsure where a waste item belongs, download the Recycle Coach app through the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app provides waste-less tips and a personalized collection schedule with optional alerts on what to put to the curb each week. The City also offers an online sorting tool so you can quickly and easily check what item goes where using the search bar.
Visit vaughan.ca/waste for more information on the City’s waste services.
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