Oshawa dump: hours, fees and what it takes

The Oshawa Waste Management Facility is at 1640 Ritson Road North in Oshawa. The Region of Durham runs it, and it is open to the public for dropping off waste. It takes household garbage, furniture, appliances, renovation waste, soil and concrete, charged by weight, and electronics and household hazardous waste for free.

For a question about a load, dial 311 within Regional limits, or 905-668-7711; the Region’s staff answer Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Region runs three other public drop-off sites: the Scugog Waste Management Facility in Port Perry, the Brock Waste Management Facility in Cannington, and the Clarington Household Special Waste Depot in Bowmanville, which takes household hazardous waste only.

Right now a load up to 40 kg costs a $7 ^{source [1]} flat rate at the Oshawa Waste Management Facility. The Region charges $1.40 ^{source [1]} for every 8 kg over 40 kg, and lists its rate by the tonne as $175 per 1,000 kilograms ^{source [1]}. Fill — soil, dirt, brick, gravel, rubble, sand, cement and concrete — costs $375 per 1,000 kilograms ^{source [1]}, and appliances with Freon, such as fridges, freezers and air conditioners, carry a $20 ^{source [1]} fee.

Some loads cost nothing: electronics, household hazardous waste within its daily limit, and white foam packaging go in free. Once anything that is charged goes in, the whole load pays by weight, free things too, so bring the free things on a trip of their own.

Your vehicle is weighed on the way in and on the way out, and staff at the exit scale tell you what you owe. Pay by Visa, Mastercard (credit or prepaid) or debit; the site takes no cash, no cheques and no accounts.

Yes. The Region’s by-law makes its Waste Management Facilities open to the public for waste drop off, so you can drive a load to the Oshawa site yourself.

Your vehicle crosses a weigh scale on the way in and again on the way out. On the way in, tell the scale house what you have, and staff send you to the right drop-off spot. At the exit scale, staff tell you the cost.

The load has to be in a closed vehicle body or covered with a tarp or net, and leak-proof, so nothing falls out on the way. An unsafe vehicle or a load that isn’t tied down is turned away at the gate, and no one may come in on foot, on a bike, a scooter or a motorcycle.

A business can bring a load too: the by-law has commercial vehicles pay the same fees as household vehicles.