Blue Box Program to Accept More Recyclable Items Starting Jan. 1
/Starting Jan. 1, Peterborough residents will be able to recycle more items through the Province’s Blue Box program.
Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.
Circular Materials, a not-for-profit organization, manages the recycling collection and processing program in the City of Peterborough through its local contractor, Emterra Environmental, under Ontario’s Blue Box Regulation. Recycling collection and processing in the City of Peterborough was assumed by Circular Materials effective Jan. 1, 2024.
The expanded list of items eligible for recycling through the Blue Box program is part of Ontario’s move to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which shifts responsibility for recycling to the companies that produce packaging and paper products.
The changes to the Blue Box program allow the same recyclable materials to be accepted across the province and more items can now be recycled.
Newly accepted items include:
Black plastic containers
Hot and cold beverage cups
Deodorant and toothpaste tubes
Frozen juice containers
Ice cream tubs and similar packaging
Foam packaging, including meat trays, takeout containers, cups, plates, bowls and foam packaging for products
Flexible packaging, which includes potato chip bags, bubble wrap, snack wrappers, cereal box liners, deli pouches and plastic gift bags
