Just weeks to go before major transition kicks off for regional blue bins
Posted Dec 3, 2025 07:21:52 AM.
Last Updated Dec 3, 2025 12:19:52 PM.
They may simply be thrown to the curb each week, but with a major change coming in less than four weeks, there are still plenty of questions in the air surrounding Waterloo Region’s blue bins.
As of January, Circular Materials, the national non-profit that has already taken the reins of the region’s recycling program, will be able to make changes to the collection and management of the service.
It has already teased changes heading into the new year, including what materials can be thrown into those blue bins as of Jan. 1, along with a reduction to bi-weekly collection schedules, expected to begin in March.
The Region of Waterloo has had no involvement in the program throughout the year, with the full transition in January allowing Circular Materials to change the way the municipality previously ran and managed the regional program.
It’s a topic that’s been mired in confusion as the timeframe has shortened throughout the year, with regional councillors still questioning the future of blue bins, particularly around the collection dates.
“Most of our residents, I don’t think, really care who is picking up at their curb, just that it is getting done, and they know when to be putting it out,” said Councillor Natasha Salonen. “My only thing is that I would be more encouraged to get joint communications for 2026 in terms of a calendar.”
A motion, brought forward by Councillor Matt Rodrigues, hopes to do exactly that; to communicate with Circular Materials in developing a joint calendar to clearly state the exact collection dates ahead of the impending change to collection frequency. As of now, no set schedule has been created by Circular Materials.
Other councillors, including Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, agreed that clearer communication is needed ahead of what’s already been a confusing transition for residents across the region.
“It just makes it easier for the public, who is quite frankly anxious and concerned enough about all of the changes that are happening and aren’t necessarily always thrilled about them, so we can at least give them one piece of communication with one set of information on it,” Vrbanovic said. “I think that would be a small step towards helping deal with the major changes that are going to be happening right now.”
Circular Materials has stated that the change in pick-up scheduling is “to align with other waste collection in your area, creating a more efficient and consistent collection system,” adding that “by coordinating schedules, fewer collection trucks are needed on the road, which reduces traffic and emissions.”
While the motion included discussions around the creation of a joint calendar for blue bins, it wasn’t the sole topic included. Rodrigues also wanted to address issues he had with recycling habits that would be created as a result of the frequency change.
“I personally have pretty serious concerns about what a change to bi-weekly recycling will do to recycling habits and that ending up in our landfill, which then becomes our responsibility,” Rodrigues stated. “We have no say over that program, but then we are managing this product.”
The motion outlined that regional staff pay close attention to the impacts across the regionally run garbage and waste collection programs, both in regard to what’s being tossed into the garbage bins as opposed to recycling bins, along with how much is being added to the landfill through 2026.
“The second part of this motion has staff coming back to council in Q1 of 2027, just under a year after the service change, to understand what we’re seeing and the changes at the landfill, but also what we’re hearing at our service-first call centre and through other communications channels,” Rodrigues said. “I continue to have concerns that residents are going to be calling us, as they should, about their waste management collection.”
The complete motion was unanimously approved by councillors, allowing regional staff to begin conversations with Circular Materials around the creation of a joint calendar ahead of the March collection changes for regional blue bins, as well as monitor the impacts on the regional landfill.
As Rodrigues mentioned, a full report on what’s being seen through 2026 is expected to be brought forward to regional council in the first quarter of 2027.
