Ville de Gatineau
Garbage (gray bin)
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Garbage (gray bin)
Garbage (gray bin)

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Gray bins and tagged excess trash bags

Gatineau provides gray bins on wheels to all residential units with municipal curbside pickup.

Those bins are the property of Ville de Gatineau, and have an electronic chip connecting each one to the address to which it was delivered. If it is lost, damaged or stolen, call 311 or make a request.

You can get a latch for the gray bin (for the 120 litre size bins only) at any municipal service centre or library.

Excess: accepted bags and tags

If your gray bin is not large enough to hold all of your trash, you can buy tags from Ville de Gatineau for your excess trash bags *. Up to five tagged bags will be collected along with the contents of the gray bin, per unit, per collection day.

* White and black bags with the Gatineau logo will also be accepted. There is no need to tag them.

How does it work?

  • Place your excess waste in any plastic bag that:
    • measures no more than 26 in. x 36 in. (66 cm x 91.4 cm);
    • has a maximum capacity of 80 L; and
    • has a maximum weight of 15 kg.
  • Secure your bag losed with a knot or tie.
  • Place the tag around the top of each bag, looping it onto itself.
  • Place your tagged bag next to your gray bin for collection.

Tagged bags must be placed on the ground next to the gray bin, not in it.

Buying tags

Where Cost (for a package of 5 tags)**
Service centres $2.50 tax included
Ecocentres $2.50 tax included
Online purchase with home delivery $2.50 $ + delivery charge

** Included in Annex II of by-law 61-2006

Buildings with commercial units

Buildings with commercial units with municipal curbside pickup must also use the gray bins assigned to them, and the accepted bags or tags for any excess, to dispose of their trash.

Commercial, industrial and institutional establishments should click here for additional information about the municipal collection service.

Repair or replacement of bins provided by Gatineau

If your gray bin is damaged, broken or stolen, call 311 or make a request. In the case of a bin broken by the owner, tenant or occupant of a residential unit, the owner will be charged a fee for the repair or replacement.

Ordering bins and containers

If you do not have a gray bin for household trash and are entitled to municipal curbside collection, make a request. Multi-unit residential buildings with collection from their loading areas must get their containers from a private company. Owners and managers of commercial, industrial and institutional establishments should click here for additional information about the municipal trash collection service. They can also make a request for tips and guidance.

Storing bins

The zoning by-law provides that bins may be stored in the side yard or backyard at least one metre from the property line. If you live in a townhouse with no space at the side, you may store your bin in the front yard.

Maintaining bins

Owners, tenants or occupants of units entitled to the municipal trash collection service must enter their address in the space provided for that purpose on the bin on wheels provided by Gatineau. They must maintain the bin so as to keep it clean and watertight.

Characteristics of gray bins

120-litre gray bins are distributed to buildings with 1 to 3 units, and 240-litre and 360-litre bins are available to buildings with 4 or more units according to the ratio of 120 litres per unit.

Format 120 litres 240 litres 360 litres
Width 18 inches 24 ½ inches 25 ¼ inches
Height 37 ⅝ inches 43 ¼ inches 44 ½ inches
Depth 20 inches 27 ½ inches 25 inches
Maximum permitted weight 40 kg (88 lbs) 70 kg (154 lbs) 100 kg (220 lbs)

The collection

Household trash is collected every two weeks for residential and non-residential units that pay the residual materials management levy.

Place your gray bin and your tagged excess trash bags next to the curb or sidewalk after 7 p.m. the night before or before 7 a.m. on collection day. Place them at your entranceway or on your property, not on the street or sidewalk so they do not interfere with snow clearing operations. Emptied bins must be removed from the curb before 9 p.m. on collection day, as per the by-law.

Only the contents of gray bins and tagged bags will be collected from curbside on household trash collection day. A maximum of five tagged bags will be collected each time. No other bags or container contents will be collected.

Report an uncollected container

Collections take place between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. If your trash is not collected, make a request. You can make your request between 6 p.m. on collection day and 6 p.m. the day after. If your collection is on Friday, you have until noon the following day to make a request.

Receiving notifications of delays

If you would like to be notified of delays in your sector, sign up for DTRITUS notifications through the mobile app or the Web version. To find out how to sign up for notifications, click here.

Materials that are accepted and not accepted with household trash

Accepted

Is your item still useful? Before placing it in the gray bin, check whether there is an alternative, such as reuse.

  • Styrofoam and number 6 plastics
  • Diapers
  • Laminated packaging (for chips, cereal bars, etc.)
  • Pet excrement and litter
  • Toys
  • Plastics without a number
  • Hygienic products
  • Dishes (ceramic, melamine, porcelain or glass)
  • Clothes and textiles

Not accepted

  • Bulky items and construction residues
  • Compostables and green residues
  • Recyclables
  • Tires
  • Electronics
  • Household hazardous waste

If you're not sure, consult DTRITUS to find out how to dispose of your materials.

Frequently asked questions

Accepted excess trash bags and tags

  • What do the accepted excess trash tags look like?
    The tags identifying accepted bags for excess trash are yellow and have the Ville de Gatineau logo. Those tags must be placed on plastic bags no larger than 80 litres and weighing no more than 15 kg when filled with household trash.
  • Are white or black bags with the Ville de Gatineau logo still accepted, and do they need a tag?
    Yes, white and black bags with the Gatineau logo are still accepted. No, you do not need to use a tag with those bags.
  • Am I supposed to use the accepted bags in my gray bin?
    No. The tags and accepted bags with the Gatineau logo are for excess household trash, and are to be placed on the ground next to the gray bin. Residents can use any bag they wish.

Additional questions about gray bins and trash

  • I do not have a gray bin, or my gray bin has been stolen or is broken. What should I do?
    Make a request or call 311.
  • Do multi-unit residential buildings with curbside collection get one bin per unit or one bin per building?
    The owners of multi-unit residential buildings who are entitled to a bin on wheels can get one larger container for all occupants' household trash or opt for individual bins for the units. For example, a six-unit building can get six 120-litre bins or two 360-litre bins for curbside collection. The maximum remains 120 litres per unit. To change formats, the building owner must call 311 to make a request.
  • Can I get a latch for my gray bin?
    Gatineau offers residents free latches for 120-litre gray bins and for 80-litre and 120-litre brown bins. Residents can pick these up at any municipal service centre or library.

    That latch can be installed on larger format (240-litre and 360-litre) bins. However, a locking mechanism can be installed in problem cases in rural areas. For such a locking mechanism, call 311.

  • Why limit trash to 120 litres?
    In 2013, close to half of what was sent to landfill could have been composted, recycled or recovered. In line with the orientations of the Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy, Gatineau set itself the goal of reducing household trash by 45%. Limiting the volume of household trash to 120 litres per unit is one of the ways of achieving that goal.
    Between 2018 and 2020, Gatineau households with gray bins reduced their trash by 25%. Gatineau residents can be proud of the outcome of the changes implemented!
  • Is it possible to get an additional brown or blue bin?
    It is possible to get an additional blue bin for large families, multi-unit residential buildings and other special cases. Simply make a request or call 311. You can also place your surplus recyclables in 64-litre recycling bins (green or blue), transparent plastic bags, cardboard boxes or bins with handles and identified with an R (for recycling). You can also bring your surplus recyclable to one of the ecocentres.

    If the brown bin is too small for all your green residues, place them in paper bags or bins identified with a V (for vert). If the lack of space is due to excess food residue, you can make a request or call 311 for a second brown bin. You will be provided one free of charge following a visit by an inspector. You can also bring your excess table scraps or garden residues to one of the ecocentres free of charge.
  • What can I do if neighbours leave their trash in front of my place?
    By-law 839-2018 concerning the management of residual materials prohibits anyone from leaving residual materials in a bin belonging to someone else or on someone else's property. A minimum fine of $300 (natural person) or $600 (legal person) applies in the case of a first infraction. However, proof is required (photo, video) to identify the violator and the infraction.

    Residents should call 311 or make a request to report an infraction.

DTRITUS

     

About Gatineau

Recognized for its quality of life, Gatineau is a city of 291,000 inhabitants. It is located on the north shore of the Ottawa River, and extends east and west of the Gatineau River.

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