Residential Waste and Organics Collection
The City of Kawartha Lakes provides curbside collection for household garbage and organics. This page has the information you need to get your waste ready for collection. Learn about collection schedules, what can be collected, bag limits, and how to set out your waste correctly. Following these guidelines helps keep our community clean and makes collection easier for everyone.
Find your collection schedule Learn more about curbside tags
Curbside Garbage and Organics Collection
Your garbage and organics are collected by Miller Waste.
If you have any waste-related inquiries, including missed collection, please contact Miller Waste directly.
- Phone: 1-888-557-4711
- email: kawarthalakes@millerwaste.ca
Recycle Coach
Find your collection schedule
Not sure what goes out this week? Look up your address to see your garbage, organics, and recycling pickup days, use the search tool to check sorting information, and get reminders for holiday schedule changes.
Clear Bag Program
The City of Kawartha Lakes participates in clear bag waste collection. Benefits of clear bag waste collection include:
- cost savings
- less recyclables going to landfills
- improved safe handling for workers
- less hazardous waste going to landfill
Bag Limit
There is currently a two-bag curbside residential waste limit per household across the municipality.
Effective June 15, 2026, households participating in the Organics Program in the urban areas of Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls, Lindsay, and Omemee will move to a one-bag curbside waste limit, while all other communities will continue with the two-bag limit.
If anyone wants to put out additional bags at curbside, bag tags can be purchased from all Municipal Service Centres, Kawartha Lakes Library branches and select retailers. One tag is required for each additional bag of waste on top of the bag limit.
Privacy bags
Privacy bags are small opaque bags that allow you to discretely dispose of personal items. Many people use grocery bags or white kitchen catchers as their privacy bags.
You are allowed a maximum of two small privacy bags each week, one inside of each of your two clear bags per week. Privacy bags should be approximately the size of a standard grocery bag.
- If you are only placing one clear bag of waste at the curb for collection you may place both of your privacy bags inside of it.
- If your two small privacy bags are the only waste you have you can place them directly on the curb for collection and do not need to put them into a clear bag.
- You can put your clear bags inside garbage cans for collection to increase privacy at the curb. Large 65 or 95 gallon carts will not be accepted.
Waste Collection Reminders
- Make sure your garbage and recycling is set out at the curb by 7am (6am if you live in a downtown core). Trucks do not always come at the same time every week.
- On your collection day leave your garbage and recycling at the curb until 7pm before bringing it back inside if it was not collected.
- Garbage bags cannot be placed on top of recycling. Garbage must be in its own container or set out clearly apart from recycling.
- Flexible plastics and wrappers must be placed in a clear bag, tied closed and set out with your paper/fibre recycling.
- Garbage cannot be collected from large 65 or 95 gallon carts from any property within Kawartha Lakes.
Curbside Recycling Collection
Residential recycling is managed by Circular Materials and collected by Emterra.
For service alerts and more information about the recycling program please visit Circular Material's website.
Contact Emterra if you have any recycling-related inquiries, including missed collection and recycle bin replacements:
Emterra
- Phone: 1-888-597-1541
- Email: customercareont@emterra.ca
If you'd like to provide feedback or comments in regards to Emterra’s recycling collection services, you can contact Circular Materials:
Circular Materials
- Phone: 1-877-667-2626
- Email: customerservice@circularmaterials.ca
- Website: www.circularmaterials.ca/kawarthalakes
Please note that there are currently no changes to your recycling collection day.
Mandatory Waste Sorting Enforcement
Changes to the recycling program took effect on January 1, 2026, adding materials such as hot and cold beverage cups, Styrofoam, deodorant containers, toothpaste containers and more.
Since April 20, 2026, Miller Waste collectors have been enforcing the by-law that prohibits recyclable materials from being placed in garbage bags. Make sure you know what belongs in your recycling before setting out your garbage and recycling.
For the most up-to-date information about accepted materials and how to sort your waste, use the Recycle Coach Waste Wizard, download the Recycle Coach app or visit the Circular Materials website.
Questions About Garbage or Organics?
Garbage and organics collection continue to be managed by the City of Kawartha Lakes.
Questions About Recycling?
Residential recycling is managed by Circular Materials and collected by Emterra.
Curbside pickup, missed collection, or bins: Emterra at 1-888-597-1541 or customercareont@emterra.ca.
Recycling rules, accepted materials, or feedback: Circular Materials website
