Residents in Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario, have until March 31, 2026, to request a smaller recycling bin if they find the new standard carts are too big for their property. This deadline is the final day for the second phase of a program that allows households to trade their 360-litre wheeled carts for a more compact 240-litre version at no extra cost.
According to Circular Materials, the not-for-profit organization that now runs the community’s recycling, the exchange is limited to one swap per address. Residents who missed the first deadline in January must complete an online form by the end of March to avoid being stuck with a larger bin they do not need.
The standard 360-litre carts were delivered to homes late last year to handle two weeks of recyclables after collection shifted from weekly to bi-weekly on January 1, 2026. The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville and other local leaders advocated for the smaller option to help seniors and residents with limited storage space who might struggle with the size of the 95-gallon containers.
The program is part of a province-wide change where the companies that produce packaging are now responsible for the costs of recycling. While the collection schedule has changed, GFL Environmental now picks up a wider variety of items, including coffee cups, black plastic containers, and frozen juice cans.
For those who applied during the first phase earlier this year, the first set of bin exchanges began in early March 2026. This delivery process is expected to take about six weeks to complete across the region, and residents who sign up now will have their bins replaced once the next phase of the program begins.
