Waste Management in the Township of Georgian Bay

Event locations and time:

• Saturday, June 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Honey Harbour Town Dock (across from Honey Harbour General Store)
• Saturday, July 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Minors Bay Boat Launch (Minors Bay)

Please note, large item collection events are for water access residents only.

Can’t make it to either event? Residential large items from Township of Georgian Bay residents are always accepted at no charge at the Baxter Waste Facility and Tower Road Waste Facility during regular operating hours.  

Event reminders:

• Residents are responsible for unloading items from their watercraft. Please ensure you bring help to unload your material.
• Abandoning material before or after the scheduled event is considered illegal dumping and puts our environment at risk.
• Household garbage is not accepted at these events – the events are for large items only.  

Acceptable items:

• Appliances (stoves, dishwashers, etc.)
• Furniture (couches, chairs, tables, shelves, etc.)
• Metal Items (barbeques, hot water heaters, bicycles, etc. – max length – 3 m (10’))
• Mattresses

Unacceptable items:

• Household bagged garbage
• Motorized vehicles
• Boats of any type
• Propane camping cylinders
• Fridges or other items with freon
• Household Hazardous Waste
• Dock cribbing / dock foam
• Construction/renovation waste (insulation, drywall, doors, windows, etc.)
• Stumps, rocks, sod, landscape materials, wood  
• Boat wrap

For more information, please email us at waste@muskoka.on.ca or call us at 705-645-2100.

Waste Facility attendants have the authority to:

• inspect loads
• redirect loads
• ask for proof that materials are generated within the District of Muskoka
• disposal fees must be paid before leaving facility
• scavenging is strictly prohibited

All waste facilities are closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  

User Identification

The District of Muskoka is required by law to confirm that users of the site are residents of Muskoka and that the waste deposited at each site originated within one of our six area municipalities. Site staff do this by asking questions upon arrival at the scale house. 

Safety

Waste sites are out in the elements. They can be muddy in the spring and fall, snowy and icy in the winter and dusty and hot in the summer. Please wear close-toed footwear (like boots or running shoes) when attending the site.

The terrain can be uneven. Please watch your step and ensure you have clear sightlines if carrying objects.

Waste facilities can attract wildlife, including bears. Bears may seem fun to watch, but they view garbage and litter as their food source. If you see a bear at our site, do not approach it or walk towards it. When bears are present, sites may be temporarily closed for public safety. 

Loitering is prohibited. Even though waste sites may seem like a fun place to bird watch, bear watch or catch up with neighbours, for your safety we ask that the sites only be used to dispose of waste. Stay in the marked areas, attend only to deposit waste and recycling and please exit the site as soon as you are done disposing of your waste.

Staff at District Waste Facilities follow numerous procedures to comply with legislation and to ensure the personal safety of residents and staff. Customers entering waste facilities use the facility at their own risk. For the safety of themselves and others, customers must:

• always obey the road signs and directions of site attendants
• declare the material you are bringing in for disposal - all vehicles must enter over the scales, regardless of the purpose for the visit 
• ensure animals are not permitted to exit the vehicle
• ensure your load is secure

• ensure all items on your vehicle/trailer are secure, to avoid items falling out 
• unsecured loads could earn you a fine under the Highway Traffic Act
• tarping your load will also help to reduce litter

Use at Your Own Risk

The District of Muskoka makes every effort to ensure waste facilities are safe for residents to use, however the District is not responsible for injury or damage to vehicles caused by use of the sites. Bins and other surface objects at sites are not sanitized.

How do I dispose of my dock (wood, dock foam, etc.)?

Wood and foam from old docks is garbage. Materials should be brought to a District Transfer Station in manageable sized pieces for disposal.

A disposal fee based on weight is in effect for docks and dock foam. Polystyrene foam, also known as unencapsulated dock foam, is not recyclable and is managed as garbage. Metal is accepted at no charge and may be separated from the dock to avoid disposal fees.
 

Stop Polystyrene Dock Foam Litter

Find out why unencapsulated dock foam causes a lot of litter, and see what you can do - for more information, please visit https://georgianbayforever.org/

At the direction of the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) all of Muskoka's 80+ unlicensed bin sites will be removed by 2026.

For more information on the Bin Site Transition Plan, please visit our project at www.engagemuskoka.ca