What Goes Where — Echo Lake Association (Muskoka)

Waste, Recycling & Composting in Muskoka

Doing our part to keep cottage country clean, safe and sustainable

Muskoka’s natural beauty - its forests, lakes, and shorelines - is one of its greatest assets. Protecting it starts with something simple but powerful: Putting waste in the right place. That means NO:

Illegal dumping
Littering
Improper use of waste collection sites

Waste does not belong on roadsides, in forests, or near collection bins, it belongs in the proper system:

1. Garbage - Items that cannot be recycled or composted.
2. Recycling - Managed in partnership with Circular Materials, recycling programs ensure materials like paper, containers, and packaging are diverted from landfill.
3. Organics (Composting) - Food scraps and other compostable materials can be processed into nutrient-rich soil instead of ending up in landfill.

NOT EVERYONE IS FAMILIAR WITH LOCAL WASTE RULES. HERE'S EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WHAT GOES WHERE:

To make sorting easier, use the Muskoka Waste Wizard App to:

Check how to dispose of specific items
Find nearby waste facilities
Access collection schedules and updates

Waste Wizard

Recycling resources for Lake of Bays, including a handy waste management calendar and drop-off guide:

Lake of Bays Recycling Program

Composting: A Simple Step with Big Impact
Composting reduces landfill use, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and creates valuable soil for gardens.

Do:

Compost fruit and vegetable scraps
Add leaves, grass clippings, and coffee grounds
Maintain a balance of "green" (wet) and "brown" (dry) materials

Don’t:

Add meat, dairy, or oily foods
Include pet waste
Let compost become too wet or compacted

Read about Vermicomposting at the bottom of our webpage: '+ other invertebrates':

A Special Note About Vermicomposting Worms

Steps to dispose of all invasive plant species

Place all plant material in heavy duty, construction grade black garbage bags. Seal the bags tightly and cover any holes in the bag with tape. When bagging root material, minimize the amount of soil being disposed of
Don’t burn or compost the plants as this could lead to propagation and an increase of the plants on your property
Garbage bags with plant material must be left in direct sunlight for a minimum of three weeks (21 days) to help kill plant material. This process is known as solarization
Garbage bags with invasive plant species can only be taken to the Rosewarne Landfill in Bracebridge
To ensure equipment is available to receive these materials, a pre-arranged appointment must be made for disposal. To request an appointment, please fill in a request form here. A member of the Solid Waste Team will contact you to arrange a date and time when materials can be received

McLean Transfer Station
3901 Brunel Road, Baysville

😎 Summer Hours (First Monday in May to last Sunday in October)
Monday-Friday: 8am - 5pm
Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Sunday: 11am - 8pm

☃️ Winter Hours (Balance of year)
Monday-Wednesday-Friday: 8am - 4pm
Tuesday: CLOSED
Thursday: CLOSED
Saturday: 9am - 4pm

Sunday: Noon - 5pm

Electronics and Household Hazardous Waste

1122 Rosewarne Drive, Bracebridge

Open every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open on select Saturdays - visit their website for dates and times, along with what's accepted:

Electronic Waste Drop-Off

Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off

For questions related to: