Recycling in Peel Region begins to improve after 2,000 complaints clogged municipal phone lines

Mississauga’s mayor says recycling pickup in Peel Region is operating better after a troubled transition produced more than 2,000 complaints in one day; the change moved recycling responsibility to Circular Materials, which subcontracted collections to GFL.

Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish says recycling pickup in Peel Region is operating better after a troubled launch that produced a large volume of complaints. At the start of the year, Ontario moved recycling responsibility from municipalities to a non-profit called Circular Materials, organized by private companies. Circular Materials subcontracted collection work to GFL, the same contractor Peel had used before. Early in the transition, residents reported stalled pickups and municipal phone lines became overwhelmed. Known details: - More than 2,000 complaints were lodged in a single day about missed or delayed recycling collections across Mississauga and the Region of Peel, including Brampton. - The provincial transition moved recycling oversight to Circular Materials, a non-profit set up by private-sector companies such as Costco, Loblaw and McDonald’s. - Circular Materials subcontracted collections to GFL, and local officials said differences in operating instructions contributed to confusion. - Circular Materials said some delays were linked to extreme weather and high volume and that collection performance would improve. - Premier Doug Ford acknowledged early "kinks" in the new system, said officials were meeting with the operator to resolve problems, and noted municipalities could take back funding if they wanted to run their own recycling. Summary: Reported service problems appear to be easing and local officials say complaints have declined. Officials and the operator have said they are addressing early transition challenges, and provincial representatives were reported to be meeting with the operator in the near term to seek improvements.