The blue box was introduced in Ontario in 1981 to collect five materials and instill the
concept of recycling into everyone’s daily life. The system was simple yet effective.
The 14 gallon box was designed to handle five materials; black and white newspapers,
steel cans, aluminum cans, clear glass, and coloured glass which were collected and
mostly sorted at curbside using a specially designed collection vehicle with multiple
compartments In no time the idea caught on and soon nearly every municipality
in Ontario had a blue box program. Its success is undeniable as recycling today
is part of our daily routines and it is commonly available.