On PEI, recyclables are collected once a month. Homeowners must use transparent, plastic blue bags for loose recyclables.  Bags must be securely tied and be within 50 lbs.  Bulky recyclables and corrugated cardboard can be placed at curb beside the blue bags.  There is no limit to the material placed curbside provided it is generated within the home, and not from a business including a home-based business, farm, etc. Here's what is included:

• Corrugated cardboard, including cardboard pizza boxes, must be collapsed and bundled (max 50 lb & 4 ft).  Rainy weather does not impact collection of corrugated cardboard.  Paper bags should be bundled with corrugated cardboard.
• Blue Bag #1 is for paper products such as office paper, invoices, envelopes, newspapers, receipts, magazines, softcover books, egg cartons, beverage take-out trays, and shredded paper. If not placing corrugated cardboard for collection, paper bags may be placed in Blue Bag #1.
• Blue Bag #2 is for plastics with recycling symbols #1 through #5, metals, glass containers, milk & juice cartons and Tetra Paks.  Metals include items that are at least 50% metal such as extension cords, utensils, tools, etc. Recyclables must be clean and dry and may be flattened to save room in the bag if desired.
• Larger items such as barbecues, bicycles should be dismantled with each piece being less than 50 lb & 4 ft. Bundle multiple items such as tent poles or curtain rods.

Twice a year, a residential cleanup service is provided which allows householders to dispose of items not collected during regular weekly collection. Cleanup materials must be sorted into compost and waste. See our PDF guide for more information about our Residential Spring and Fall Cleanup.

Yes, sorting is mandatory. Drivers will only accept material that has been properly sorted. Refer to our Interactive Sorting Guide if you have questions about what goes where.

Boat Shrink Wrap will be accepted FREE OF CHARGE at Waste Watch Drop-Off Centres. Please make sure it is relatively clean and dry before dropping off. We accept wrap in any color but we will not accept wrap with significant contamination. Please see our PDF on shrink wrap disposal guidelines for more information.

At certain times of the year some households generate more material than the carts will hold. This can happen when families have celebrations or company staying with them, or during the growing season when keeping up with weeds in the garden. Here are your options for EXCESS materials:

• Drivers will take a maximum of 2 additional containers, bags, or small 'bulky' items which are less than 4 ft and 50 lb if placed beside the appropriate cart.  (Excess carts can not exceed 32 gallons or 121 liters.
• Open rigid containers are preferred.
• If using bags, please use paper bags for compostable material, and clear transparent bags for waste.
• Material must be properly sorted. Drivers will not accept mixed waste.

Please refer to our PDF guide for more information.

Carts and blue bags need to be placed within 6 ft (1.8 m) of the curb in such a manner as to not interfere with pedestrian or automotive traffic. In order to accommodate snow clearing operations after a heavy snow fall, carts can be placed within 18 ft (5.5 m) of the curb. During snowy season, ensure carts and blue bags are visible to the driver. Placing them on the right-hand side of the driveway helps. Do not place carts, containers or bags on top of or behind snowbanks. When placing recyclables out on windy days, consider putting the heavier blue bags on top of the lighter blue bags and bundled cardboard. Material will be collected on the same side of the road as your house. Under no circumstances should your material be placed across the road.

To ensure collection, carts and blue bags must be curbside by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day. Drivers may not always travel their routes at the same times.

The maximum cart capacity is 220 lb. Carts exceeding this weight cannot be lifted by the hydraulics on the collection truck. Bags and material placed beside the cart or out for recyclable collection must not weigh more than 50 lb. or be longer than 4 ft. in any dimension.

Blue bags are used for loose recyclables. One blue bag is used for paper products, and a separate blue bag for all other recyclables. Larger recyclables (such as barbecues) need not go inside a bag, but should be dismantled to ensure each piece is less than 50 lb. and 4 ft. No bag is best for waste and compost. However, here are some options:

•  Compost may be placed in empty boxboard containers (like cereal boxes).
• Paper bags may be used for compostables.
• Film ‘compostable’ bags may be used for compostables provided they are identified by one of these symbols:

For waste material, bags used must be clear and transparent. No blue bags, paper bags or solid-coloured bags are permitted for waste disposal. Please refer to this PDF guide for more information.

If your material was sorted properly and at curbside by 7:00 a.m. BUT missed by the driver, contact Customer Service within two working days to report the miss. If contacting us by e-mail or leaving a message after hours, we require your name, civic address, and a daytime number where you can be reached. If your material was not out on time, you can hold it for your next collection or self haul to any Waste Watch Drop-Off Center where a fee, based on weight, will be charged for disposal.

Drivers will not tip a cart that is secured with bungee cords. To deter raccoons and other animals we suggest using a heavy rock or brick to hold the lid down. Repellents such as cayenne pepper or baby powder sprinkled around the cart may also help deter pests. It is also important to sort properly and not overfill the cart so that the lid will close properly.  If using a bungee, completely remove it from the cart on collection day. The primary cause of odours and insects in the compost cart are meat and fish as well as excess moisture from fruit, vegetables and grass clippings.  Using boxboard to contain kitchen scraps is helpful.  Table salt, hydrated lime, coffee grounds or baking soda can be used to absorb moisture and/or reduce odours and pests.

By minimizing the moisture level of the material you place in your cart, you can reduce odour. Using boxboard boxes for compostables is helpful as is lining your kitchen bin with paper bags or paper towels. Other suggestions include sprinkling hydrated lime, baking soda, or coffee grounds over the material in the compost cart, or wrapping meat, bones, fish and pet waste in used paper towels or serviettes. If possible, store the carts in a shady area on your property and wash them regularly using a garden hose and detergent or vinegar.

Residential customers may drop off recyclables, bundled cardboard and larger metal household items FREE OF CHARGE from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday at all Waste Watch Drop-Off Centers (WWDCs) and at 175 Industrial Crescent, Summerside, and 2030 Georgetown Road, Montague.  Please keep in mind that the same guidelines apply--recyclables must be clean and dry and sorted into Blue Bag #1 and Blue Bag #2.  Corrugated cardboard must be flattened and bundled, and larger metal items dismantled. Recyclables taken to a WWDC at any other time are subject to a disposal fee based on weight. Refer to our PDF guide for more information.

Roads must be accessible for collection trucks.  Access guidelines include:

• Your road must be unobstructed, have a good solid base to accommodate a truck's weight.
• Trucks require an opening of 10 feet wide by 13 feet high (overhanging branches must be trimmed accordingly).
• There must be a suitable turning area wide enough for trucks to provide continuous service without the need to reverse out (the same radius as a school bus).
• The road surface must be relatively smooth (no large potholes or too soft for heavy vehicles).
• Snow must be removed and icy surfaces sanded or salted to provide necessary traction for large vehicles.

Waste collection vehicles must follow spring road restrictions posted by the PEI Government. If trucks cannot access your road, either permanently or during certain seasons, IWMC suggests that carts and blue bags be placed at the closest serviceable road by 7 a.m. on collection day. Give Customer Service a call for more information.

Carts belong to IWMC but are assigned to properties through the cart serial numbers. If your home has extra carts, contact us to make arrangements to have them returned. When requesting carts for a new home, please allow two weeks for delivery, and when selling your home, leave the assigned carts at the property for the new residents. Carts are under warranty. Contact IWMC if your cart is lost, or if repair or replacement is necessary. Do not paint the carts, drill holes in them, or intentionally alter them in any way.