Ottawa Is A Tough City To Get To Recycle

Ottawa has a recycling problem. From contaminated park bins to confusing e-waste rules, the capital city struggles with waste diversion. Here is what is being done about it.

Why Ottawa Struggles With Recycling

Ottawa has long had a recycling problem. Despite being the nation's capital and home to a population that generally cares about the environment, the city's recycling rates have been disappointingly low. According to the CBC, waste management staff have been picking through garbage left at Ottawa's parks because virtually no one is recycling anything in public spaces. Cardboard, plastics, and even animal waste are ending up in all the wrong bins.

That's a serious issue for a city that prides itself on being environmentally conscious. Only a small fraction of recyclables was actually diverted from the landfill because so many items were contaminated with food waste and dog waste. When a single bag of dog waste ends up in a blue bin, the entire load becomes garbage — completely defeating the purpose of providing recycling services in the first place.

The Failed Pilot Projects

The City of Ottawa tried a pilot project that placed recycling bins along the perimeter of parks, thinking that curbside garbage trucks could pick up the recyclables more easily. The problem? People simply weren't willing to walk to the bins. Convenience matters enormously when it comes to recycling behaviour, and even a short walk proved to be too much of a barrier for most park visitors.

"As soon as one bag of dog poop ends up in the blue bin, it's garbage. If it becomes 'unrecyclable,' what's the purpose of providing that service?" — Marilyn Journeaux, director of solid waste services, City of Ottawa.

For those who did use the recycling bins, contamination was rampant. Animal waste and food scraps were constantly being tossed into bins meant exclusively for plastics and paper. This kind of cross-contamination renders entire loads of recyclables useless and sends them straight to the landfill.

New Approaches for 2019 and Beyond

Learning from these failures, the city launched an updated pilot project by placing recycling bins at 50 parks. But this time, the goal wasn't simply to get people to recycle — it was to study what kinds of bins, locations, and signage people actually respond to. Understanding human behaviour is crucial to designing effective waste management systems.

By the summer of 2019, staff hoped to have enough data to pitch a working park recycling system to city council. A separate pilot project was also planned to test whether adding green bins to 10 parks would reduce the contamination of recyclable materials. These green bins would give people a proper place to dispose of food waste, theoretically keeping the blue bins cleaner.

The Bi-Weekly Garbage Challenge

Adding to Ottawa's recycling struggles is the city's bi-weekly garbage pickup schedule. Residents are limited to putting out just six bags of trash every two weeks, which puts real pressure on households to think carefully about what goes where. While this limit was designed to encourage recycling and green bin use, it has also led to frustration — especially for larger families or those doing major cleanouts.

According to local reports, roughly half of Ottawa residents use their green bin regularly, and a full 25% don't recycle waste at all. Those statistics highlight just how far the city still needs to go in changing recycling habits.

What About E-Waste and Bulky Items?

Beyond everyday recycling, Ottawa residents face additional challenges when it comes to electronic waste disposal. Old computers, televisions, printers, and other electronics contain harmful materials and should never go in regular garbage. While some retailers offer take-back programs, many residents don't know where to bring their e-waste or find the process too inconvenient.

Bulky items like old furniture, appliances, and construction debris present another headache. The City of Ottawa won't accept large appliances as regular curbside garbage. Items containing refrigerant — freezers, fridges, and water coolers — must have the Freon professionally removed and be properly tagged before they can be dropped off at a landfill facility.

How Junk That Funk Helps Ottawa Recycle

This is exactly where Junk That Funk makes a difference. Since 2007, we've been helping Ottawa residents and businesses responsibly dispose of items that don't fit into the regular recycling stream. We recycle or donate up to 80% of everything we collect, working with local partners to ensure materials are handled properly rather than simply being dumped in a landfill.

By Chris — Junk That Funk Blog