Garbage and Recycling App

Stay up to date on collection days and have your garbage and recycling questions answered in one place! Download the Recycle Coach app here:

                                            Image of Apple and Google app store logos       QR Code for Recycle Coach   

Accepted Materials

*Spiral Wound Containers
Materials
What to RecycleHow to PrepareNot Accepted
*New to Blue Box Program. If you have any questions or co​​ncerns about this addition please email 
environmentalservices@york.ca or call 1-877-449-9675 ext. 3000		 Cylindrical containers comprised of a paperboard body, steel base, and optional plastic lid - a typical example is the Pillsbury Dough package.  

 
Paper Products
Materials
What to RecycleHow to PrepareNot Accepted
Paper items, such as cereal boxes, newspapers, magazines, telephone books, office paper and junk mail (window envelopes are okay) Remove plastic windows from pasta boxes, etc., covers from hard cover books, and plastic sleeves from newspapers and magazines. Soiled paper, paper towels, tissues, waxed paper, shredded paper, cookie bags, chip bags. no plastic bags 
Corrugated Cardboard
Materials
What to RecycleHow to PrepareNot Accepted
All corrugated cardboard - remove plastic wrap from water bottle trays (staples are okay and clean unsoiled pizza boxes). Flatten and tie in bundles no larger than 60cm x 60cm x 30 cm (36" x 36" x 8"). No boxes with heavy food or grease stains (e.g. greasy pizza boxes can go in Green Bin)
Beverage Cartons
Materials
What to RecycleHow to PrepareNot Accepted
Tetra Pak® packages and milk/juice cartons/boxes. Rinse and do not flatten. No plastic wrap or straws. No foil pouches (e.g. Kool-Aid Jammers).
Coffee cups
Metal
Materials
What to RecycleHow to PrepareNot Accepted
All food/beverage metal cans, empty aerosol cans, empty & dry metal paint cans with lids removed. CLEAN aluminum foil/trays/plates. Rinse. Do not crush cans. Foil needs to be in loose balls of at least 3" diameter. No coat hangers, pots/pans, kitchen utensils or batteries. No propane cylinders.
Plastic
Materials
What to RecycleHow to PrepareNot Accepted
Most rigid plastic containers including food containers, household cleaners, shampoo bottles and microwave trays. Rinse and leave lids on. No toys, plastic bags, film or bubble wrap, Styrofoam, foam egg trays, lawn furniture, garden hoses. 
No motor oil containers, black plastic, crushed water bottles, water barrels, backyard composters, green bins and blue boxes
Glass
Materials
What to RecycleHow to PrepareNot Accepted
All clear or coloured glass bottles and jars. Rinse, include lids separately. No glass cookware, light bulbs, window or mirror glass, drinking glasses or ceramics (plates, mugs, etc.).
Purchased blue boxes
In-Person

To purchase recycling bins in person, please visit Aurora Town Hall or the JOC.

The Access Aurora Customer Service Desk is located at the Aurora Town Hall, 100 John West Way, open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., main entrance.

The Access Aurora Customer Service Desk is located at the Joint Operations Centre, 229 Industrial Parkway North, open Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., main entrance.

Access Aurora accepts payments in cash, cheque and/or credit card (VISA MC only).

Please note bins are not provided on-site. All purchased bins will be delivered the following week from GFL

2024 Recycle Bin Prices
TypePrice
Blue Bin $17 (Tax included)
Green Bin $33 (Tax included)
Kitchen Catcher $9 (Tax included)
Mail

You can send us your request for new bins along with payment (cheque only, no cash)

Please make sure the cheque is made out to “Town of Aurora” and reflects the correct payment amount. Please include the following information:

  • Type and quantity of bins you wish to purchase
  • Your name, address and phone number

Please main-in your request to purchase recycle bins to:

Town of Aurora
100 John West Way
Aurora ON L4G 6J1
Joint Operations Centre (JOC)

Visit the JOC to purchase a waste bin by Cheque, Credit card and Debit card (no cash). We also have a drop box located at the at the main entrance: Joint Operations Centre, 229 Industrial Parkway North, Aurora, ON L4G 4C4 

Please make sure the cheque is made out to “Town of Aurora” and reflects the correct payment amount and please include your order information with the cheque.
Credit Card Payment - Remote Option

To pay by Credit Card remotely, you must contact the Town by calling 905-727-1375 or email info@aurora.ca.

A Customer Services Representative at Access Aurora will email you a credit card payment authorization form. Once you return the completed form, your payment will be processed and the purchased bin(s) will be delivered the following week on your collection day. 
Replacement blue boxes

Blue boxes/Green Bins are replaced free of charge if broken. Please contact GFL at 1-866-421-5625 or wasteline@GFLenv.com. All replacement bins must be to the curb on the date of exchange agreed with our contractor GFL in order to receive a replacement.
Kitchen Catchers
Can be purchased at Town Hall or the JOC for $9 (tax included). 

All purchased bins will be delivered the following week from GFL.
New Residents

New residents can request a new resident package in person at the Town Hall or by calling
905-727-1375. 

Please note: We do not have the blue or green boxes on-site. They will either be delivered curbside or you can pick them up after speak with a customer service representative at Aurora Town Hall.
Textile Recycling Program 

Cornerstone to Recovery bins are available for the community to drop off their used and unwanted textiles.

Please do not leave items outside the bins. If the bin is full, please go to another location or hold onto the items until it has been services. The bins are serviced weekly until further notice.

Since June 2016 we have diverted 524,540 lbs. of material from our landfill sites.

We have partnered with Cornerstone to Recovery to provide a textile recycling program and bins are located around Town to donate clothing and textiles. Stained or torn textiles are also accepted, but must be dry and free of any medical or hazardous liquids such as grease/oil, blood and vomit.

The Town of Aurora has numerous textile bins throughout Aurora that are conveniently located at the following facilities:

  • Stronach Aurora Community Centre - 1400 Wellington Street East (2 bins)

  • Aurora Family Leisure Complex - 135 Industrial Parkway North (2 bins)

  • Aurora Community Centre - 1 Community Centre Lane

  • Aurora Public Library - CLOSED due to Construction – The bin has been relocated to the Stronach Complex

  • Town Hall parking lot - 100 John West Way

  • Aurora Go Station - 121 Wellington Street East, the southwest parking lot
Schedule a Free Home Pick-Up

If you have lots of textiles to donate, or if you simply can’t get over to the donation bins around Town, you can schedule a home pickup through Cornerstone to Recovery.

Schedule one now by emailing binservice@cornerstonetorecovery.com or call 1-866-927-3873.
Assisted Recycling Collection Service
This is a no cost program that promotes independent living and reduces the risk of injury to those in need of physical assistance. For information on this service contact Access Aurora.
Metal Item Recycling
Large metal items such as appliances, barbecues (excluding propane tanks), bed frames, furnaces, hot water heaters, metal bath tubs, storage sheds and bicycles must be recycled. Please call our contractor, GFL at 1-866-421-5625 to arrange for a special curbside collection. For safety reasons, please remove doors from refrigerators, freezers, ovens, dishwashers, washers and dryers. Please note: If a special collection is not booked, metal items will not be collected.
Windy Day Recycling Tips

On windy days, the lighter contents in blue boxes can often be found blowing out of bins resulting in litter on our streets and on our neighbour's properties. When debris and litter falls on a residential property it’s the responsibility of the homeowner to clean it up as per the Clean Communities By-law 6257-20. Please be considerate when packing your blue boxes and use the suggestions below to keep your blue box contents in their place.

  • Place heavier items such as books and magazines on top of the lighter items. This should help prevent light blue box materials (such as paper) from blowing out of the bin and littering the streets.
  • Bundle cardboard and newspapers separately. These bundles can act as a 'lid' for your blue box.
  • On windy days, consider putting your recycling boxes out for collection in the morning, rather than the night before or skip that week's collection and place your recycling out for following week if your blue boxes aren't full.
  • Please keep plastic bags/film plastic, styrofoam (including take out containers) and disposal coffee and soft drink cups out of the blue box. These items are not recyclable in our program and should be placed in the garbage.
  • Don't overfill your blue box, keep material below the rim to prevent the wind from catching it and blowing it out of the bin.

There is no limit to the number of blue boxes residents can put out for weekly collection.   

Recycling Tips

Below are some helpful tips to remember when preparing your blue box for recycling:

  • Place all acceptable materials in your Blue Box
  • Rinse all containers to remove grease, liquid or food
  • Use a standard size Blue Box (22kg) with a maximum weight of 50 pounds
  • Large oversized containers with wheels are not accepted
  • Recyclables in a plastic bag will not be accepted
  • Small recyclable boxes need to be flattened and securely placed inside the Blue Box. Large cardboard items must be no longer than 4 feet in length.
  • Shredded paper is not accepted for pick-up in the Blue Box
  • Place heavier items on the top to prevent material from blowing out of the bin and littering the streets.