Kingston Trash Pickup & Garbage Schedule 2026

Kingston’s curbside system is different from many cities. Garbage and green-bin organics are collected every week, while blue-box and grey-box recycling are collected on alternating weeks. Since July 1, 2025, the city has also been phasing in automated cart-based garbage and organics service in some neighbourhoods, while recycling has moved under Ontario’s producer-funded system through Circular Materials and Emterra.

How to Find Your Kingston Trash Pickup Day (Fast Lookup)

Kingston’s official Collection Calendar is the only reliable way to confirm your exact waste day, especially because the city uses weekly garbage and organics but alternating-week recycling. The calendar also shows upcoming special events tied to your address, such as brush or leaf collection where applicable.

1. Open the official Collection Calendar. Go to cityofkingston.ca Collection Calendar.
2. Enter your address. The lookup shows your next collection date and what is picked up that day.
3. Check all streams, not just garbage. Kingston separates weekly garbage and green-bin organics from alternating blue-box and grey-box recycling.
4. Install the Kingston Waste App. Use the official waste app for reminders and sorting help.
5. Re-check after long weekends. Kingston shifts curbside service by one day after civic holidays, so your normal weekday may move temporarily.

Kingston Trash Pickup Schedule: What Runs When

Kingston’s household system is easy once you know the pattern. Garbage and green-bin organics are collected every week. Blue-box and grey-box recycling alternate every other week. Yard waste follows separate seasonal programs and drop-off options.

Everything must be placed at the curb before 6 a.m. on the correct collection day. Kingston also says items should be placed as close to the roadway as possible without blocking the sidewalk.

Kingston Garbage Rules: Free Limit, Bag Tags, and Weight Limits

Kingston collects one garbage bag or container for free each week. If you set out more than one bag or container, you need a bag tag on every extra one. As of 2026, the City sells garbage bag tags for $4.00 each.

Important garbage rules in Kingston:

• One untagged bag or container per week
• Extra bags or containers must have bag tags
• Containers must have two handles and a fully removable lid
• All items must be in a bag or container, except broken glass
• Broken glass must be taped in a cardboard box, labeled, and placed beside garbage
• Bags or containers must be under 135 litres and under 20 kg / 44 lbs in the manual system

Kingston Recycling: Blue Box and Grey Box on Alternating Weeks

Kingston recycling runs on an alternating-week system. Your blue box and grey box are collected on different weeks, so checking the calendar matters more here than in weekly single-cart cities.

As of July 1, 2025, Kingston’s residential recycling program moved to Circular Materials Ontario and is collected by Emterra. Residents still use their regular recycling containers.

Recycling rules:

• Place items loosely in the boxes
• Do not bag regular recyclables
• Put all plastic bags into one tied plastic bag and place it in the grey bin
• Set boxes out before 6 a.m.
• There is no limit to the number of correctly sorted boxes collected

Kingston Green Bin Organics: What Actually Goes In

Kingston’s green-bin program accepts food waste, soiled paper products, and some yard waste, but there is one rule people miss all the time: if you mix yard waste into the bin, food waste must still be visible or collectors may leave it behind.

Accepted in the green bin:

• Fruit and vegetable scraps, eggs and eggshells
• Tea bags, coffee grounds and condiments
• Meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and bones
• Dairy products, butter, margarine, lard and solid grease
• Bread, baked goods, rice, pasta and grains
• Paper towels, tissues and greasy pizza boxes
• Small amounts of yard waste if food waste is visible
• Dryer lint, hair and nail clippings

Not accepted in the green bin:

• Pet waste and litter
• Feminine hygiene products
• Cooking oil and liquids
• Roots, sod, gravel, stones and dirt
• Animal carcasses
• Non-approved oxo-biodegradable liners

Kingston Automated Cart Collection Rollout

Kingston began phasing in automated cart-based garbage and organics collection on July 1, 2025. The transition is happening area by area and will continue over several years, with most areas expected to transition by 2030.

Key automated-cart facts:

• Standard carts are 120L for garbage and 120L for organics
• Some residents can request an upgrade to a 240L garbage cart
• Additional bags beside carts are not collected by the automated truck, though they may be handled manually
• Carts are assigned to the property, not the resident
• If you move, leave the carts behind

Kingston 2026 Holiday Trash Pickup Schedule

Kingston uses a simple holiday-delay rule. When there is a long weekend or civic holiday, regular weekly curbside collection is moved to the day after your normal collection day. That means if your usual pickup is Wednesday, it shifts to Thursday for that holiday week.

Because Kingston publishes address-specific schedules, the safest move is always to re-check your exact collection calendar during holiday weeks instead of relying on memory.

What to Do If Kingston Missed Your Garbage, Green Bin, or Recycling

If your waste was out correctly and still not collected, Kingston has separate contacts depending on the service stream.

1. Confirm the correct pickup day first. Use the Collection Calendar to make sure it was not a holiday-shifted week.
2. Check your set-out rules. Garbage and recycling must be at the curb before 6 a.m., and green bins must close properly.
3. Make sure the item was prepared correctly. Extra garbage needs bag tags, recycling must be sorted correctly, and green-bin yard waste needs visible food waste.
4. Contact the right office. For garbage or green-bin issues, contact the City of Kingston. For recycling problems, contact Emterra.
5. Leave materials out if instructed. Crews may need to verify the missed set-out.

Kingston Disposal Site and Special Item Drop-Off

Kingston’s main waste drop-off location is the Kingston Disposal Site at 189 Lappan’s Lane. The city says residents can drop off leaf and yard waste there year-round for free, and household hazardous waste is also accepted through this site.

Kingston also makes one important point: the city does not offer curbside pickup for large items, and the Kingston Area Recycling Centre does not accept them either. For large items, construction debris, or demolition waste, you need to use the city’s special-item guidance rather than leaving the item at the curb.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kingston Trash Pickup

Official Kingston Waste Collection Resources

Need help? For garbage and green-bin collection, call (613) 546-0000. For recycling inquiries, contact Emterra at 1-888-597-1541.