Garbage, Recycling and Compost

Garbage collection schedule and routes

View our Garbage Collection Maps to find out when you should have your garbage ready for pickup at your curb. You can view our Saugeen Shores garbage collection Calendar. 

Bruce Area Solid Waste Recycling will pick up garbage on all statutory holidays, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Please continue to place your garbage curbside by the normal 7:00 a.m. time on all remaining holidays. If you miss this time, drivers won't return to pick up missed garbage.

Household garbage requirements

All household garbage must be:

• At your curb by 7:00 a.m.
• Bagged and placed in acceptable garbage containers that are protected from rodents, animals, insects and birds
• No heavier than 11 kg (or 25 lbs) per bag/container
• Free of hazardous waste or construction waste
• Free of manure, ashes, hay, straw, grass clippings and leaves.
• Affixed with a bag tag
• Clearly visible to drivers and pedestrians, and not hidden behind a vehicle, snow bank or other obstruction

If you use a large garbage collection box at your property, you must follow our garbage box requirements. Garbage boxes must clearly indicate whether there is garbage inside the box or not. This can include a mailbox flag or a yes/no sign which must be visible from the road. 

Cardboard recycling

You can recycle flattened cardboard boxes at the following cardboard recycling depots:

• Port Elgin Sewage Treatment Plant (Lehnen Street)
• Public Works Garage (Concession 6 at Guyers Drive)
• Southampton Landfill (Concession 14)

Film plastics recycling

You can drop off your film plastics at two locations in Saugeen Shores. Accepted materials will be recycled by a company in Ontario into plastic resin pellets to be used in manufacturing.

The success of this project depends on you! To recycle your film plastic, you must ensure all materials are:

• Clean – remove all food residue
• Dry – if you rinse it, let it dry
• Empty – remove paper, stickers and receipts
• Identified by #2 HDPE or #4 LDPE recycling symbol

Drop-off locations

Place filled bags in the small round opening in the yellow bin at one of the following locations:

• Southampton Landfill, 126 Concession 14
• Public Works Garage, 339 Concession 6

Do not leave plastics outside the collection bins. 

Accepted items

Only plastics identified by #2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) or #4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene) are accepted. These are:

• Grocery and retail bags
• Newspaper and flyer bags
• Dry cleaning bags
• Electronic equipment bags
• Food and produce bags
• Bread bags
• Fresh vegetable and produce bags
• Frozen vegetable bags
• Bulk goods bags
• Milk outer bags
• Product packaging and wrap
• Water softener and salt bags (remove rigid plastic handles)
• Toilet paper, napkin and paper towel over wrap
• Diaper and feminine hygiene product outer bags
• Bottled water and soda case over wrap
• Soil, mulch, etc. garden product bags (clean, dry and empty)

Not accepted

• Unclean items with food or dirt residue
• Packaging in contact with meat
• Packaging in contact with dairy
• Biodegradable or compostable plastics
• Crinkly, non-stretch wrap, packaging and bottle seals
• Zipper lock and resealable bags
• Agricultural bale, boat and shrink wrap
• Beverage rings
• Stretch cling wrap
• Chip, cookie, chocolate and snack bar wrappers
• Bubble wrap

Styrofoam recycling

Styrofoam can now be dropped off for recycling in Southampton. Saugeen Shores is taking part in a pilot project with Second Wind Recycling for Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) recycling. This project will start on December 28, 2020 and will last for a minimum of one year. EPS recycling will be based out of the Southampton Landfill site at 126 Concession 14.

Accepted items:

Items that can be collected must be clean, dry, free of tape and must be marked with the #6 recycling symbol. Accepted items include:

• White packaging from electronics and appliances (such as TV’s, computers, microwaves, etc.)

Not accepted:

• Meat trays
• Pool noodles
• Take-out containers, bowls and cups
• Packing peanuts
• Insulation panels
• Polyethylene Foam

Drop-off location:

Southampton Landfill, 126 Concession 14

Fluorescent bulb recycling

You can drop off expired fluorescent bulbs and tubes at the Southampton Landfill. These items are taken to a facility that discards mercury and other hazardous chemicals properly.

Propane tank recycling

You can drop off your empty propane tanks at the Southampton Landfill, where they are recycled properly.

Battery recycling

You can drop off household batteries at the Southampton Landfill, municipal office or at the Public Libraries in Port Elgin and Southampton. The batteries are then taken to a disposal facility.

Mattress and box spring recycling

You can drop off your mattresses and box springs at the Southampton Landfill, with a fee of $25.44 per mattress.

Tire recycling

You can bring off-rim and clean tires to the Southampton Landfill at no cost.

Recycling of cooling units

We will accept Freon units, air conditioners, refrigerators, freezers, water coolers and dehumidifiers at the Saugeen Shores Landfill, only if they have been certified and tagged as "Freon Free."

Recycling of fire extinguishers

We accept recycling of fire extinguishers which contain mercury at the Southampton Landfill.

Electronic waste

View our procedures on recycling electronic waste.