Waste Collection

Household garbage, or trash, is any residue, debris or object discarded after its use and that cannot be reused, recycled or composted. Garbage is destined for landfill.

The City of Westmount promotes effective waste management that reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill. The goal is to reduce pollution, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions generated by landfills.

Residents are strongly encouraged to reduce their waste production at home, at school and at work, by participating in all collections offered by the City.

Approved Containers

The City does not provide garbage bins. It is therefore the residents’ responsibility to purchase a compliant garbage receptacle.

Per by-law 1617, approved containers include:

• Opaque plastic bag weighing no more than 20 kg with its contents
• Portable watertight container, round, made of metal or plastic, black or gray, with handles and a lid and weighing no more than 20 kg with its contents
• Wheeled plastic container, black or gray, with a maximum volume of 360 litres, with a lid and a European grip
  Be careful! Although similar, Uline brand containers do not have a European grip and are not compliant.

Accepted Materials

• Llitter and excrement
• Ashes and cigarette butts cooled for more than 48 hours
• Broken dishes, glass and mirror wrapped in paper
• Disposable mops, dusters and wipes
• Disposable personal-care products (baby wipes, diapers, feminine hygiene products, etc.)
• Small dead house pets (such as goldfish or hamsters) wrapped in newspaper or in a cardboard box
• Small irraparable appliances,
• Unsuable DVD, CD, cassette
• Upholstered and stuffed  unusable items: mattress, sofa, chair, cushion, rug, etc.
• Vacuum cleaner bags with their contents, dryer sheets

Refused Materials

• Electronic waste
• Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs
• Construction waste
• Medication, syringes and other medical or bio-medical waste
• Paint, solvents, batteries and other hazardous waste
• Propane and other gas tanks that can explode
• Recyclable or compostable materials
• Tires and car batteries
• Usable clothing, shoes, household goods, large appliances and furniture

Recyclable materials are materials that can be reintroduced into the production process from which they are derived or into a similar process that uses the same type of material. Recovery is the process of sorting materials at home and having them collected. Recycling is the final step, when materials are transformed to be used again.

Recycling is a positive gesture for the environment, but it requires energy and causes pollution through the transportation and processing of materials. Reducing and reusing is the best solution!

The City encourages sustainable consumer habits such as buying in bulk to reduce packaging, choosing durable items and avoiding single-use products. Get inspired by the City's Green Grants programme!

Approved Containers

The City supplies blue bins to all residents and institutions, in accordance with provincial guidelines. Businesses must purchase their own 360-litre blue wheeled bins. Containers approved for the collection of recyclable materials are : 

• Clear or blue transparent plastic bags 

• The City's small, open 67-litre blue bins 

• Blue wheeled bins with a maximum volume of 360 liters, fitted with a lid and a European grip.
  
  Please be carefull when purchasing online! Although similar, some bins, such as those made by Uline, do not have a European grip and are therefore not compliant.
  
  
  

Request your bin

Accepted Materials

Containers, packaging and printed materials, made of unsoiled paper or cardboard, plastic, glass or metal. That's all!

Refused Materials

• Aerosols
• Batteries
• Clothing, fabrics and other fibres
• Furniture, construction materials, electronics and appliances
• Protective polystyrene packaging (styrofoam)
• Soiled containers, packaging and printed material

Ça va où sorting search tool 

Golden Rules to Recycle Better

• Make aluminium balls (even if food soiled).
• Separate items made of different materials (e.g. glass jar with metal lid).
  Exception: Leave small caps on containers.
• Empty and lightly rinse product and food containers (e.g. shampoo bottles and tin cans).
• Disassemble boxes to maximize space in your bin.
• Protect materials from the elements by closing the lid on your wheeled bin, or by placing a flattened cardboard box over an open bin.

Bin Impact Provincial Initiative

Since January 1, 2025, Éco Entreprise Québec (ÉEQ) has been fully responsible for the curbside recycling system in Quebec, from the recovery stage to the second life of materials after recycling. ÉEQ launched the Bin Impact initiative to educate people about the right way to sort their waste and to raise awareness of the impact of what we put in the bin.

Visit the Bin Impact website

Food waste includes all raw, cooked or rotten solid food, soiled paper and cardboard such as paper towels, napkins and tissues, as well as indoor plants. All these are compostable.

Composting is a very effective way to reduce landfill waste and prevent the loss of a valuable resource, namely food waste. Since implementing this collection in Westmount in 2009, thousands of metric tons of food waste have been diverted from landfills and composted. Thank you for your efforts!

Approved Containers

The City offers free food waste bins to all. Different bins are distributed depending on the building type:

• Single-family homes and residential buildings up to 8 units
  • A 45 litre wheeled green bin is offered for free by the City.

• Residential buildings of 9 units and more, institutions and businesses
  • A 7 litre countertop bin is offered to residents.
  • Communal 240 litre bins are offered to building owners, institutions and businesses.

Request your bin

Certified Compostable Plastic Bags

Although compostable plastic bags are accepted, their use is not recommended as they take too much time to decompose and eventually have to be removed from the compost at the treatment centre. Using paper bags or wrapping food in newspaper are the recommended options.

Oxo-biodegradable or degradable bags are not compostable. Oxo-biodegradable bags found on the market are made of conventional plastic to which an additive has been added.

Only certified compostable plastic bags with one of the following certification logos are accepted in the green bin:

Accepted Materials

Raw, cooked or rotten solid food and other materials:

• Hair and animal food
• Cakes, biscuits, candies and sweets
• Coffee grounds, filters and tea bags
• Fish and seafood, including bones and shells
• Fruits and vegetables
• Meat and poultry, including bones, skin and entrails
• Nuts and shells
• Pasta, bread, rice and cereals
• Solid dairy products and eggs, including eggshells

Other materials:

• Soiled paper and cardboard (food boxes, cardboard dishes, etc.)
• Paper towels, napkins, tissues and Q-tips
• Indoor plants and cuttings

Refused Materials

• Chewing gum and cigarette butts
• Diapers, sanitary products and make-up remover wipes
• Clothing, dryer sheets and disposable cleaning products
• Elastics and identification stickers
• Garden waste (collected separately by the City), soil, stones and sand
• Feathers, dead animals, litter and excrement
• Hazardous household products
• Liquids (soup, milk, juice, coffee, oils, fats, etc.)
• Oxo-biodegradable or biodegradable bags
• Plastic, aluminum, styrofoam or waxed packaging
• Recyclable and non-organic materials
• Vacuum cleaner bags and their contents
• Wood, ashes and plastic corks

Ça va où sorting search tool

Composting—it’s easier than you think!

Discover tips and tricks, and see the frequently asked questions regarding composting.

Learn more about composting

Green waste includes organic residues collected from the yard called garden waste, such as plant trimmings and branches, as well as natural Christmas trees disposed of after the holiday period.

The proper treatment of green waste is essential to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. Green waste is revalued as mulch or compost, which is then redistributed to residents and local farmers.

Approved Containers

Garden Waste

Residues should be gathered in paper bags or open containers with handles weighing no more than 20 kg. Containers cannot be blue or green bins provided by the City. Small branches must be tied in bundles using natural twine.

Accepted Materials

Garden Waste

In an approved container:

• Weeds and grass clippings;
• Leaves and plant clippings;
• Vegetable garden and fruit tree residues

Tied with natural twine:

• Branches up to 5 cm in diameter and 1.2 meters in length

Christmas Trees

Natural Christmas trees must be:

• stripped of decorations;
• unwrapped and untied;
• visible, and clear of snow and ice.

Refused Materials

• Bags or containers weighing more than 20 kg
• Branches not tied or tied with plastic or metal rope
• Christmas trees that are decorated, wrapped or tied, or unnatural (plastic) trees
• Large branches over 5 cm in diameter and over 1.2 meters in length
• Logs and tree trunks
• Green waste in plastic bags or closed containers
• Soil, pebbles and rocks

Alternatives to the Door-to-Door Collection

Belvedere Road Depot

In 2025, the Belvedere Road depot is open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. from March 31 to December 1. Contractors with a valid City permit and residents with a proof of residency may deposit garden waste at the depot, which is located on Belvedere Road, near the intersection with Côte-des-Neiges Road. Only residues accepted for door-ti-door collection are accepted.

Ecocentre

Ecocentres are locations that encourage reuse and recycling. A proof of address on the island of Montreal gives access to dispose of reusable items, recyclables, hazardous household waste, green waste, bulky items, construction debris and more.

Learn more about ecocentres

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) are household, automotive and outdoor maintenance products that present real safety, health and environmental hazards. Products marked as corrosive, explosive, flammable or toxic should never be disposed of during regular garbage, recycling or compost collections, or poured down the drain. They are recognizable by the presence of one or more hazardous product pictograms on their container.

Biannual Collections

The Montréal agglomeration conducts travelling HHW collections on a seasonal basis everywhere on the island of Montreal. These collections take place twice a year in Westmount, in the spring and in the fall, in the Public Library parking lot.

These collections are only for domestic waste. Businesses, industries and institutions cannot partake.

View the events calendar

Follow Safety Instructions

For your safety and that of the employees in charge of the collection, please ensure that products are:

• identified, ideally with their original label;
• neither mixed nor decanted;
• in their original, tightly sealed, containers;
• in containers of less than 20 litres (5 gallons).

Accepted Materials

Household hazardous waste

• Adhesives, tar, epoxy, paint remover
• Car batteries, motor oil, antifreeze and filters
• Car and small van tires
• Propane and aerosol tanks
• Paint, dye, primer, varnish, sealer, oil and solvents
• Pesticides and fertilizers
• Dry-cell batteries
• Swimming pool chemicals
• Maintenance or cleaning products, drain cleaners, degreasers
• Fluorescent Tubes and Compact Fluorescent light
• Varsol, petrol, fuel, alcohol thinner, shellac

Cooling appliances

• Refrigerator and freezer or 2.5 ft3 or more
• Wine fridge and cooler
• Water dispenser
• Plug-in air conditioner (portable or window)
• Dehumidifier

Electronics

The following list is not exhaustive, but gives an overview of common items. View the full list of accepted electronics on the website of the Québec Program for the Recovery and Reclamation of Electronic Products, better known under the trademark: Recycle My Electronics^MC.

See all accepted electronics

• Display devices (televisions, computer monitors, etc.)
• Conventional telephones, answering machines, cell phones and pagers
• Desktops and laptops, notebooks and tablets
• Computer and game console peripherals (mouse, keyboard, router/modem, external hard drive, cable, connector, remote control, memory card, USB stick)
• Printers, scanners, fax machines, photocopiers and multifunction devices
• Portable and non-portable audio and video systems (DVD and CD players, VCRs, etc.)
• Home theater set
• Audio, video and location systems for vehicles
• Digital and non-digital cameras and digital projectors
• Ink cartridges and printer toner

Refused Materials

Household hazardous waste

• Asbestos
• Non functionnal appliances (all sizes)
• Firearms and ammunition
• Bottles of compressed gas other than propane (insulating foam, welding gas, helium, oxygen, etc.)
• Products containing PCBs or explosives
• Biomedical waste
• Radioactive waste
• Fireworks and flares
• Medicine
• Unknown products

Household hazardous waste

• Refrigerator and freezer smaller than 2.5 ft3
• Pool, central or wall-mounted heat pump
• Wall-mounted or central air conditioner
• Commercial-size appliances
• Cooler

Electronics

The following list is not exhaustive, but gives an overview of common items. Learn more

• Electric, rather than electronic, appliances (small appliances, coffee makers, hair dryers, etc.)
• DVDs, CDs, cassettes and VHS

Alternatives to the Biannual Collection

The Bethune Street Public Works yard depots have been closed since March 2019. There are several nearby locations that accept household hazardous waste.

Ecocentre

Ecocentres are locations that encourage repurposing and recycling. A proof of address on the island of Montreal gives access to dispose of reusable items, recyclables, hazardous household waste, green waste, bulky items, construction debris and more.

The ecocentres closest to Westmount are :

• Écocentre de la Côte-des-Neiges
  6925, chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal
• Écocentre LaSalle
  7272, rue Saint-Patrick, LaSalle

Learn more about ecocentres

Bulky items collection aims to divert large household items made of wood, ceramic and refrigeration appliances from landfill, so that they can be recycled and recuperated.

Seasonal Collection

Bulky items are collected monthly from May to October each year. Collection is by registration only, and takes place early in the month. Registration opens in the month before the collection date, and all registrations must be received by 8 a.m. the day before the collection.

Register to the next collection

Accepted Materials

Bulky items are items that don't fit in a small car. Small items, such as bedside tables, must be taken to a donation center or ecocenter.

• Wooden Items
  Wardrobe, bookcase, desk, dresser, door, window frame, table, pallet and planks (with nails removed or flattened)
• Refrigerating Appliances
  Refrigerator or freezer (> 2.5 ft³), plug-in air conditioning unit, water distributor, wine cooler, and dehumidifier
• Ceramic Items
  Bathtub, toilet bowl and sink

Refused Materials

• Construction, renovation and demolition materials
  Brick, stone, soil, asphalt, concrete, drywall, flat glass, etc.
• Upholstered or glass items
  Sofa, mattress, cushion, rug, textiles, glass table, toys, plastic furniture, etc.
• Household hazardous waste (HHW)
  Paint, motor oil, pesticides and fertilizers, propane tank, pool products, tires, etc.
• Electronic waste
  Television, computer, printer, fax machine, sound system, etc.

Alternatives to the Seasonal Collection

The Bethune Street Public Works yard depots have been closed since March 2019. There are several nearby locations that accept household waste.

Ecocentre

Ecocentres are locations that encourage repurposing and recycling. A proof of address on the island of Montreal gives access to dispose of reusable items, recyclables, hazardous household waste, green waste, bulky items and construction debris.

The ecocentres closest to Westmount are :

• Écocentre de la Côte-des-Neiges
  6925, chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal
• Écocentre LaSalle
  7272, rue Saint-Patrick, LaSalle

Learn more about ecocentres

Consult the Collection Guide.

Use this handy chart to answer the question “Where does it go?” when sorting your waste.

Otherwise, consult the Ça va où ? tool developed by RECYC-QUÉBEC and available online and as a mobile app.

Ça va où sorting search tool

The City of Westmount offers a number of grants for sustainable purchases. Residents who purchase eligible products and meet the general conditions may request a refund during the same calendar year by submitting the online form and providing supporting documents.

See all Green Grants