In 2006, Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation (PFR) staff conducted a City-wide Parks Waste Audit. The audit found that parks litter bins contained approximately 23-27% dog waste by weight. A second audit in 2008 also found that pet waste made up 22-26% of the litter stream.
The audit findings were also cause for concern due to the fact that a large amount of dog waste in parks is handled by Parks staff, with potential impacts on public and worker health and safety.
In 2007 the Parks and Environment Committee requested that: "Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff continue to work with Solid Waste Management Services staff to improve and expand waste diversion initiatives in City parks" and that PFR and Solid Waste Management Services report back in September 2007 on "options to deal with dog waste in the litter stream including options for increasing the green bin program in parks."
In an effort to meet Council’s Waste Diversion goals, in response to the Parks and Environment Committee request and following extensive research into what municipalities across the world are doing, three pilots were initiated in Toronto parks in the summer of 2007: a Green Bin pilot, a carry-in/carry-out pilot and a septic waste pilot. The most successful pilot, the Green Bin, was repeated in 2008. Audits conducted in 2007 and 2008 showed that the Green Bins were well-used and the contents were primarily composed of dog waste. In 2009, the Green Bin pilot was expanded to 17 parks.
The pilot includes Green Bins placed next to litter and recycling bins, adjacent to informational signage and a paper bag dispenser. It will operate at the following 15 parks:
| Park | Intersection |
|---|---|
| Allan Gardens | Gerrard & Jarvis |
| Bickford Park | Bathurst & Bloor |
| Cruickshank Park | North of Lawrence at Weston |
| Dufferin Grove Park | Sylvan & Bloor |
| Eglinton Flats | Jane & Eglinton |
| Gerrard / Carlaw Parkette | Gerrard & Carlaw |
| Greenwood Park | Greenwood & Dundas |
| Kew Gardens | Queen St. E & Lee |
| Malta Park | Queen St. E & Lee |
| Sackville Playground | Parliament & King |
| Sorauren Park | Dundas & Sorauren |
| Stanley Park South | King & Bathurst |
| Trinity Bellwoods Park | Crawford & Queen |
| Wallace Emmerson Park | Dufferin & Dupont |
| Withrow Park | Pape & Danforth |
Specific locations are based on usage, demographics, park characteristics and past history of successful diversion efforts in those parks. Parks were also selected based on proximity to a major road intersection, a consideration for the servicing and collection of full bins.
Toronto currently has limited organic processing capacity. This will change in a few years when City plans to increase processing capacity are complete. Until then, Solid Waste Management Services cannot service more than the number of green bin pilots currently in place.
Commercial sized Green Bins have been placed near dog off-leash areas or areas frequented by dog walkers. Dog owners are now provided with a paper bag and scoop to pick up after their dogs. These bags and scoops were identified as the preferred method through a trial and survey of different paper products for dog waste.
This pilot is testing the impact of paper bags on the organic waste operating system. Plastic bags are mechanically separated from organic waste at the plant and sent to landfill, while paper bags are compostable and can go through the processing cycle along with the pet waste. Paper bags and scoops are provided free from dispensers located by the Bins.
The automated organic processing plant, where the contents of the Green Bin dog waste pilot are sent, cannot differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable plastic bags. Organic material is separated from plastic in the processing plant. All plastic is then removed and sent to the waste stream for landfill disposal. This means that biodegradable bags are not bio-digested along with the organic material.
Residents must continue to stoop and scoop their pet waste, regardless of whether they make use of a park Green Bin or carry the waste home for disposal. Toronto Municipal Code, Chapter 608, Parks, states that every person having control of a dog in a park is required to immediately pick-up and remove dog excrement "and dispose of it in a sanitary manner in a receptacle for litter or other suitable container" [section 38B (2)]. The Green Bin parks pilot provides the convenience of easy access to an organics processing program that diverts pet waste from regular garbage sent to landfill.
Park staff monitor the area during the pilot to ensure compliance and collect data on the pilot’s progress. Parks By-law Enforcement Officers also focus more attention on parks hosting dog waste pilots.
If you notice instances of illegal dumping, please call Parks By-law Enforcement at 311.
Toronto’s Green Bin program has been available to single-family homes receiving curbside collection since 2002. It is currently being expanded to high-rise apartment buildings and condominiums. For information about this program visit the City's Solid Waste Management website.