Recycler à Montréal — chaque bac a sa couleur et son rôle.
1. Montreal's three bins
Three bins in Montreal:
- Green bin: recycling (paper, glass, plastic, metal)
- Brown bin: compost (organic matter)
- Black/gray bin: household garbage
The exact colour and shape can vary by borough, but the three-stream logic stays the same across the island.
2. The green bin: what to recycle
In the green bin:
- Paper and cardboard (rinsed and flattened)
- Glass: bottles, jars
- Plastic: numbers 1 to 7 (look under the container)
- Metal: cans and rinsed tins
Always rinse food containers: a dirty yogurt cup contaminates the whole bin and can get the load rejected at the sorting centre.
3. The brown bin: composting
In the brown bin:
- Food scraps, fruits, vegetables
- Meat and bones
- Coffee with filter, tea bags
- Soiled papers (paper towels, napkins)
- Yard waste
Brown-bin collection is generally weekly, and that's what saves you from odours in summer: a bin set out each week smells infinitely less than a garbage bag stewing two weeks in the sun.
4. Pickup days
Each borough has its own pickup days.
- Find yours on montreal.ca (enter your address)
- Put bins out the night before or before 7 a.m.
If you miss a pickup, the next one can be several days later — print the annual calendar and stick it on the fridge.
5. The bins at a glance
Here is a summary of Montreal's three collection streams. The exact colours and containers vary by borough, but the sorting logic stays the same.
Exact frequencies are set by each borough and can vary. Always check the official calendar for your address on montreal.ca. Plastic bags and hazardous waste are never picked up at home: these are drop-offs you bring yourself to the right place.
| Bin | Colour | Contents | Typical frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recycling | Green | Paper, cardboard, glass, plastic 1–7, metal | Every two weeks |
| Compost | Brown | Food scraps, soiled papers, yard waste | Weekly |
| Garbage | Black / gray | Everything else, not recyclable and not compostable | Every two weeks |
| Plastic bags | — | Recovery boxes at supermarkets | Continuous (voluntary drop-off) |
| Hazardous waste | — | Ecocentre or specialized collection point | Voluntary drop-off |
6. The ecocentres
Ecocentre:
- 7 ecocentres in Montreal
- Free for residents (proof of residence required)
- Accept: furniture, appliances, paint, electronics, construction materials
Bring your driver's licence or a Hydro-Québec bill in your name: this proves you live in Montreal and unlocks free access.
7. Hazardous waste
Never put in the garbage:
- Batteries, light bulbs
- Medication (bring to a pharmacy)
- Paints, oils, chemical products
Bring them to the ecocentre or to specialized collection points. Many pharmacies take expired medication for free, and several hardware stores accept used batteries.
8. Frequently asked questions
Four questions come up often: pickup timing, missed pickups, moving cardboard, and bulky items.
What time do I put my bins out?
The general rule in Montreal: put your bins out the night before, or before 7 a.m. on pickup day. Trucks start their routes early — once they've passed, they don't come back, even if you put the bin out fifteen minutes later.
The exact start time can vary by borough, so the safest move is to put them out the night before.
I missed pickup. What do I do with my waste in the meantime?
Keep the full bag in your bin, lid closed, until the next collection. For organic waste in summer, double-bag it or transfer it to the freezer until the next brown-bin pickup.
Don't leave bags on the ground: open bags attract raccoons, squirrels and seagulls, and several boroughs can fine you for it.
I just moved and I have mountains of cardboard. Does it all go in the green bin?
Yes, but flatten every box first. A green bin overflowing with un-flattened boxes is often skipped by the driver — the truck's mechanical arm needs the lid closed.
If you have more cardboard than the bin can hold, the surplus goes free to an ecocentre. Don't leave a tower of boxes beside the bin: it usually stays there until the next collection.
What do I do with an old couch or mattress?
Two options. First: bring it yourself to the ecocentre — free with proof of residence. Second: check whether your borough offers an annual or seasonal bulky-items collection.
Some boroughs run on a fixed schedule, others ask you to call 311 to arrange a pickup. Don't leave the couch on the curb without checking: most boroughs ban it outside scheduled days.
9. See also
To go further on daily life in Montreal:
- Read Finding housing in Montreal to check what's included in your lease before signing.
- Consult Your first 48 hours in Montreal to organize your first steps in the right order.
- Plan your trips with Using the metro and bus in Montreal (STM) to reach the nearest ecocentre easily.
10. Official sources
For official information:
For any one-off question, 311 remains the City of Montreal's direct line.
Author's Note: 10 minutes to understand the rules saves you fines and mistakes. Print the calendar and stick it on your fridge — that's the one move that prevents every forgotten pickup.
