As per Barrie's collection schedule, unlimited green bins are collected curbside every week. Please remember to sort your waste for collection and have it curbside by 7am.
Organics Program Benefits
- Helps extend the life of Barrie’s landfill
- Helps Barrie meet the Ministry of Environment’s waste diversion goal, by helping to divert everyday household organic waste from the landfill.
- Creates nutrient rich compost
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
Collection Schedule
Residential households receive unlimited collection of organics bins every week in Barrie, with different areas having pickup on different days. Multi-residential buildings (6 units or more) receive organics according to the Multi-Residential Collection Calendar. Normal curbside collection occurs on Remembrance Day, Easter Monday, and Boxing Day; all other holidays affect the collection schedule.
Residential Collection
For the residential collection of organics, there are multiple ways to determine your curbside collection schedule:
- Refer to the map in the Waste Collection Calendar.
- Look up your address.
- Search your address using the interactive map.
- Call 705-739-4219 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am–4:30pm) and staff will look up your collection day based on your address.
- Download the City's mobile app and look up your address under Your Collection Schedule.
Multi-Residential Collection
For collection at multi-residential buildings (6 units or more) please refer to the Multi-Residential Collection Calendar for schedule information regarding organics carts collection.
Getting a Green Bin
Residents can get a green bin for free. The options below apply to organics (green) bins and recycling bins.
Delivery
For delivery of small or large green bins, please apply at ServiceBarrie.ca, call 705-726-4242 or email us at ServiceBarrie@barrie.ca.
Pickup Options
Note facilities may be closed on statutory holidays.
- City Hall, 70 Collier Street (Service Barrie, first floor)
- Allandale Recreation Centre, 190 Bayview Drive
- East Bayfield Community Centre, 80 Livingstone Street East
- Peggy Hill Team Community Centre, 171 Mapleton Avenue
- City of Barrie Landfill, 272 Ferndale Drive North. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 8:30am–3:30pm. The Waste and Recycling Depot located through the scalehouse at the top of the hill is open year-round. The Recycling Depot located at the lower gate area of the landfill is open April to November only.
Depending on eligibility*, each multi-residential property may be supplied with large collection carts as well as small, in-unit kitchen bins to collect and transport organic material. Once the bins are full they can be emptied into the building's large organics carts. If you don't have an in-unit green bin please contact your property manager or site superintendent.
*If your building has not started this important diversion program, please contact your property manager or site superintendent.
Damaged bins can be returned to the landfill (272 Ferndale Drive North) where they are recycled free of charge.
Accepted Organic Items & Bin Liners
Please use the item lookup tool to look up specific items if not listed below. Organics bins must not exceed 20kgs (45lbs) per bin when placed out for collection.
Acceptable items in the green bin:
- All food scraps and leftovers
- Meat, bones, rice and dairy products
- Vegetables and fruits
- Pastas, breads
- Cooking oils and grease
- Coffee grounds and filters, tea bags
- Microwave popcorn bags
- Dryer lint, dust
- Hair, pet hair
- House plants
- Soiled newspaper, paper towels
- Paper plates, napkins, tissues
- Paper egg cartons
- Fast food drink trays
- Paper cups
- Popsicle sticks, toothpicks
- Wood wine corks
- Wood ashes (cold)
- Dried flowers
- Pumpkins, garden fruit & vegetable waste
- Eggs and eggshells
- Muffin paper cups
Do not place yard waste in your organics containers. Yard waste items will be collected by another designated collection truck. Organics carts must not exceed 20 kgs (45lbs) each for collection. If you include any unacceptable items in your green bin, your bin will not be emptied and a sticker will be left notifying you of the reason.Unacceptable items in the green bin:
- Plastic bags or biodegradable bags
- Diapers and hygiene products
- Kitty litter and pet waste
- Yard waste
- Medical waste (bandages, gauze)
- Recyclables
- Construction and demolition waste
- Sod, soil or rocks
- Vacuum bag and contents
- Ceramics
- Drinking straws
- Styrofoam
- Treated wood
- Hazardous waste
- Dead animals
- Textile
Do not place yard waste in your green bin. Yard waste items will be collected by another designated collection truck. Green bins must not exceed 20 kgs (45lbs) each for collection. If you include any unacceptable items in your green bin, your bin will not be emptied and a sticker will be left notifying you of the reason.
The most common way to line your bin is with certified compostable bin liners/bags with one of the certified compostable logos. Both the individual bags and the package will be marked with these logos:
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Non-compostable plastic bags are NOT accepted in Barrie’s organics program. Plastic bags labelled only as “bio-degradable”, “degradable” or “oxo” degradable are also NOT accepted in the organics program. These bags are not acceptable at the composting facility that accepts Barrie’s organics material because they contaminate the finished compost.
Other options for lining your kitchen organics bin:
- paper bags
- newspaper
- popcorn and pet food bags without plastic liners
- paper leaf and yard waste bags
- boxboard such as cereal and cracker boxes
Tip: Disposable coffee cups make great containers for food scraps/peels. When preparing meals, just drop the filled cup into your organics bin!
Compostable Bag Brands
Some brands carried at Barrie retailers are listed below.
- Al Pack Compostable Bags
- Bag to Earth Paper Bags
do not require the certified compostable logos - Bag-to Nature Compostable Bags
- Bin Fresh Compostable Bin Liner
does not need the certified compostable logos - Bio Bag Compostable Kitchen Bags
- Bio Life Certified Compostable Bags
- BioSak Compostable Brown Bags
- Compliments GreenCare Compostable Bags
- Glad Compostable Bags
- Great Value Compostable Bin Liners
- Likewise Compostable Bags
- Natura Compostable Bin Liners
- No Name Compostable Bags
- Quikki Compostable Bin Liners
- Rona Eco Compostable Bags
- Selection Compostable Bags
- Tuff Guy Compostable Bags
Frequently Asked Questions
There are many changes coming to curbside waste collection in Barrie between 2024 and 2026. Starting May 1, 2024, collection will look different for residents and businesses.
Diapers and pet waste are not accepted in Barrie's organics program because the processing facility does not accept these materials; they are difficult and costly to process.
Residents can dispose of up to two clear bags of diapers per week for free at the landfill, with a maximum weight of 20kg/bag, from May 1 to October 31 each year.
Pet waste and soiled diapers are garbage items that emit odour. Tips to help mitigate:
- sprinkle a bit of baking soda in the bottom of your garbage can
- be sure your garbage can has a proper lid & is securely sealed
City staff are working on a tender document expected to go out for bid in 2022. Green bin service for pet waste may be an option presented by some bidders. Green bin service for diapers will not be considered for this contract.
Garbage and organics are collected by a “split” collection truck. The same collection truck will hold both materials however it does NOT mix the materials together. These trucks are split this way to make the collection more efficient instead of having one designated truck for each material type.
The split collection truck has two separated compartments for two different types of materials. The collector places the garbage material into one compartment of the truck, and the organics into the other. Although it may appear that these items are being mixed together after you spent time separating them, the materials are completely separated and do not get mixed with each other.
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Organics are transported to a specially designed processing facility where microscopic bacteria digest the material and the result is rich and valuable compost.
Tips:
- Wrap food waste in newspaper, boxboard or certified compostable liners before placing in the bin.
- Clean your green bin regularly and keep the lid tightly closed.
- Empty the small kitchen bin into the large curbside bin often, before food starts decomposing.
- Freeze food scraps in acceptable bin liners before placing in the curbside bin.
- Place your bin out for collection every week on your scheduled day, even if it’s only half full.
The organics collection program was extended to eligible properties beginning in 2017.
Participation in the multi-residential organics collection program is mandatory for all residents in order for your building to receive municipal garbage collection services (Council Motion 15-G-223). The multi-residential organics program helps extend the life of the landfill and is designed to help residents manage their waste differently while helping to divert everyday household organic waste from the landfill.
If your building has not started this important diversion program, please contact your property manager or site superintendent.