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Recycling Program Changes & Impacts to Your Business

As of January 1st, 2026, Ontario’s recycling program is now being managed by Circular Materials. There are also several changes to the Blue Box Program regulations that impact businesses in Ontario.

Key Changes for Businesses:
  • Municipal Service Ends: Starting January 1, 2026, municipal curbside blue box collection services for Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (IC&I) properties will be discontinued.
  • Private Arrangements Required: Businesses are now responsible for arranging their own private recycling collection services with third-party waste management contractors.
  • No Co-collection: Circular Materials does not allow recycling materials from businesses to be collected with the residential material.
Please take a moment to let us know how these changes will impact your business.
1.How do you access your business?
2.Is your business located in one of the following:
3.Where is your business located? Name the municipality or closest town if remote:
4.What is the distance from your business to your nearest recycling depot or designated drop-off area?
5.Do you currently separate garbage from recycling?
6.How did you dispose of your recycling? Select all that apply.
7.If you own outpost camps, what is your primary method of transporting & disposing waste?
8.Are recycling services near you available year-round?
9.Has your municipality stopped collecting recycling from businesses at your local landfill or designated drop-off area?
10.If your municipality is still allowing businesses to drop-off recycling at local landfill/recycling depot, have they started collecting fees? If so, how much do they charge?
11.If you have contracted a private company, or got quotes for this service, what is the average cost associated with this service?
12.Does or would the company charge you based on distance to nearest recycling facility, fuel, weight, and/or number of pick ups?
13.Have your recycling-related costs increase in the last 2-3 years (municipal fees, fuel to go to depot, contractor fees, etc.)? If yes, how much?
14.Do you have adequate space on-site to store recyclables safely until disposal or pickup?
15.Have limited recycling options ever caused you to: (check all that apply)
16.If recycling options were removed or became unaffordable, what would you most likely do?
17.How important is recycling to you and/or your business?
18.Do you agree with the following statements?
Agree
Neutral
Disagree
N/A
Several small, rural and Northern communities do not have a recycling depot and often have a designated recycling drop-off area as part of their local landfill site.
Long distances between recycling centres, low volumes, and fuel costs make recycling in Northern and rural communities far more complex than in urban areas.
What is feasible in Southern or Urban areas in Ontario is not practical or affordable in the North.
Small, seasonal, and remote operators are disproportionately affected due to low volumes and high transportation costs and logistics.
Cost pressures and lack of access may lead some businesses to abandon recycling altogether
Frustration and disengagement when residents and businesses want to recycle but have no feasible way to do so.
Limited storage space that can lead to on-site accumulation of materials, creating safety, pest, and fire risks while small businesses in rural and remote areas try to navigate these changes and have limited to no access to recycling options.
Erosion of trust in waste-diversion policies that don’t reflect Northern realities
Visitors increasingly expect environmentally responsible practices; lack of recycling options can damage the perception of Northern Ontario destinations.
Operators may be unfairly criticized for circumstances beyond their control.
Increase risk of illegal dumping or burning activity, increased litter across the North.
Harm in Northern Ontario’s “green, pristine wilderness” reputation
19.Do you feel waste diversion policies and regulations were designed with Northern and remote businesses in mind?
20.Compared to urban areas, do you believe your business faces higher recycling-related costs?
21.What would make recycling more feasible for your business? (check all that apply)
22.What is the biggest challenge your business faces when it comes to recycling?
23.Please share any additional comments or examples that illustrate the challenges of recycling in your region.
24.Feel free to share your contact information. This information will only be used by NOTO staff in the event we would like to follow-up with you.