Brampton recycling is now run by Circular Materials, a producer-funded not-for-profit, with GFL collecting your blue cart, while Peel Region still picks up garbage, organics and yard waste. You keep the same cart and the same collection day, but missed recycling pickups now go to GFL at 1-877-268-4351, not Peel.
Below: what goes in the blue cart, what gets an “oops” sticker, who to call for each problem, and what changes when the City of Brampton takes over garbage collection on October 1, 2027.
At a glance
- Who collects recycling in Brampton: Circular Materials manages it, and GFL does the curbside pickup. This started on January 1, 2026.
- Who collects garbage, organics and yard waste: Peel Region, until September 30, 2027.
- Missed recycling pickup: GFL, 1-877-268-4351 or peelrecycling@gflenv.com.
- Other recycling questions: Circular Materials, 1-877-667-2626 or info@circularmaterials.ca.
- Set-out time: at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day.
- Big change ahead: the City of Brampton starts collecting garbage, organics and yard waste on October 1, 2027. Recycling stays with Circular Materials.
- Your pickup day: see our Brampton garbage collection schedule guide.
Table of Contents
Who runs Brampton recycling now?
Brampton recycling has been the responsibility of Circular Materials since January 1, 2026, when Ontario moved blue box programs from municipalities to the companies that make packaging. Peel Region says it is no longer responsible for recycling, and that GFL is the collection contractor working for Circular Materials in Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon.
The province calls this model extended producer responsibility. Under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016, producers of packaging and paper pay for and run the recycling system, instead of property taxpayers. Peel Region announced the switch on October 14, 2025, and told residents they did not need to do anything.
For you, three things stayed the same, according to Peel Region:
- You use the same recycling cart.
- Your recycling day did not change.
- You can still take recycling to any Peel Community Recycling Centre.
What changed is the phone number. Peel’s waste line can’t fix a missed recycling pickup anymore.
Who do I call about my Brampton recycling?
The right contact depends on the problem. Peel Region, Circular Materials and GFL each handle a different part of your waste, and calling the wrong one usually means a transfer or a long wait. GFL warns of long wait times on its line, so email or the online form is often the faster choice.
| Problem | Who handles it | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling cart not picked up | GFL (for Circular Materials) | 1-877-268-4351, peelrecycling@gflenv.com, or the GFL inquiry form |
| Damaged, missing or extra recycling cart | GFL, or Circular Materials’ request form | GFL contacts above, or the additional container request form |
| “Oops” sticker on your cart | GFL | GFL contacts above |
| What can be recycled, general questions | Circular Materials | 1-877-667-2626, info@circularmaterials.ca |
| Garbage, green bin or yard waste missed | Peel Region (until Sept. 30, 2027) | peelregion.ca/waste |
| Batteries, sharps, propane tanks | Drop-off depot | Circular Materials’ depot finder on its Peel recycling page |
| Street, sidewalk or bylaw issues | City of Brampton | 311 (see our guide to reporting a problem to 311) |
Households that need help getting a cart to the curb can apply for Circular Materials’ special accommodation curbside recycling service on the same Peel recycling page.
What goes in your Brampton blue cart?
Brampton’s blue cart takes four groups of material: paper and fibre, plastic and foam, metal, and glass, according to Circular Materials’ Brampton page. Items must be empty and free of food. Recycling goes in loose. Don’t bag it, with one exception: shredded paper goes in a tied clear plastic bag.
Paper and cardboard
- Flattened cardboard, no larger than 60 cm by 60 cm (cut bigger boxes down)
- Boxboard, like cereal and tissue boxes
- Cartons, such as milk and juice cartons
- Paper laminate packaging and containers
- Paper of any colour, plus shredded paper in a tied clear bag
Plastic and foam
- Hard plastic containers, tubs and tubes
- Small plastic packaging
- Flexible plastic packaging
- Foam packaging. Take the film wrap and absorbent pad off meat trays first.
Metal
- Food cans, lids and tins
- Beverage cans
- Foil, balled up, and foil trays
- Empty aerosol cans without hazard symbols. Cooking oil sprays and hair or skin product cans are accepted even though they carry a symbol.
Glass
- Clear and coloured food, beverage and cosmetic jars and bottles, with the lids off
Circular Materials says alcoholic beverage containers are not accepted in the cart.
What doesn’t go in Brampton recycling?
Some common household items look recyclable but are not accepted in the Brampton recycling program. Circular Materials lists books (soft or hard cover), toys, diapers, pots and pans, hazardous materials and batteries as items to keep out of the cart.
Batteries and medical sharps need a drop-off location, never the cart or the garbage. Circular Materials’ 2026 Peel guide adds propane canisters to that list. Its depot finder searches by postal code or address.
Why did I get an “oops” sticker?
A yellow “oops” sticker means GFL’s crew left something behind. Circular Materials lists five reasons:
- Cardboard was too big (over 60 cm by 60 cm) or not flattened.
- The cart had items the program doesn’t accept.
- The cart had harmful materials, like batteries.
- The recycling was in the wrong type of container.
- The materials weren’t clean, dry and empty.
Fix the problem and set the cart out again on your next recycling day. If you think the sticker was a mistake, contact GFL.
Also read: Brampton’s fall leaf pickup
How to set out your Brampton recycling cart
Circular Materials asks Brampton households to have the recycling cart at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day. The truck’s arm lifts the cart, so where and how you place it matters.
- Put the cart at the end of your driveway or curb, not on the road.
- Turn the wheels toward your house, with the lid opening toward the street.
- Leave at least 3 feet (about 1 metre) between the cart and fences, poles or parked cars.
- Use a flat spot clear of snow and ice.
- Close the lid fully, which cuts down on carts blowing over and litter on windy days.
- Set it out when it’s full or nearly full, if you can.
Brampton recycling in winter
Snow causes most winter pickup problems. Clear snow and ice off the lid so it opens, keep the cart out of snowbanks, and place it at the end of the driveway, not on the street where ploughs work. Our Brampton snow clearing guide explains which roads and sidewalks the City clears first.
Garbage and organics: still Peel Region, until 2027
Only recycling moved. Peel Region still collects garbage, organics (the green bin) and yard waste in Brampton, and Peel’s collection calendar still sets those days. Peel Region’s Community Recycling Centres stay open and stay owned and run by Peel.
That changes on October 1, 2027. The City of Brampton announced on May 21, 2026 that it will take over garbage, organics and yard waste collection that day, when Peel’s current collection contract ends on September 30, 2027. Brampton will also collect those materials in Caledon for the Town.
What the City says about the switch:
| Until Sept. 30, 2027 | From Oct. 1, 2027 | |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling | Circular Materials (GFL collects) | No change: Circular Materials |
| Garbage | Peel Region | City of Brampton |
| Organics (green bin) | Peel Region | City of Brampton |
| Yard waste | Peel Region | City of Brampton |
| Community Recycling Centres | Peel Region | Still Peel Region |
The City says residents will get advance notice of any changes to schedules, waste rules or program details, and it posts updates at brampton.ca/waste. Until then, follow Peel Region’s and Circular Materials’ schedules.
Is Ontario changing the blue box program again?
Ontario’s environment ministry said this week it is considering more changes to the producer-run blue box system, including rules for how recycling carts and bins are handed out to households and closer oversight of the organizations that run it, insauga.com reported. Nothing has changed yet for Brampton households, and your cart and collection day stay the same.
The province already changed the blue box regulation once. Its decision, posted on the Environmental Registry of Ontario on September 4, 2025, phased in recovery targets for flexible plastics (10% in 2026 and 2027, rising to 25% from 2032) and pushed the planned expansion of collection to more apartment buildings, schools and some long-term care and retirement homes to 2031. Any new proposals will go to public consultation, and we’ll update this guide when an official notice is posted.
What this means for you
For most Brampton households, recycling day looks the same as last year. The practical changes are who you call and what you put in.
- Save GFL’s number, 1-877-268-4351, for missed recycling pickups.
- Keep calling Peel Region about garbage and green bin problems until September 30, 2027.
- Flatten cardboard to 60 cm by 60 cm or smaller to avoid an oops sticker.
- Take batteries, sharps and propane tanks to a depot.
- Watch for notices from the City of Brampton in 2027 before the garbage switch.
FAQ
Who picks up Brampton recycling?
GFL picks up Brampton’s curbside recycling on behalf of Circular Materials, which has run the program since January 1, 2026. Peel Region no longer handles recycling.
Who do I call if my recycling wasn’t picked up in Brampton?
Contact GFL at 1-877-268-4351 or peelrecycling@gflenv.com, or use GFL’s online inquiry form. Peel Region can’t help with missed recycling anymore.
Did Brampton recycling day change in 2026?
No. Peel Region said your recycling bin and schedule would stay the same when Circular Materials took over. Check the Circular Materials app or our garbage schedule guide if you’re not sure of your day.
Can I put plastic bags in my blue cart in Brampton?
Circular Materials accepts flexible plastic packaging in Peel’s carts, but recyclables should go in loose, not tied in bags. The one exception is shredded paper, which goes in a tied clear plastic bag.
Is Peel Region still collecting garbage in Brampton?
Yes, until September 30, 2027. The City of Brampton takes over garbage, organics and yard waste collection on October 1, 2027.
How do I get a new or extra recycling cart in Brampton?
Use Circular Materials’ additional curbside recycling container request form, or contact GFL about a damaged or missing cart.
Where do batteries go in Brampton?
Not in the blue cart or the garbage. Take batteries to a designated drop-off location, which you can find with the depot finder on Circular Materials’ Peel recycling page.
Can I still use Peel’s Community Recycling Centres?
Yes. Peel Region says you can keep taking recycling to any Community Recycling Centre, and the City says the centres stay with Peel after 2027.
Related on Brampton Brief
- Brampton garbage collection schedule: find your pickup day
- Brampton leaf pickup this fall
- Mississauga garbage collection schedule
Sources: Peel Region: New provider for your recycling collection; Peel Region: New recycling collection provider starting January 1, 2026; Circular Materials: Brampton; Circular Materials: Peel Region; City of Brampton: waste collection transition update, May 21, 2026; Environmental Registry of Ontario: Amendments to the Blue Box Regulation (025-0009).
How we reported this: Brampton Brief checked every date, contact and rule in this article against Peel Region, Circular Materials, the City of Brampton and the Environmental Registry of Ontario on October 25, 2026. We’ll update it if any of them changes anything. Spot an error? Email hello@bramptonbrief.com with “Correction” in the subject.