Upcoming changes to waste collection

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Last updated: November 17, 2025
First posted: February 25, 2025


Information for businesses and multi residential buildings

Small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, municipal buildings or facilities (libraries, arenas), childcare centres, places of worship, campgrounds and trailer parks are not included in the new, province-wide blue box recycling program that takes effect January 2026. To join the new Oxford County programs for blue box recycling and/or organic waste collection for these groups, you will need to register.

BUSINESS
Blue box recycling + organic (green bin) collection for businesses
MULTI-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES
Organic waste collection for multi-residential facilities




Update: September 17, 2025

Green bin containers being distributed in SWOX and Woodstock starting October


Residents living in South-West Oxford and Woodstock will start receiving their new green bins for organic waste collection, such as food scraps, starting in October.

Bins will be dropped near your front door if you live in a detached or semi-detached home that is currently on a curbside garbage collection route. You’ll receive one 45-litre green bin to set out your organic waste at the curb, and one 7-litre kitchen container for collecting kitchen scraps.

If you have not received your green bin by November 30 if you are a resident of Woodstock, or December 5 if you are a resident of South-West Oxford, please contact Oxford County at info@wasteline.ca or 1-800-755-0394, ext. 3159.

Residents living above businesses are eligible to receive a green bin, but need to call Oxford County to make arrangements for drop off at 1-800-755-0394 , ext. 3159. Green bin organics collection will not be available to apartment buildings with six or more units until later in 2026.

Download the new organic waste sorting guide to learn more about green bin collection or watch the organics program video here

Please note: South-West Oxford and Woodstock start green bin collection in January 2026. All other Oxford municipalities will start green bin collection in May 2027.

Read the news release


What's changing

New: Green bin (organics) collection
  • Green bins are used to collect organic waste (food scraps and other biodegradable waste).
  • Collection starts in South-West Oxford and Woodstock in January 2026.
  • All other area municipalities (Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Zorra) begin organic collection in May 2027.


Six-day collection cycles
  • Under this type of schedule, your collection day moves forward one day from week to week, skipping weekends and holidays.
  • Woodstock moves to six-day collection cycle for garbage and green bin collection starting in January 2026. South-West Oxford already follows a six-day collection cycle.
  • Annual collection calendars will be mailed out to residents ahead of time and automatic reminders will be available through the Wasteline mobile app.
  • Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Zorra will move to a six-day cycle for garbage and green bin waste in May 2027.


Garbage collection
  • Bag tag fees increase to $3.00 per bag on January 1, 2026.
  • In South-West Oxford and Woodstock, garbage and organic waste (green bins) will be collected on the same day. Recycling-- which will be collected under a different program-- may be picked up on a different day starting in 2026.
  • In all other Oxford municipalities, garbage and recycling will be picked up on the same day at least until the end of April 2027. Once these communities join the green bin organics program, recycling could be collected on a different day.



Blue box recycling collection
  • Under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, responsibility for providing recycling services has now shifted to the producers (retailers, manufacturers, etc.) that create products and packaging. This change began in July 2023 and takes effect in Oxford County on January 1, 2026. Visit Blue Box - RPRA to learn more.
  • More information and a list acceptable materials for the new blue box program will be shared by Circular Materials. Visit www.circularmaterials.ca/oxfordcounty to learn more.
  • The new province-wide recycling program for Ontario only collects recycling from residential properties. To continue to provide recycling collection to small businesses and other organizations, Oxford County is starting a new recycling collection program for these groups. Learn more and register here




Sort it right



Where to find more information


Oxford County is responsible for waste collection services across Oxford's local area municipalities. In the Township of South-West Oxford and the City of Woodstock, this service is contracted out to the local municipality. In all other municipalities, Oxford contracts this service to a third-party vendor, currently Emterra Environmental. Learn more and watch for updates from the following resources.

Last updated: November 17, 2025
First posted: February 25, 2025


Information for businesses and multi residential buildings

Small businesses, not-for-profit organizations, municipal buildings or facilities (libraries, arenas), childcare centres, places of worship, campgrounds and trailer parks are not included in the new, province-wide blue box recycling program that takes effect January 2026. To join the new Oxford County programs for blue box recycling and/or organic waste collection for these groups, you will need to register.

BUSINESS
Blue box recycling + organic (green bin) collection for businesses
MULTI-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES
Organic waste collection for multi-residential facilities




Update: September 17, 2025

Green bin containers being distributed in SWOX and Woodstock starting October


Residents living in South-West Oxford and Woodstock will start receiving their new green bins for organic waste collection, such as food scraps, starting in October.

Bins will be dropped near your front door if you live in a detached or semi-detached home that is currently on a curbside garbage collection route. You’ll receive one 45-litre green bin to set out your organic waste at the curb, and one 7-litre kitchen container for collecting kitchen scraps.

If you have not received your green bin by November 30 if you are a resident of Woodstock, or December 5 if you are a resident of South-West Oxford, please contact Oxford County at info@wasteline.ca or 1-800-755-0394, ext. 3159.

Residents living above businesses are eligible to receive a green bin, but need to call Oxford County to make arrangements for drop off at 1-800-755-0394 , ext. 3159. Green bin organics collection will not be available to apartment buildings with six or more units until later in 2026.

Download the new organic waste sorting guide to learn more about green bin collection or watch the organics program video here

Please note: South-West Oxford and Woodstock start green bin collection in January 2026. All other Oxford municipalities will start green bin collection in May 2027.

Read the news release


What's changing

New: Green bin (organics) collection
  • Green bins are used to collect organic waste (food scraps and other biodegradable waste).
  • Collection starts in South-West Oxford and Woodstock in January 2026.
  • All other area municipalities (Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Zorra) begin organic collection in May 2027.


Six-day collection cycles
  • Under this type of schedule, your collection day moves forward one day from week to week, skipping weekends and holidays.
  • Woodstock moves to six-day collection cycle for garbage and green bin collection starting in January 2026. South-West Oxford already follows a six-day collection cycle.
  • Annual collection calendars will be mailed out to residents ahead of time and automatic reminders will be available through the Wasteline mobile app.
  • Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, Ingersoll, Tillsonburg and Zorra will move to a six-day cycle for garbage and green bin waste in May 2027.


Garbage collection
  • Bag tag fees increase to $3.00 per bag on January 1, 2026.
  • In South-West Oxford and Woodstock, garbage and organic waste (green bins) will be collected on the same day. Recycling-- which will be collected under a different program-- may be picked up on a different day starting in 2026.
  • In all other Oxford municipalities, garbage and recycling will be picked up on the same day at least until the end of April 2027. Once these communities join the green bin organics program, recycling could be collected on a different day.



Blue box recycling collection
  • Under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, responsibility for providing recycling services has now shifted to the producers (retailers, manufacturers, etc.) that create products and packaging. This change began in July 2023 and takes effect in Oxford County on January 1, 2026. Visit Blue Box - RPRA to learn more.
  • More information and a list acceptable materials for the new blue box program will be shared by Circular Materials. Visit www.circularmaterials.ca/oxfordcounty to learn more.
  • The new province-wide recycling program for Ontario only collects recycling from residential properties. To continue to provide recycling collection to small businesses and other organizations, Oxford County is starting a new recycling collection program for these groups. Learn more and register here




Sort it right



Where to find more information


Oxford County is responsible for waste collection services across Oxford's local area municipalities. In the Township of South-West Oxford and the City of Woodstock, this service is contracted out to the local municipality. In all other municipalities, Oxford contracts this service to a third-party vendor, currently Emterra Environmental. Learn more and watch for updates from the following resources.

  • Multi-residential organics collection

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    An Oxford County-wide organics (green bin) curbside collection program is being implemented to meet provincial legislative requirements and to advance waste diversion in Oxford County in order to extend the life of the County’s landfill as identified in the Strategic Plan.

    If you are the property owner of a multi-residential property and would like to be considered for organic waste collection service, you must register. Examples of multi-residential properties or facilities include apartment buildings, seniors’ residences, or other buildings that contain six (6) or more residential units.

    Organics consist of food waste and other biodegradable waste. Food organic waste that is collected curbside will be diverted from the landfill and sent to a processing facility where it is used to produce renewable natural gas.

    Oxford County’s program will be carried out in two phases.

    • Phase 1 will begin the week of January 5, 2026, for all residences, registered multi-residential facilities, and businesses located in the City of Woodstock and the Township of South-West Oxford (SWOX).

    • Phase 2 will extend the green bin Program to all residents, registered multi-residential facilities, and businesses located in Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Ingersoll, Norwich, Tillsonburg and Zorra starting May 3, 2027.


    Multi-residential properties must apply to participate in the curbside program. We encourage registration as early as possible for municipalities that are part of the Phase 2 rollout.

    Joining the program

    1. Property owners or designates of the property must complete this application form.
    2. If accepted into the program, you will be notified by Oxford County Waste Management.
    3. The property must be located along an existing collection route.
    4. Property owners or designates must comply with all Oxford County collection requirements.


    Register now

  • Business, commercial and institutional recycling changes

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    Under Ontario’s new producer responsibility framework, producers are only required to collect recycling material from residential properties. This means that as of January 2, 2026, small businesses and other organizations currently receiving blue box collection from their local municipality will no longer be eligible for recycling pick-up under the new provincial program.

    To address this service gap, Oxford County is implementing a new recycling collection program. Businesses must register online with the County to participate and must meet the program requirements.

    Register your interest by completing the online form here


    Contact for more information

    bcirecycling@oxfordcounty.ca
    519-539-9800 / 1-800-755-0394, ext. 3159

Page last updated: 18 Nov 2025, 08:43 AM