Business Waste
Waste Collection for Businesses
If your business is eligible and using the City’s recycling programs you can put out up to six bags of garbage each week on your collection day.
In Hamilton we have a two-stream recycling system, this means that you need to put out two blue boxes each week. One box for containers recycling and the other for papers recycling.
Putting your organic waste in the green bin reduces the amount of waste going to our landfill.
Learn how to handle
Organic Waste
Put your food scraps, soiled greasy paper, and other organic waste in your green bin. Organic waste is material that comes from plants or animals and breaks down into a nutrient-rich, soil-like product called compost.
Bakeries
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Baking ingredients (dough, flour, sugar, etc.)
Butcher or deli
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Keep bones and meat trimmings in the cold storage or freezer until your collection day to prevent smells and pests, and then put them in the green bin.
Café or restaurant
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Liquid waste such as cooking oils and sauces are not accepted in the green bin.
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Instead place small amounts of grease, oil and fat in a paper lined container and freeze until collection day, and then add to your green bin.
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Pads from meat trays, plastic wrap and bags from flour are not accepted and go in the garbage.
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Compostable plastic items (bags, utensils, take-out containers and cups) are not accepted in your green bin.
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It is hard to tell the difference between “compostable” plastic and “regular” plastic as they look the same.
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Instead use paper take-out containers, as these are compostable, and paper cups, which go in the containers blue bin.
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Hair or beauty salon
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Store loose hair and nail clippings in paper bags to prevent them from blowing out of your green bin.
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Hair brushes, hair dryers, perm solution and cotton balls go in the garbage.
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Rinse out your green bin after you empty it to remove any leftover food residue.
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Try lining your large green bin with a paper yard waste bag to prevent things from sticking to the sides.
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Layer your smaller green bins with newspaper or paper towels to soak up the juices to reduce/prevent smell.
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Please make sure that you are only using compostable bags that are certified. You can make this distinction by only buying bags with the following logo:
Learn about the City's
Recycling Program
Between April 1 and December 31, 2025, eligible businesses will need to contact GFL Environmental Inc. to report missed collection or to get a blue box. Email [email protected] or call 1-844-415-4351 (Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm).
- For a list of acceptable items and more details visit circularmaterials.ca/hamilton
- For more details on the Blue Box program changes, visit hamilton.ca/blueboxtransition
Learn about the City's
Garbage Collection
If your business is using the City’s recycling programs you can put out up to six bags of garbage each week on your collection day.
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Each garbage bag/can must weigh less than 23kg (50lbs).
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Businesses are not eligible for bulk pick-up.
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Please put broken glass in a cardboard box tapped and clearly marked “broken glass”.
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Blister packaging, bubble wrap and plastic wrap.
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Bags containing pet food, flour, rice and cereal grains
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Bread tags, elastic bands, produce stickers and twist ties
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Candy wrappers, chip bags, plastic cutlery and straws
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Candles and wax
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Carbon paper
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Cardboard barrels and drums
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CDs, DVDs, pens and binders
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Charcoal and ashes (cooled)
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Cigarettes, cigarette butts and ashes (cooled)
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Cookware (don’t forget to try donating first)
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Cotton balls
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Diapers and feminine hygiene products
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Hair brushes and dyes
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Latex rubber gloves
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Metallic gift wrap
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Pads from meat trays
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Pet waste including litter and bedding)
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Plastic cereal and cracker box liners
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Scouring pads and sponges
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Stickers and sticky notes
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Vacuum cleaner bags and contents
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Waxed cardboard
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Wine corks (plastic or wooden)
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Wooden crates
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