Spring cleaning is easy with the City’s waste services!

With the warmer weather arriving soon, you may be preparing for your annual spring cleaning, which can result in additional waste. Rest assured, the City of Vaughan has a variety of online tools and collection services to help you take the guesswork out of waste sorting and disposal!

Double-Up Days

Double-Up Days are coming soon! During the weeks of April 9 or April 16, 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. the day of collection. Crews will not return for items set out late.

Large and bulky items

Large or bulky items, such as mattresses, chairs and tables, can be placed curbside for disposal during scheduled garbage collection days. Each piece counts as one item toward the three-item garbage limit. For the safety of our waste collectors, ensure your items are kept dry and each item does not exceed 68 kilograms (150 pounds). The City reserves the right to refuse unsafe, overweight or oversized items. Items must also be free of all sharp and hazardous objects, such as nails. Broken glass or other glass items must be safely packaged and labelled. 

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.

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 ‘water bottle,’ in the search bar and select from the dropdown list to learn where it goes.

• Recycle Coach app: Did you know there’s an app for all your waste sorting needs? 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.

Try these waste reduction tips!

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:

• Drop off old or unwanted clothing at a textile donation bin in Vaughan.

• Turn your fruit and vegetable scraps into garden fertilizer! The City provides backyard composters for sale through 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.

To learn more about the City’s waste services, visit vaughan.ca/waste. 

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