Recycling is managed by Circular Materials and the Province of Ontario
Recycling is managed by Circular Materials (CM) and their contractor GFL as mandated by the Province of Ontario and not the Town of Newmarket. Recycling is collected bi-weekly on your scheduled collection day. To determine your collection day, refer to the Waste and Recycling Calendar.
For more information on the recycling program, please visit CircularMaterials.ca/Newmarket
Blue box transition
As of December 31, 2025, the Town of Newmarket no longer manages recycling as mandated by the Province of Ontario.
Municipalities across Ontario, including the Town of Newmarket transitioned their Blue Box programs from a shared responsibility model of the current Blue Box program to a new, producer-led responsibility model, often referred to as 'full' or 'extended producer responsibility'. Under this new system, producers of Blue Box materials will be responsible for fully funding and operating the recycling program.
Blue Box transition frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Since July 2023, the Blue Box program has been gradually transitioning from being operated by municipalities to being fully operated by producers (companies that produce Blue Box materials sold in Ontario). Under the new Blue Box regulation, producers are responsible for collecting and recycling Blue Box materials. Producers fulfill their regulatory obligations through Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), which have established a single, province-wide common collection system administered by Circular Materials (CM), a non-profit organization.
Under this new system, CM will oversee the collection of Blue Box materials from homes, residential buildings, and the residential portions of mixed commercial and residential properties across Ontario. By January 1, 2026, all municipalities in Ontario will have fully transitioned to this new producer responsibility collection system, marking a significant shift toward greater accountability and sustainability in waste management.
Effective December 31, 2025, the Town of Newmarket transitioned to a new Blue Box recycling collector managed by Circular Materials' contractor GFL. Residents will be required to use a new recycling cart for recycling needs. Residents are encouraged to reuse repurpose their old blue boxes. For who cannot find a personal need for the old blue boxes, the Town of Newmarket has a blue box return program.
The Town of Newmarket continues to maintain responsibility for the curbside collection of:
- Garbage and large/oversized household items (e.g. couches and tables)
- Green bin organics
- Leaf and yard waste
- Metal goods (e.g. BBQs and dishwashers)
For more information on the new recycling program, please visit Circular Materials' website: circularmaterials.ca/newmarket
The Government of Ontario introduced legislation that transforms the management and collection of Blue Box materials in the province. The Blue Box Regulation, enacted under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, is a cornerstone of Ontario’s Strategy for a Waste Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy.
This regulation shifts the current cost-sharing model, which divides expenses between municipal taxpayers and producers of Blue Box materials, to a new system where producers are fully responsible for funding, operating, and meeting performance targets for the recycling program. Producers will be accountable for collecting and recycling Blue Box materials, reporting to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), and achieving progressively higher recycling targets.
By placing the full financial, operational, and performance responsibility on producers, this new approach creates a direct incentive to minimize waste and enhance recycling efforts, leading to reduced natural resource extraction, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Since July 2023, the Blue Box program has been gradually transitioning from being operated by municipalities to being fully operated by producers (companies that produce Blue Box materials sold in Ontario). To meet their regulatory obligations, producers are working collectively through Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), who have established a unified, province-wide collection system.
Circular Materials (CM), a non-profit organization, has been designated as the administrator of this common collection system. CM will manage the collection of Blue Box materials from homes, residential buildings, and the residential sections of mixed-use properties across Ontario.
By January 1, 2026, all municipalities in Ontario will have transitioned to this new producer-led responsibility system, ensuring a standardized and sustainable approach to recycling across the province.
Residential properties should not expect any changes to the program as Circular Materials (CM) must maintain current service levels during the transition period (until December 31, 2025).
However, beginning January 1, 2026, CM can make changes to the Blue Box program including what is accepted and how material is collected. CM will also be responsible for informing residents of any changes.
Multi-residential properties are eligible for collection under the new producer responsibility system. These changes will impact existing customers, new developments, and properties currently using private Blue Box collection services in different ways.
Multi-residential properties receiving Town-provided service:
Effective December 31, 2025, multi-residential properties that currently receive Town-provided recycling collection will transition their Blue Box recycling collection to the new producer responsibility program.
Multi-residential properties that do not receive Town-provided service:
Starting January 1, 2026, all existing multi-residential properties in the province, including those receiving private recycling collection, will become eligible for free recycling collection through the producer responsibility program. More information will be made available to property owners and managers about how to coordinate recycling collection once the registration process has been formalized.
In Ontario, Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (IC&I) waste is regulated separately from residential waste. Producers are not responsible for the collection or management of Blue Box material from the following ‘non-eligible’ sources:
- Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) properties
- Daycares
- Places of worship
- Businesses in BIAs
- Non-profit/charitable organizations and shelters
- Post-secondary institutions (public or private)
- Municipal facilities and community centres (e.g. libraries, arenas)
For properties that have both residential and commercial units, producers are only required to collect from those units that are defined as an eligible source.
Effective January 1, 2026, the Town’s recycling collection program for IC&I locations will be discontinued, and these properties will need to make alternate arrangements as they will not be serviced by Circular Materials as per the Ontario Government’s regulation. Garbage and organics collection will not be affected.
The Town is currently exploring a waste management strategy for the Downtown area which will include recycling diversion opportunities.
As of January 1, 2026, all municipalities, including the Town of Newmarket, will no longer manage recycling services and are not obligated to do so under the new Blue Box regulation. The potential costs to the Town to continue to provide recycling collection services to IC&I properties (non-eligible sources) would be significantly higher than current rates, adding a significant cost to taxpayers. Non-eligible sources represent a small fraction (1%) of total properties that receive recycling collection provided by the Town.
Starting December 31, 2025, the Town will no longer provide Blue Box related services. Blue Box collections are now managed by Circular Materials' contractor GFL.
For recycling-related questions or special accommodation requests regarding the new program, please contact Circular Materials' contractor GFL at 1-833-779-4351 or n6recycling@gflenv.com.