Ottawa Garbage & Recycling

The City of Ottawa provides curbside collection of garbage, recycling, green bin organics, and seasonal yard waste through municipal Solid Waste Services.

Your Standard Curbside Service (Most Houses)

Single-family homes and small residential buildings receive curbside pickup.

What you get

When you move in, the property typically includes:

♻️ 2 recycling boxes (blue & black)
🟢 1 green bin (organics)
🗑️ Garbage collection service

Containers stay with the property.

Collection Schedule

Collection occurs on alternating weeks:

• Garbage — every 2 weeks

• Recycling — every 2 weeks (alternating streams)

• Green bin — weekly

Set items out by 7:00 a.m.

Recycling Program

Ottawa uses a two-stream recycling system.

Blue box

• Glass, plastic containers, metal cans

Black box

• Paper and cardboard

Quick tips

• Keep materials separated

• Rinse containers

• No bagged recyclables

Garbage Collection

Garbage pickup is biweekly.

Garbage rules:

• Maximum 3 items per collection without tags

• Additional items require purchased garbage tags

• All garbage must be bagged

Yard Waste Collection (Seasonal)

Collected during spring, summer, and fall periods.

Accepted yard waste

• Leaves and grass

• Plants and branches

• Garden trimmings

Use paper yard waste bags or reusable containers.

Large Items & Special Waste

Special Pickups

Furniture and bulky items can be placed out on garbage day (rules apply).

Household Hazardous Waste Depots

Accept:

• Paint

• Batteries

• Chemicals

• Electronics

Compost & Food Waste

Ottawa has a citywide Green Bin program.

Accepted items include:

• Food scraps

• Meat and bones

• Coffee grounds

• Paper towels and food-soiled paper

Green bin collection occurs weekly year-round.

How You Pay for It

Waste services are funded through property taxes and municipal fees.

Residents do not pay per pickup, though garbage tags apply for extra items.