Help reduce wind-blown recycling, don’t overfill your blue boxes!

Keeping wind-blown recyclables off the street is a breeze – if your blue box isn’t overfilled! The City of Vaughan is sharing tips to help keep litter in your blue box and off our streets:

• Do not overfill your blue box. Leave space (approximately 7.5 centimetres or three inches) at the top of the box. 

• Place heavier items, such as glass bottles and jars, on top of lighter ones, such as paper and plastic containers.

• Flatten, cut down and bundle cardboard securely before placing it in the blue box. 

• Buy extra blue boxes or use a larger blue box (up to 121 litres, with no attached lid or wheels) if you have lots of material – we collect unlimited blue boxes weekly!

• If the forecast calls for wind overnight, wait until the morning to put out your blue box before 7 a.m. or consider putting your recycling out the following week or taking it to a York Region waste depot.

For more information on recycling in Vaughan, visit the City’s blue box recycling webpage.

Need a new blue box?

Go online through Service Vaughan to purchase blue boxes and green bins and schedule a delivery right to your home! Alternatively, buy blue boxes and green bins at select community centres while supplies last. You can also sign up to exchange a broken City-issued blue box or green bin for a new one through Service Vaughan.

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the City will no longer be selling or exchanging blue boxes. After this date, blue boxes can be purchased through Miller Waste Systems. For more information on upcoming recycling program changes, visit vaughan.ca/BlueBox.

To learn more about the City’s waste services, visit vaughan.ca/waste. 

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