Dauphin residents can no longer drop off glass, plastic, and metal at the city’s residential recycling depot on 1st Avenue SE. As of June 2, 2026, the site across from the Rotary Arena is accepting cardboard only, a move the City of Dauphin says was forced by ongoing misuse that was costing taxpayers roughly $13,000 a year in cleanup.
Mayor David Bosiak said crews were spending about $250 each week in labour and equipment to clear illegally dumped items like furniture, mattresses, renovation debris, and even a toilet caught on video in March. The city had warned for months that if the dumping continued, it would either restrict the depot to cardboard or shut it down completely.
“If misuse continues, the City may be forced to consider converting the site to a cardboard-only depot or removing the residential recycling depot entirely,” the city said in a statement.
For other recyclables, residents still have two options. Curbside recycling through Ottenbreit Sanitation Services runs every second week on the same day as garbage pickup. The Waste Disposal Site and Diversion Centre also takes hazardous and recyclable items year-round free of charge, including used oils, electronics, scrap metal, tires, and white goods.
The city notes that illegal dumping often meant otherwise recyclable materials ended up at the landfill instead. Deputy City Manager Lisa Gaudet told council earlier this year that the depot can only stay open if people use it properly.
