Spring cleaning?

Vaughan has resources to help you sort waste!

There may be nothing better than cleaning and refreshing your home at the start of a new season! However, annual spring cleaning can leave you with additional waste. The City has many tools, resources and collection services to help you dispose of waste properly so Vaughan remains clean and beautiful! 

Double-Up Days

Double-Up Days are back during the week of April 1 or April 8, depending on your scheduled collection day. You can place up to six garbage items for collection – and no paid tags are required. Place your items at the curb no later than 7 a.m. on the day of collection. Crews will not return for items set out late.

Blue box and green bin collection

The City collects unlimited blue boxes and green bins weekly on your scheduled collection day! If you need to buy more bins for your materials, you can do so online or at select community centres while supplies last. 

Remember, all recyclables, such as plastic bottles, glass jars, aluminum and cardboard, belong in the blue box. All organics, such as food waste, pet waste, tissues and napkins, belong in the green bin.

Textile donation bins

Clearing out your wardrobe? Don’t just toss old or unwanted clothing in the garbage. Instead, drop them off at a textile donation bin. There are dozens of bin locations across the city!

More waste reduction tips to keep in mind

Everyone plays a part in keeping the planet clean, green and healthy. Try to incorporate these tips into your spring-cleaning plans to reduce what gets sent to landfills:

• Turn your fruit and vegetable scraps into garden fertilizer! The City sells backyard composters via Service Vaughan.

• Repair or repurpose clothing. Use online tutorials to learn how to make basic clothing repairs, such as sewing a hem or button, mending holes or replacing zippers. 

• Visit online resale platforms to sell your unwanted goods. You can also organize a garage sale to sell clothes, household items and other textiles you no longer need. 

• Donate gently used items to a charity of your choice.

• Safely dispose of damaged electronic waste items at a York Region Waste Depot. Never place electronic waste curbside.

• Visit recyclemyelectronics.ca to search for your nearest electronic retail recycling location. 

• Dispose of household hazardous waste, such as batteries, pool chemicals and paint, at a York Region Waste Depot. Household hazardous waste should never be placed in the garbage or down a drain.

Need help sorting waste?

If you’re unsure where to dispose of an item, the City has a few different resources to lend you a hand:

• ‘What Goes Where?’: The City’s online ‘What Goes Where?’ sorting tool helps you learn where to dispose of an item. Simply type an item, such as ‘Styrofoam,’ in the search bar and select from the dropdown list to learn where it goes.

• Recycle Coach app: Download the free Recycle Coach app from the Apple App Store or Google Play to learn where waste items belong, waste reduction tips and view your personalized collection schedule with optional alerts on what to put to the curb each week.

• Waste-less Virtual Visits: City staff offer one-on-one Waste-less Virtual Visit sessions – via FaceTime, WhatsApp and Zoom – to help you understand how to properly dispose of items and answer any questions about the City’s waste collection program. To book an appointment, contact Service Vaughan by phone at 905-832-2281 or by email at service@vaughan.ca.

For more information on the City’s waste services, visit vaughan.ca/waste. 

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