Multi-Unit Residential Recycling (Blue Bin)
Why Recycle?
Residential recycling programs help divert a significant amount of unwanted waste from the landfill, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the depletion of our natural resources.
What you need to know about the Blue Bin Program
- Properties are charged $4.22 per unit per month on their utility bill, in 2025.
- All properties that are determined to be "multi-unit residential" are required to participate in the multi-unit residential recycling (Blue Bin) program.
- Cosmo will ensure that each building has adequate capacity for all their recyclables, building managers should contact Cosmo to request additional capacity. Requests for new bins will be accommodated within 2 weeks of a request for service.
- Bins are placed in a location agreed to by your property manager, Cosmo will ensure that collections are done safely and have minimal interference on parking or garbage collections.
- Please put only acceptable items in your cart. Unaccepted items can contaminate clean recycling or pose a risk to workers and equipment.
- Remove caps and lids as they are too small for the recycling equipment to sort.
- Rinse containers, flatten boxes, and place shredded paper in a clear, tied plastic bag. All other items should be loose in your cart, not in bags.
- Bins are collected on a regular schedule determined by Cosmo and your building manager; frequency can vary from twice a week to bi-weekly. Cosmo sub-contracts collections to GFL Environmental.
- Materials are taken to Cosmo Industries where they are sorted and baled, then shipped to local or North American markets where it is transformed into usable products.
Accepted Items
Paper and cardboard
- Newspapers, flyers, junk mail
- Corrugated cardboard
- Empty cereal, cookie and cracker boxes (remove liners)
- Magazines, catalogues, paperback books
- Telephone books
- Kleenex boxes, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls
- Copier paper
- Shredded paper (in a clear, tied plastic bag)
- Clean pizza boxes
- Paper egg cartons
Plastic containers
- All food and household plastic containers # 1-7
- Laundry jugs and milk jugs
- Juice and drink boxes
- Shampoo, conditioner and mouthwash bottles
- Cleaning product bottles
- Take-out containers, bakery and produce containers (called clam shells)
- Yogurt, sour cream and margarine containers
- Planting trays and flower pots
- Lids from coffee cups
Foil and cans
- Metal cans
- Soft drink cans
- Aluminum trays and foil (clean)
- Pet food cans
- Jar lids
Household glass
- Wine, spirit and beer bottles
- Food jars - lids off
Not Accepted
- Plastic COVID-19 Barriers (acrylic): While this material does fall under #7 plastics, it is not marketable; therefore it is considered garbage. Flexible plastic sheets or screens are also considered garbage. If you choose to remove your barriers, anything larger than 2 ft x 2 ft must be taken to the landfill or reused for alternative purposes.
- Polycoat Paper (coffee cups, ice cream cartons, to-go soup containers)
- Black Plastic (takeout containers, coffee cup lids)
- Plastic Film (Grocery bags, Plastic wrap, Soft/stretchy plastics)
- Plastic wrap/film
- Food contaminated paper or cardboard
- Waxed or plasticized paper
- Diapers
- Soiled Kleenex, napkins and paper towels
- Styrofoam
- Plastic toys, Tupperware or other plastics without a #1-7 symbol
- Motor oil containers
- Anything smaller than a credit card is too small to be sorted by recycling equipment
- Needles
- Outdoor lawn furniture
- Pyrex or dishware glass
- Windows or mirrors
- Ceramics or porcelain
- Hazardous materials, such as needles and propane tanks are NOT accepted in the recycling bins. They pose a danger to staff and can impact the efficiency of the recycling process.
- Electronics or Paint are NOT accepted in the recycling bins. Most of these items can be taken to SARCAN.
For information on the proper disposal of light bulbs, clothing, food waste, tires and microwaves, visit the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council
Recycling Guides (Various Languages)
Download or print a recycling quick-reference guide for helpful tips and to find out what is and is not recyclable in Saskatoon.
Arabic Recycling Guide
Chinese Recycling Guide
Cree Recycling Guide
English Recycling Guide
French Recycling Guide
Korean Recycling Guide
Punjabi Indian Recycling Guide
Punjabi Pakistan Recycling Guide
Spanish Recycling Guide
Urdu Recycling Guide
Vietnamese Recycling Guide
Customer Service
- Existing Customers: For question or concerns about the Blue Bin, collections, or other program details, contact Cosmo at 306-955-9100 or MURR@cosmoindustries.com. Questions and concerns will be answered within one business day.
- New Customers: To request recycling service for your dwelling, contact Corporate Revenue at 306-975-2400 or revenue@saskatoon.ca.
- Billing Inquiries: Contact Corporate Revenue at 306- 975-2400 or revenue@saskatoon.ca.
- Illegal Dumping: Report illegal dumping by submitting the online form or by calling 306-975-2476.
Cosmopolitan Industries
Multi-unit recycling is provided by Cosmopolitan Industries (Cosmo) to all residents living in apartments and condominiums that receive metal bin garbage collection. Cosmo enhances the quality of life for adults with intellectual disabilities, providing purposeful vocational activities which challenge capabilities and build self-esteem.