Other recycling programs

We offer so many more recycling programs for our residents at our waste management sites:

Drop off to be recycled:

• Bicycle reuse program
• Building materials diversion program (Habitat for Humanity)
• Electronic waste recycling (fees apply)
• Drywall recycling
• Shingle recycling
• Motor oil and oil filter recycling
• Household hazardous waste/paint recycling
• Textile and housewares reuse (Goodwill)

Pick up recycled items for free:

• Compost 

• Paint Reuse Program

• Wood chips/mulch

Blended bicycle reuse program

Take your old, unwanted bicycle to the free drop-off area at the Waterloo landfill site. Please, no wheelchairs, exercise bikes or tricycles.

Volunteers work with youth to teach bike repair skills. Using your old bikes, they rebuild new ones. The refurbished bikes are then given back into the community.

Seasonal program:

April to October; Mon - Sat, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.,
Waterloo landfill site, 925 Erb St. W., Gate 2

Last year, this program diverted over nine metric tonnes of bikes into reuse and away from landfill.

A special thanks to all our partners and sponsors for making this program a success:

• Recycle Cycles
• Goodwill Industries
• Morell Kelly Law firm and the Lidz on Kidz program
• Alan Homes
• Heaven's Bicycle Shop
• Waterloo Catholic District School Board

Refurbished bikes are also available (for a minimal cost) from:

• Heaven's Bicycle Shop, 725 King St. N. Waterloo, 519-807-7002
• Recycle Cycle, 37 Market Lane, Kitchener,  519-804-2466 Waterloo
• Catholic District School Board, Bicycle Hotline: 519-578-3660, ext. 2205

Restoring bicycles for our community!

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Building material reuse program - Habitat for Humanity

New and reusable home building materials and working appliances are collected at the Habitat for Humanity depot at the Waterloo landfill (Gate 2). Items are then sold at the Habitat ReStore.

Not only does this allow reuse of materials, it saves valuable landfill space. Please consider reuse when removing items such as doors, cabinets or windows.

Please drop off acceptable materials at:

Habitat ReStore - Waterloo
120 Northfield Dr. E. Waterloo. Tel: 519-747-0664
Hrs: Mon., Thurs., Fri. and Sat., 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Habitat ReStore - Cambridge
150 Holiday Inn Dr., Cambridge. Tel: 519-220-0004
Hrs: Tues. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sat. 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Waterloo landfill
925 Erb. St. W. Gate 2., Waterloo. Tel:519-883-4015
Open April - Nov.
Hrs: Mon., Thur., Fri., Sat., 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Acceptable items:

Appliances - must be less than ten years old and in 100 per cent working order
Cabinetry - complete sets, whole pieces, counter tops, bookshelves, wall units
Doors - interior and exterior, with or without frame
Electrical - fixtures, switches, receptacles, breaker panels, lamps, tools
Flooring - minimum 4.6 sq.metres (50 sq. ft.) quantities of hardwood, laminate or ceramic
Hardware - all types used in construction or renovation
Insulation - fiberglass in bags or rigid (no small pieces)
Lumber and trim - minimum 1.8 metres (6 ft.) length, no nails
Plumbing - tubs, sinks (white or bone, no cracks/chips), shower stalls, taps
Windows - complete, thermopane only
Wood Furniture - no upholstery

All items must be in good and useable condition.

A message from Habitat: The Habitat for Humanity ReStore can come out and take a look at your cabinets and if they meet our standards, we will remove and salvage them for you! There is no cost to the homeowner for this service and you may even qualify for a tax receipt from your cabinet donation! Save yourself...or your contractor some work and help out the ReStore at the same time. Call today for more information: 519-747-0664.

For more information, contact Habitat for Humanity at:
Waterloo: 519-747-0664
Cambridge: 519-220-0004 or visit

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Residential electronic waste recycling

Electronic waste was banned from the Waterloo landfill and curbside collection, effective June 6, 2005. Why? Electronic waste can be recycled. Electronic equipment can and should be recycled using the drop-off programs listed below. Please do not put electronic waste out for residential curbside collection, it will not be collected.

Where to take electronic waste for recycling:

Choose one of these programs to recycle your e-waste (residential e-waste only, no business e-waste):

• Take your e-waste to a free, designated drop off location. Check the Recycle Your Electronics website for locations. Just put in your postal code or item type and find approved drop off locations near your home. This program is offered by Ontario Electronic Stewardship, and funded by the fees paid by consumers when buying electronics. Check out the electronic recycling video for more information.
• Drop off your e-waste for recycling at either the Region's Waterloo landfill site (Gate 2) or the Region's Cambridge waste managment site. Region tipping fees apply.

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Shingle recycling

Motor oil and oil filter recycle program

Used automobile oil and oil filters can be recycled if dropped off at bulk tanks available at the Waterloo landfill (Gate 2 - Household Hazardous Waste Depot), the Cambridge waste managment site and at all of the rural transfer stations.

Motor oil:

A maximum of 25 litres of used motor oil per household per month is accepted. Bulk tanks are available for residents to empty their oil into. Please, no five gallon pails. Not accepted in the tanks: anti-freeze, transmission fluid or brake fluid. These items should be dropped off at the household hazardous waste depot.

Oil Filters: a maximum of five used oil filters per household per month can be accepted.

This is a residential program only. Businesses are NOT permitted to use this program.

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Household hazardous waste (HHW)

Please separate household hazardous waste from your regular garbage. If not disposed of properly, these dangerous chemicals can be harmful to human health and the environment. If brought in to a HHW drop-off location, specially trained staff will sort the chemcials for safe disposal. Once sorted, most of these products can be recycled.

What is Household hazardous waste?

Acids and alkaline
Car anti-freeze / motor oil / batteries
Fluorescent lamps and energy efficient light bulbs (CFLs)
Fuel (non-transferable)
Household chemicals (cleaners)
Lawn and garden chemicals
Medicines
Old mercury thermostats
Paints and solvents
Propane tanks
Syringes (sealed in puncture proof containers only)
Waxes and polishes

There are a number of free locations and special event days for residents to drop off hazardous waste:

Region's HHW drop-off locations and hours

• The HHW depot at the Waterloo landfill site (Gate 2) accepts a wide range of household hazardous waste.

• At the Cambridge landfill site, paint and motor oil can be dropped off.

• Rural waste transfer stations have bulk tanks available for motor oil (please no antifreeze or other product).

Community HHW days offered by the Region - mobile units are set up for residents to bring in all their HHW.

Stewardship Ontario offers the Orange Drop Program - free drop off depots for special waste materials. Check the Make The Drop website to find a location near your home.

Note: these are residential programs only. Businesses are NOT permitted to use these programs.

How to prepare HHW for disposal:

• A maximum of 25 litres can be dropped off.

• Please keep hazardous waste in the original container so staff can safely identify the chemical. If not in the original container, please label for content.

• All containers must be properly sealed.

• For safety reasons, syringes or other sharps cannot be dropped off in glass bottles or jars or in any plastic container that has a number one it. These are unsafe containers for sharps. Do not dispose of syringes in your curbside garbage or blue box containers.

How to handle syringes:

Syringes should be placed in a puncture-proof container with a screw-top lid (such as an empty bleach or fabric softener bottle) or an approved syringe disposal container (available at some pharmacies). Plastic bottles, such as pop/water bottles, are too thin to prevent the needle from puncturing the container.

Businesses are not permitted to use this program:

The Region of Waterloo's landfills are not licensed to receive industrial or commercial hazardous waste. Please refer to your telephone book for a list of licensed haulers capable of handling industrial and commercial hazardous wastes. Please refer to the Ministry of the Environment for information on proper disposal procedures and guidelines.

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Textile reuse program - Goodwill Industries

The Region of Waterloo has partnered with Goodwill Industries for reuse and recycling of textiles (clothing) and household items. Your donations are sold at Goodwill stores and 100 per cent of the proceeds are used to support the community.

Acceptable items:

Clothing, outerwear, footwear - gently used for children, men and women
Accessories - belts, purses, jewellery, scarves, gloves, hats
Recreational - toys, games, sports equipment, books, audio, video, musical instruments
Household - kitchen items, home decor, tools, linens, textiles
Antiques, collectibles, giftware
For a complete list of acceptable donations, visit Goodwill Industries.

Goodwill retail store and donation centres:

• Goodwill Cambridge, 52 Main St., Tel: 519-620-9719
• Goodwill Kitchener, 1348 Weber St., East, Tel: 519-894-0628

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Compost 

Your collected yard waste is used to make great quality compost, excellent for home gardens and lawn.  Free to residents while supply lasts.  Please bring your own containers & shovels;  maximum five (5) bushels.

Seasonal program: April 2 to first snow fall as supply lasts.

Now available at the Waterloo waste site, Gate 2, Mon. - Sat., 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Soon to the Cambridte waste site (early June) when construction is finished.

Thank you for diverting yard waste from landfill and into useful compost.

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Wood chips (mulch)

Region of Waterloo residents are able to pick up garden quality wood chips at no charge! Car, van and trailer loads only. Bring your own containers & shovels!

Open: April 1 to first snow fall as supply lasts.
Location: Waterloo Landfill, 925 Erb St. W., Gate 2,
Cambridge Landfill, 201 Savage Dr.
Time: Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Paint reuse program

Reusable paint products such as paints, stains and varnishes are available for residents to pick up at no charge at the Waterloo and Cambridge waste transfer stations. There is a maximum of six products per visit. Businesses are NOT permitted to use this program.