Sweeping Changes for Recycling in Thunder Bay
THUNDER BAY – LIVING – Starting July 1, 2024, Thunder Bay households will switch from blue bags to modern wheeled recycling carts, as announced by the City. This transition aligns with a province-wide move mandating producers to take charge of paper products and packaging recycling.
The delivery of these carts to residential addresses will commence on May 5 and continue throughout June, managed by GFL Environmental Inc.
Enhanced Producer Responsibility Program: This program marks a significant shift, placing the operational and financial responsibilities of municipal recycling programs directly onto the producers. Until this change takes effect, the City of Thunder Bay will maintain its current roles.
Transition Management: Circular Materials, tasked with overseeing Ontario’s common collection system, will begin handling Thunder Bay’s residential Blue Box recycling from July 1. GFL will work alongside Circular Materials to ensure the continuity of residential recycling services, adding an automated element with the new recycling carts.
Impact on Residents: The adoption of the new system will not affect the frequency of collections or the types of recyclables accepted. However, GFL will manage the City’s three residential recycling depots until the end of 2025 to ease the transition.
For additional details on the new recycling protocols and cart setups, residents can visit the Circular Materials dedicated webpage for Thunder Bay or contact GFL directly.