Yard Waste
Yard waste collection occurs every other week on the same day as your garbage is collected from mid-April until early December. Check your collection schedule by downloading the Durham Region Waste App or using our schedule lookup tool on the Collection Schedule page.
Residential yard waste
Please keep in mind that there may be delays in service during the spring and fall due to higher than average volumes of material. We appreciate your patience!
Acceptable yard waste
Paper bags or clearly marked open top containers weighing less than 20 kg (44 lbs.) including:
- brush and leaves
- Garden trimmings, weeds and plants
- Corn stalks
- Fallen fruit from trees
- Pine needles and cones
Twigs and brush can be tied and bundled for collection. Bundles no longer than 1.2 m (4 ft.) in length and not heavier than 20 kg (44 lbs.) are accepted. Branches must not exceed 10 cm (four in) in diameter.
Pumpkins and gourds are collected on the first yard waste day after Halloween.
Reminder: Do not rake or blow your leaf or yard waste onto the street. This can plug catch basins and cause flooding. Leaves on roadways can also cause slippery road conditions. Any fouling of the road with yard waste will be subject to enforcement.
Non acceptable yard waste
- Soil, sod, stones and clay
- Grass clippings – for more information about property standards, visit our Healthy Lawn page.
- Hay/straw bales
- Tree stumps, trunks and large branches
- Lumber
- Plastic flowers and plant pots
- Yard waste set out in plastic bags
- Artificial Christmas trees and trees in plastic bags
Christmas tree collection
Registering your residential address for our Christmas tree collection program helps us plan our collection routes resulting in a more efficient collection program. With a list of pre-registered addresses, we can efficiently schedule our collection staff saving time and gas while also reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.
Registration is now open, with collection starting in early January. More details about the collection week are included in the registration form.
Collection Requirements:
- Natural trees only
- Remove decorations, lights, tinsel, wire, nails, stands and plastic tree bags
- Trees longer than 1.8 m (6 ft.) must be cut in half so that they fit in the truck
- Ensure trees do not become stuck or frozen in snowbanks
| Frequently asked questions |
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What happens if I forget to register for collection? Registration is required annually to receive curbside collection of Christmas Trees. If you did not register to receive curbside collection, you may:
What happens to the trees once collected? Natural trees collected are taken to the Region of Durham facility, where they are composted. Since the trees are composted into soil, it is important to ensure all decorations, wires and plastic bags are removed before they are collected. How can I get my artificial Christmas tree collected? If you have an artificial tree you want to dispose of, a residential large item collection can be booked for items that are too large to fit into a regular sized garbage bag. Regular sized garbage bags are no larger than 66 cm x 90 cm (26 in x 36 in).
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Materials left at the curb?
Before calling Service Oshawa to report a missed collection, please review common set out mistake on the Waste Tips page.
Compost giveaway events
Each spring, the Region of Durham offers free compost to area community members to thank you for separating and diverting organics and leaf and yard waste from the waste stream. For more information about the compost giveaway, visit the Region's Waste Special Events page.
Yard waste and the environment
Help us preserve our natural environment, always dispose of yard waste properly by using the curbside collection program or use a backyard composter to make the most of the nutrients in your garden!
Consider the pollinators!
Rethink your lawn and garden routine by not mulching and tidying your yard in the fall. Instead, leave bare ground, berries, seed heads, leaves, twigs, dry stems and dead branches to provide habitat and shelter during the winter months.
In the spring, hold off on your garden clean up until late spring early or early summer to give pollinators a chance to emerge before disturbing their habitat.
Discover pollinator plants and garden and how to get started
We're going paperless
- Download the Durham Region Waste App
- Look up and print you schedule using our Waste Schedule tool
- Set up notifications
- Use the Know Before you Throw sorting tool
- Purchase garbage bag tags
- Book a large item collection
- Register for the waste assistance program
- Report a missed collection