The City of Cornwall's contractor collects garbage and recycling at the curb once a week. We don't collect food waste yet.

Collection is divided into five zones. Where you live will indicate what day of the week your garbage is collected.

Garbage Collection Rules:

  • Your waste must be at the curb after 7 p.m. the day before your collection, or before 7 a.m. the day of collection.
  • Each household can only set out two bags or one can of trash per week.
  • If you want to set out more than the limit, you'll need bag tags.
  • If you need an exemption from bag limits for medical reasons, send us an email.
  • Diapers are exempt from the bag limit - learn more.
  • Cans must have two handles. They must not be bigger than 121 litres or 32 gallons.
  • Bags must not be bigger than 90 litres. Small grocery bags are not accepted: put them in a garbage bag or can.
  • Large items, or items not in a bag or container, won't be collected. You can bring these to the landfill directly.
  • Help us keep the collection crew safe: 
    • bags and cans of trash must not weigh more than 50 pounds or 22 kilograms each.
    • please do not tie the lid to your garbage can.
    • garbage set out in cardboard boxes will not be collected.

 2024 Waste Collection CalendarSort your waste using Recycle CoachReport a missed waste collection

 Bag Tags: where to buy and how to use them
When you have more bags than the permitted limit, you can buy tags. Bag tags, which will allow residents to set out more bags than the current 2-bag or 1-can limit, are sold in sheets of 10 for $15.00 at:
  • City Hall - 360 Pitt Street
  • Landfill Site (Scale House) - 2590 Cornwall Centre Road
  • Pop Shoppe - 101 Emma Avenue
  • Short Line Convenience - 1300 Second Street West
  • Fence Depot - 3045 Pitt Street
  • TAS Convenience - 1001 Montreal Road
  • Fullerton Drugs - 170 Pitt Street
  • MacEwen's - 1030 McConnell Avenue
  • MacEwen's - 201 Second Street West

On bags, tags should be attached to the bag in a visible manner and in the shape of a flag. Tags should not be cut or altered. They should be securely attached so that they don't blow away and cannot be removed.

Using tags for garbage cans:

  • Garbage cans must always have two tags, regardless of contents.
  • Make sure the tags is visible for the contractor and is securely attached so it will not blow away.
  • Loose garbage should have two tags attached to a heavy item at the top.
  • Garbage bags in a can should have two tags attached at the top.
  • Tags should not be stuck directly on the garbage can. 
 Buy a Can or Bin

 

Tall rolling bins with lids are sold at the landfill by appointment only. Call 613-937-1777 or email us to make your appointment. Prices are listed below without tax:

  • 32-gallon garbage bin: $62
  • 32-gallon recycling bin: $62
  • 64-gallon recycling bin: $91
  • 95-gallon recycling bin: $109

Small square recycling bins without lids can be purchased for $5.80 including tax at:

  • City Hall (360 Pitt St) Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Landfill (2590 Cornwall Centre Rd) Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Prices are at cost - the City of Cornwall sells the bins for the price they were purchased.

Diaper Exemption

Diapers are exempt from the two-bag limit. Here’s how it works:

  • Residents should set out diapers in clear plastic bags.
  • These bags will not count towards their limit.
  • The bags should only contain diapers – no other waste is accepted.
  • Residents do not need to apply for this exemption – everyone is eligible.

Other residents who have medical waste due to health conditions should contact the waste management division for a medical exemption application form. Once complete, this form will provide residents with additional bag tags. The form is only for those who cannot meet the two-bag limit. Email us or call 613-937-1777.

Diversion (or: things you can't throw in the trash)

Some items aren't accepted for collection at the curb. That's because they need to be sorted, or diverted, from the landfill. You can bring them directly to the landfill site, where they can be dropped off at specific sorting locations.

Large items, wood, tires, appliances, mattresses, and construction waste have to be brought directly to the landfill.

Branches, leaves, and yard waste are collected seasonally - check out the schedule.

Electronics and other hazardous waste have to be brought to the household hazardous waste depot, which is open four times a month, except in winter: check out the schedule.

Medication and needles can be returned to pharmacies. Medication can also be dropped off at Cornwall MediDrop locations: Cornwall Community Police Service (340 Pitt Street) or Cornwall Community Hospital (840 McConnell Avenue).

Winter Waste Collection

Winter poses many challenges – especially when it comes to waste collection. Please take note of these tips to ensure your waste is not left behind.

When:

  • Waste must be set out by 7 a.m.
  • If it snows overnight, be sure to pull your waste out of the snow before 7 a.m.
  • If more than 5 centimetres of snow is expected, please wait until morning to shovel out a spot and set out your waste.

Where:

  • Place bins and bags in your shovelled-out driveway or on a shovelled-out part of the boulevard.
  • Waste should never be placed on the sidewalk, as it creates a hazard for pedestrians and snow plow operators.
  • Waste should never be placed on the road, as it creates a hazard for drivers and snow plow operators.

Waste will be left behind if it is placed on a snowbank, is buried in the snow, or is frozen into the bin.

Everyone deserves a safe work environment. Waste rules are in place to ensure the health and safety of waste collection staff. When waste is left behind, it is often because it is unsafe for the contractor to collect. 

Information for businesses and multi-residential units

The City of Cornwall provides curbside collection services for Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional customers. Fill out this form to request a new collection.

Businesses in the Downtown and Le Village areas have recycling and garbage collection on Mondays and Fridays between 7 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Businesses outside those areas will have their waste collection on the regular collection day for their area.

Please contact the waste management department for more information about waste collection for businesses: 613-937-1777.

Residential buildings with more than 7 units must set out garbage in carts with capacity between 75 litres and 360 litres. The cart must have a watertight lid, two working wheels, and a single metal bar a the front of the receptacle. Recycling can be set out in a bin, transparent bag, or 95-gallon recycling cart with a metal bar.

Sort your waste according to the rules at the beginning of this page.

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Waste Management Division
861 Second Street West, Box 877, Cornwall ON, K6H 5T9
T.: 613-937-1777
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