Here are some general guidelines for what goes in each cart. You can also use our main What Goes Where page to search for specific materials.
Blue Cart
Loose items, except as noted
- Mixed paper (e.g. paper egg cartons, shredded paper (in a clear, stretchy plastic bag), envelopes, letter paper, newspapers, flyers)
- Cardboard, flattened and broken down (e.g. coffee cup sleeves, cereal boxes)
- Plastic #2, #4, #5 (lids removed) and stretchy plastic film, bags, and wraps (bundled together)
- Metal (e.g. aluminum foil, pie plates, rinsed tin cans—labels do not have to be removed)
- Refundable containers are accepted, but it would be best to bring those to a bottle depot
Black Cart
Bagged items
- Household garbage
- Crinkly plastic (e.g. potato chip bags, cereal box liners)
- Non-refundable tetra paks (e.g. soup boxes)
- Styrofoam and polystyrene packaging
Green Cart
Loose or bagged in paper or compostable bags
- Food and table scraps, including meat, bones, tea bags, coffee grounds, grease, dairy, wet and dry foods (all packaging removed)
- Yard waste (e.g. grass clippings, branches less than 2.5 cm (1”) in diameter, leaves, plants, vines)
- Soiled napkins, paper towels and plates, paper food containers without a waxy or plastic liner (e.g. soiled pizza boxes, fast food packaging) and compostable beverage cups
- Pet waste in compostable bags (e.g. dog waste, cat litter, organic animal bedding, such as wood shavings, paper, or straw)
- Other (e.g. pet fur, hair, feathers, toothpicks, popsicle sticks, ashes)
Transfer Site
The following items can’t be placed in your cart, but can still be taken to the Langdon Transfer Site:
- Household hazardous waste
- Recyclable plastic containers not included in the blue cart (see above)
- Sharp items unless properly contained in a puncture resistant receptacle or packaging before being placed in a garbage cart
- Flammable, combustible or oxidizing materials
- Glass jars and bottles for recycling (e.g. clear, clean glass—labels do not have to be removed)
- Motor oil, oil filters, or oil containers
- Trees, tree stumps, logs, land-clearing debris, and fence posts more than 100 mm in diameter
- Small amounts of construction waste
- Light bulbs, including florescent tubes
- Large appliances for recycling
- Christmas trees
- Clothing, books, and household goods for recycling
- Batteries