CAMBRIDGE, ON (June 22, 2026) – Circular Materials and WM marked the official opening of a new state-of-the-art recycling facility in Cambridge, Ontario today. The milestone was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by leadership from both organizations, signalling continued progress in modernizing Ontario’s recycling system. 

The facility became operational in early 2026, aligned with Ontario’s full transition to an extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework for blue box recycling. As part of this shift, an expanded and unified material list has been implemented province-wide, increasing the number of items residents can now recycle while improving consistency. New recyclable materials in Ontario include coffee cups, deodorant and toothpaste tubes, black plastic containers, frozen juice containers, ice cream tubs and more. The Cambridge facility will play a key role in managing increased volumes and supporting the system’s enhanced recycling capacity. 

Together with WM’s second new facility in the Greater Napanee region, the two sites will process roughly 30 percent of Ontario’s blue box materials, advancing the province’s circular economy. The facility will process up to 160,000 metric tonnes of material annually – equivalent to the material produced by over 1.1 million households – and offers 19 optical sorters with AI integration, modernizing Ontario’s recycling infrastructure. These advancements help to streamline processes, increase sorting accuracy and efficiency, and enable a strong focus on innovation, safety and material quality that supports a more circular future.   

The facility also features an education centre designed to help Ontarians better understand the recycling process, including what to include and what not to include when recycling at home. As part of the experience, both children and adults are welcome to the education centre which includes hands-on learning and interactive features that bring the recycling process to life for all ages.   

The facility is expected to provide several key benefits, including: 

• Creating more than 40 local jobs 

• Enhancing material identification  

• Increasing processing efficiency and accuracy with automation and AI 

• Improving environmental outcomes by capturing and recycling more materials 

• Strengthening transportation and logistics throughout the provincial network 

• Supporting a more resilient and integrated recycling supply chain 

“This first-of-its-kind facility represents transformative progress for Ontario’s recycling system,” said Allen Langdon, Chief Executive Officer of Circular Materials. “As the province has now fully transitioned to extended producer responsibility, collaboration across the value chain is essential. Together with WM and our partners, we are investing in made-in-Ontario solutions that will help build a more effective and sustainable recycling system for communities and residents across the province.” 

“Facilities like this are critical to strengthening recycling infrastructure in Ontario, both now and into the future,” said Tracy Black, President, WM Canada. “The facilities were designed with flexibility in mind, allowing them to adapt as material types evolve and volumes grow. By combining advanced technology with operational expertise, we’re helping create the capacity Ontario needs to support a more efficient, resilient recycling system over the long term.” 

Owned and operated by WM and delivered as part of Ontario’s producer-funded EPR framework, the Cambridge facility demonstrates a shared commitment to improving recycling outcomes. Through innovative technology and strong partnerships, the facility aims to increase material recovery, expand the list of accepted recyclables over time, and build a more circular economy. 

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MEDIA CONTACT: media@circularmaterials.ca  

About Circular Materials – Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that supports producers in meeting their extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations across Canada. Created by producers for producers, Circular Materials develops, implements and supports effective and efficient recycling programs to advance innovation, deliver improved environmental outcomes and drive value across the recycling supply chain. Our full-service offerings include collection, management, promotion and education, and reporting.   

Together, we are advancing the circular economy where materials are collected, recycled and can be returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging. As we develop enhanced recycling systems across Canada, we work to ensure more materials are looped into the circular economy, benefiting both people and the environment. Learn more at circularmaterials.ca.  

About Waste Management – WM (WM.com) is North America’s leading provider of comprehensive environmental solutions. Previously known as Waste Management and based in Houston, Texas, WM is driven by commitments to put people first and achieve success with integrity. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides collection, recycling and disposal services to millions of residential, commercial, industrial, medical and municipal customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. With innovative infrastructure and capabilities in recycling, organics and renewable energy, WM provides environmental solutions to and collaborates with its customers in helping them pursue their sustainability goals. In North America, WM has the largest disposal network and collection fleet, is the largest recycler and is a leader in beneficial use of landfill gas, with a growing network of renewable natural gas plants and the most landfill gas-to-electricity plants, as well as the largest heavy-duty natural gas truck fleet in the industry. WM Healthcare Solutions provides collection and disposal services of regulated medical waste and secure information destruction services in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. To learn more about WM and the company’s sustainability progress and solutions, visit Sustainability.WM.com.