Waste Diversion Program
Ontario is on a path to a greener, healthier future and cleaner economy with its current waste diversion programs including:
Household Hazardous Waste
The household hazardous waste program properly manages products such as paints, solvents, used oil filters, anti-freeze and single-use batteries.
Ontario’s household hazardous waste program properly manages and disposes of these products:
- Paints and coatings, plus their containers
- Solvents and their containers
- Used oil filters
- Empty lubricating oil containers
- Single-use batteries
- Antifreeze and its containers
- Pressurized containers (e.g., propane tanks and cylinders, oxygen and helium tanks)
- Lawn fertilizers that contain pesticides
- Pesticides and their containers
- Fire extinguishers*
- Rechargeable batteries*
- Compact fluorescent light bulbs*
- Sharps (needles, lancets, pens and syringes)*
- Mercury-containing devices (e.g, thermometers, thermostats)*
- Pharmaceuticals (prescription and over-the-counter medications for humans and pets)*
* The province will begin to provide funding to municipalities to properly manage, recycle and dispose of these items.
Used Tires Program
The used tires program began in September 2009 and is completely implemented and run by tire manufactures and importers. Tires can only go to landfill as cover or burned for fuel if recycling is not feasible. This program has significantly increased the reuse and recycling of used tires in the province.