Make a Clear Commitment with Muskoka's Clear Bags Program!

When you make a Clear Commitment, you are choosing to place all household garbage in a clear bag instead of a black or opaque bag.

Making a Clear Commitment with the District of Muskoka means loudly and proudly showcasing your dedication to keeping Muskoka healthy and beautiful through responsible and sustainable waste management habits.

Every time you make a Clear Commitment, you are:

• Contributing to a sustainable, greener Muskoka. Diverting waste that can be recycled or composted out of Rosewarne Landfill prolongs its life, and since food and organic waste produces methane while sitting in the landfill (a potent gas that contributes to climate change), you're helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Protecting and preserving Muskoka's natural beauty. Ensuring more recyclables and green bin organics are separated from your garbage and collected by the District means these items are managed properly and stay out of the environment as harmful litter.
• Creating a safe working environment for collection staff. With clear insights into garbage bags, garbage collection workers can avoid dangerous items like sharp glass, or needles.
• Keeping hazardous items out of the waste stream. Batteries, paint, medicines, gasoline, and other unsuitable items are better kept out of the garbage stream when using clear bags.

When residents use clear garbage bags, it allows our curbside collection staff to better determine that the garbage headed to the landfill is made up of accepted materials.

Pending District Council approval, as of March, 2025, collections contractors will be collecting garbage contained in clear plastic bags, ensuring that accepted waste is taken to the landfill, and recyclables, green bin organics, and hazardous waste are disposed of through proper channels.

Learn more about the program, including answers to frequently asked questions such as:

• How to dispose of incontinence products
• What to do with your existing opaque bags
• Examples of other municipalities that have adopted the program
• Protecting residents' privacy

We're working hard to make the switch to clear bags easy for everyone by connecting with local retailers to ensure a variety of sizes of clear bags are readily available in places you can normally buy garbage bags. Check back soon for a list of where you can purchase clear bags!

Teachers and staff with the Trillium Lakelands District School Board and Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board can contact our waste management team at waste@muskoka.on.ca to learn how to get your students to make their own Clear Commitment!

Every item you place in your garbage bag can significantly impact Muskoka's environment. Having trouble remembering what goes where?

Use our online Waste Wizard to find out whether your specific waste items go in the garbage, recycling, or green bin.

The District's Clear Garbage Bag Program is one way we're taking action to meet our Strategic Plan's environmental objectives! By reducing waste going into our landfill and lowering our community's greenhouse gas emissions, together with our residents, we're working toward our vision of a welcoming, connected, sustainable Muskoka.

Follow program updates to learn more

Follow our social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and X (or Twitter) to learn about more exciting opportunities to get involved with the Clear Bags Program!