Please utilize the WASTE WIZARD to assist you in finding the most current information on what is accepted where, fees, and site operating hours.
Recycling and Waste Diversion programs in the Township of Algonquin Highlands include (links below are to information on this page):
- Blue Box Recycling
- E-Waste
- Appliances
- Scrap Metal
- Tires
- ReUse Options (including ReUse Centre information)
- Composting
Blue Box Recycling
In Algonquin Highlands, blue box recycling is mandatory. Our program is separated into two streams: fibres and containers. Recycling Depots are located at each of the Township waste management (landfill) sites. Consult the Algonquin Highlands Recycling Guide for list of what is and is not recyclable.
E-Waste
Is your house overflowing with broken or unwanted waste electronics? Algonquin Highlands residents can drop off the following unwanted e-waste FREE OF CHARGE at the Maple Lake, Dorset or Oxtongue Lake Landfill sites for recycling:
►amplifiers ►audio and video players ►cameras ►cell phones
►computers ►computer peripherals (keyboard, mouse, etc.) ►copiers
►fax machines ►monitors ►pagers and PDAs ►printers ►radios
►receivers ►scanners ►speakers ►telephones and answering machines
►tuners ►turntables ►TVs ►video projectors
For additional e-waste collection questions please visit the Ontario Electronic Stewardship website: www.recycleyourelectronics.ca.
Since starting the program in August 2009, the Township of Algonquin Highlands has diverted more than 175 tonnes of e-waste from our landfill sites. Well done Algonquin Highlands!!
Appliances
Appliances that don't contain refrigerants (like Stoves, Washers, Dryers) can be recycled as Scrap Metal.
Refrigerators, freezers, water coolers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers all contain refrigerants (CFCs/freon) and must be handled separately and carefully. There is a fee for disposal of these items. Door should be removed from refrigerators and freezers, all baskets and bins removed. Please be aware that very old refrigerators may contain ammonia as a refrigerant, this is a deadly gas and thus we cannot accept appliances suspected to contain ammonia. In addition, propane or combination propane/electric refrigerators and freezers cannot be accepted.
Scrap Metal
Metal recycling is mandatory in Algonquin Highlands. Help us keep it out of the landfill by sorting your materials. Scrap metal is accepted at the Maple Lake and Oxtongue Lake Landfill sites and the Dorset Transfer Station.
Tires
The Township is a registered collector with the Ontario Tire Stewardship. Residents can now bring used tires – free of charge – to the Maple Lake or Oxtongue Landfill sites, and be assured that they will be diverted from the landfill and recycled into new products. Tires can be on or off rim, but must not be contaminated with wood, metal, concrete, earth, etc., to be brought in for free. Tires that are contaminated with other materials will be charged a $20 tipping fee per tire.
ReUse Options
Community Resources
Used clothing, furniture and household items can be donated to to local charities.
Clothing and textiles (including footware) can be dropped into the Diabetes Canada “Clothesline” bin at the Stanhope Firefighters’ Community Centre, 1095 North Shore Road, or the bin across the road from Robinsons General Store in Dorset. Please be are that these facilities are not owned or managed by the Township of Algonquin Highlands.
Social Media is often a great way to find new homes for items.
Give your unwanted stuff a second life! At ReUse centres you can bring, and take, good quality used items, to give them, or get them, a new home.
ReUse Centres are available at the following sites:
- Maple Lake Landfill
- Dorset Transfer Station
- Oxtongue Lake Landfill
Please ensure only good quality items, in working condition are left in the ReUse Centre.
Do not leave broken,chipped, soiled, or stained items, games or puzzles that are incomplete or missing pieces.
Items are only accepted as space permits, site attendants will advise whether items can or cannot be accepted.
ReUse Centre Acceptable Items:
- Housewares - dishes, pots, pans, utensils, cookware
- Household items - mirrors, artwork, frames, vases, decor
- Novelty & Antiques - memorabilia, collectables, knick-knacks
- Small furnishings - side tables, bookshelves, small desks, wooden chairs
- Books, records, CDs, DVDs, video games, puzzles, board games (with all pieces)
All items must be unpacked from storage boxes and placed on shelves in the ReUse Centre. Attendants will advice where larger items can be placed. Once emptied, please flatten cardboard boxes and place them in the Fibre recycling bin.
Unacceptable items:
- Upholstered/fabric items, including; mattresses, chairs, cushions, stuffed toys, fabric decor, etc.
- Appliances - electrical appliances, small appliances, electronics
- Clothing, footwear
- Fabric, linens, pillows, blankets, bedding, comforters, stuffed toys
- Childrens toys, cribs, playpens, car seats, highchairs
- Auto, boat and engine parts, tires, batteries
- Broken or damaged sporting goods, life jackets, PDFs, any kind of safety equipment (helmets, harnesses, etc.)
Tipping fees, if applicable, are payable for items placed in the ReUse Centre. Items taken from the ReUse centre may incur disposal fees if returned.
Removal and use of all items is at your own risk.
There is no guarantee that items in the ReUse centre are in usable condition.
Backyard Composting in Bear Country
Did you know that by composting kitchen scraps and yard debris, you can reduce your waste output by 20 percent or more?! Backyard composting is simple to do and in return you get a high quality soil conditioner for your garden. Fewer trips to the landfill and a happier, healthier garden – you can’t lose!
Composting in bear country does require some extra care and attention, though. Bears find food with their noses. The key to not attracting bears to your backyard compost bin is to eliminate the odours that attract them.
- Do not add cooked or left-over food scraps to your bin.
- Never compost meat, fish, oil, grease, or dairy products.
- Sprinkle your compost with lime to aid in decomposition and reduce odour.
- Each time you add kitchen waste, cover it with brown materials (dry leaves, sawdust, newspaper or dried grass clippings) or soil.
- Keep compost aerated and properly turned. Add branches, if necessary, to get air underneath the pile.
Locate the compost bin in an open area, well away from the forest edge, thickets and natural pathways used by bears.
Better yet, try vermicomposting – an indoor compost system that uses worms to digest the organic material. No more tromping through the snow!
Contact Information
Melissa Murray
Environmental Manager
Phone: 705-489-2379 Extension 332
E-mail: mmurray@algonquinhighlands.ca