Does Ottawa's Trail Road landfill take scrap metal and tires for free?

Scrap metal and tires are handled differently at Trail Road, and neither is free.

The City of Ottawa's Trail Waste Facility rates page lists scrap metal under its accepted materials, but a fee applies. Tires are accepted, and the City's page notes a per-tire charge rather than a weight-based rate. Neither material falls under the City's free drop-off categories. The City's page is the place to confirm the current per-unit or per-tonne figure before you load up, as rates can change.

A few other Trail Road rules worth knowing if you are clearing a site: the City's rates page states it does not accept liquid waste, hazardous waste, commercial garbage, or asbestos at the landfill, and there is a permanent ban on Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional waste. Oil tanks and drums must be cut in half or perforated many times before the landfill will take them. Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioning units and dehumidifiers must have cooling chemicals removed and be tagged by a certified technician before arrival; untagged units are refused entry.

If scrap metal or tires are going into a rental bin rather than a personal trip to Trail Road, that is a different question. Bin companies set their own lists of refused and surcharged items, and we found no published rule from the City or Ontario that bans tires or scrap metal from a bin. That said, two or more Ottawa bin companies list tires as a refused item, and some charge separately for appliances. Ask the company for its full refused and surcharged list in writing before the bin is dropped.

Before the bin arrives, have in writing the pricing model (bin fee plus weight, or all-in with tonnes included), how many days and tonnes are covered, and the complete list of items the company will not take or will charge extra for.