Ville de Gatineau
Recyclables (blue bin)
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Recyclables (blue bin)
Recyclables (blue bin)

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The collection

Recyclables are collected every two weeks for units with curbside collection, and once a week for multi-unit residential buildings with a container loading area.

Place your blue bin next to the curb or the sidewalk after 7 p.m. the day before or by 7 a.m. on collection day. Bins must be removed from the curb no later than 9 p.m. on collection day.

Robotized collection

From now on, your bins will be emptied by a truck with a robotic arm (certain exceptions apply).

To enable the robotic arm to properly empty your bins, make sure that:

  • you use only the designated bins (see below)
  • the wheels are facing your building
  • there is a 60 cm clearance on either side of each bin, and there are no obstacles in front of them
  • the lids are completely closed, with no overflow and nothing on the lid that could fall on the ground when the bin is lifted by the robotized arm
  • the anti-rodent latch is released
  • your bins are on your driveway or on your property, not on the street or on the sidewalk, to avoid blocking the movement of pedestrians and snow clearing equipment

Accepted collection methods

 

Ville de Gatineau blue wheeled bins

 

Refused collection methods

 

Trash cans

Wheeled bins other than blue

American model** wheeled bins

Boxes placed next to the bin

Recycling bags placed next to the bin

 

* If you generate more recyclables than your blue bin can hold, call 311 to request another free blue bin.

** What is the difference between a European model and an American model bin?

Reporting a missed collection

Collections take place between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. If your container has not been emptied, make a request. You can make a request between 6 p.m. on the day of your collection and 6 p.m. the following day.

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.

Special recyclables collections

Recyclables will continue to be accepted every two weeks in blue bins or in the permanent and mobile ecocentres. If you generate more recyclables than will fit into your blue bin, you can get another one for free by simply calling 311.

There will be two special collections every year for occasional recyclable surpluses:

  • After January 1
  • After July 1

Download the DTRITUS app or check its online version for your collection dates.

Accepted collection methods

  • Transparent plastic bags
  • Trash cans (with handles) or wheeled bins identified by an “R”
  • Cardboard boxes

Instructions

  • Collapse cardboard boxes. You can pack them all into a single box or use string or transparent tape to bundle them into packages.
  • Leave a 60 cm (24 in.) clearance on either side of each wheeled bin for the robotized collection.

Blue bins

Gatineau provides a blue bin on wheels or a container to every residential unit for recyclables. Those bins belong to the municipality.

Bin storage

Bins may be stored outdoors in the side yard or backyard at least one metre from the property line. If you live in a townhouse with no side yard, you may store your bin in the front yard.

Blue bin repair or replacement

If your blue bin on wheels is damaged, broken or stolen, call 311 or make a request. Property owners are responsible for paying the cost of repairing or replacing bins that were broken by the owner, a tenant or an occupant of a dwelling.

Bin maintenance

The owner of or tenant/occupant responsible for the unit must mark the address in the space provided for that purpose on the bin provided by Gatineau. Bins must be kept clean and checked for leakage by the owner of the unit.

Ordering bins and containers

If you do not have a blue bin for your recyclables and are entitled to municipal curbside collection, submit a request.

Apartment buildings with off-street collection can obtain containers for recyclables by making a request.

Blue bins on wheels and containers provided by Gatineau are municipal property.

Accepted and not accepted in the blue bin

Accepted

Paper, cardboard, printed matter. That's it.

Examples of containers and packaging:

  • Cardboard boxes and rolls
  • Household cleaning product containers
  • Packaging, jars and containers of food products
  • Packaging of takeaway and prepared food
  • Aluminum foil and plates

Examples of printed paper:

  • Newspapers and flyers
  • Envelopes
  • Lined or squared paper sheets
  • Notebooks

Not accepted

  • Aerosols
  • Objects (plastic chairs, toys, shovels, hoses, light bulbs, etc.)
  • Batteries
  • Electronic and electrical devices
  • Cookware
  • Clothes and textiles
  • Syringes

When in doubt, consult DTRITUS to find out how to dispose of your items.

Useful tips

  • Empty and lightly rinse out containers
  • Undo and fold cardboard boxes so they take up less space.
  • Crush aluminum sheets into compact balls, even when lightly used, before placing them in the bin.
  • Remove lids from jars and containers – except for small caps.
  • Protective polystyrene packaging (ex: styrofoam TV packaging) and aerosol must be brought to the ecocentre so they can be properly recycled.

Frequently asked questions

  • I am a tenant, and I do not have access to a blue bin. Whom should I speak to?
    Make a request or call 311. Property owners are required to provide their occupants or tenants with containers large enough to hold recyclables between collections.
  • What should I do if my bin is not emptied on collection day?
    Leave it at curbside and call 311 or make a request. You can make a request between 6 p.m. on the day of your collection and 6 p.m. the following day.
  • Can I get an additional blue bin?
    Yes, residents can receive a second free blue bin upon request if so justified by the volume of recyclables they generate. Submit a request or call 311 to request one.
  • What happens to the materials that are to be recycled?
    They are sorted at the Tricentris sorting centre at 45 rue Pierre-Ménard in Gatineau. This is where the items are sorted by machines and humans before being baled and sold to packaging and recycling companies, where the material is either transformed or revalorized. It is either returned to its original form, or becomes a completely different product. In 2023, nearly 70% of the materials collected in blue bins are recycled right here in Quebec.
  • Why did the accepted materials change in 2025?
    Since January 1, 2025, recyclable materials have become the responsibility of a designated organization: Éco Entreprise Québec (ÉEQ), which is tasked with managing them. ÉEQ has standardized the materials accepted in the blue bin across Quebec. From now on, no matter which city you're in, the message is the same: containers, packaging, and printed materials go in the blue bin – that's it. This is why foam trays and chip bags are now accepted in the blue bin.

DTRITUS

     

About Gatineau

Recognized for its quality of life, Gatineau is a city of 298,000 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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