Metal collection changes start September 7th
You no longer need to schedule an appointment to have your metal items collected curbside. Place metal items such as appliances, barbeques (no propane tanks), bed frames, bicycles, furnaces, hot water heaters, metal bath tubs, storage sheds, etc. next to your Garbage Bin for free pick-up. Large metal items should be dismantled, bundled and/or tied where possible. Non-metal parts, such as bicycle seats, go in your Garbage Bin.
Sofa beds: Please separate the metal from the frame.
For safety, remove doors from fridges, freezers, ovens and other large appliances.
It’s dangerous to put empty propane tanks in recycling or garbage
Propane tanks or canisters of any size - small camping canisters, small and large BBQ tanks and helium tanks - should never be put in with your recycling or garbage and must be disposed of properly. Even when empty, these tanks are considered dangerous hazardous waste.
Please take all propane and helium tanks to the
City’s Drop-off Depots or to
a
Community Environment Day.
See the new ad campaign.
Retail plastic shopping bags must be recyclable effective June 1, 2010
Retailers and customers, please mark the date. As of June 1, 2010, all plastic shopping bags provided to customers must be recyclable in Toronto's recycling program. The bylaw calls for a ban on incompatible bags (e.g., biodegradable or compostable plastic bags, plastic bags with metal detailing or grommets, rope or hard plastic handles).
Bag dust & fireplace ash for garbage bin collection
This set out instruction applies to those who put their garbage loose (unbagged) into their Garbage Bin. Should you have quantities of dust, vacuum bag dust, saw dust or fireplace/BBQ ash, please remember to separately bag and secure this material before placing into the bin. This will prevent the dust/ash from blowing up into the collection operator's face potentially causing a health and safety issue or polluting the environment. Thanks for your consideration.
Yard waste
Yard waste is collected every two weeks on the same day as garbage collection. A lot of yard waste is put out at this time of year which may mean delays in pick-up. Please leave your bags out for collection.
To help crews with collection, please make sure your bags are not ripped or wet.
Yard waste helpful hints.
Biodegradable plastic packaging and bags present recycling challenges
The majority of Ontario municipalities, including the City of Toronto, do not want biodegradable plastic packaging, including biodegradable plastic bags, in their recycling or organics programs for a number of reasons. They belong in the garbage. Read further about the
challenges biodegradable products present.
Council approves new packaging reduction policies
On December 2, 2008, Toronto City Council took bold action
to reduce retail in-store packaging and to ultimately ensure that the materials used are recyclable in the City’s Blue Bin recycling program. The policies primarily focus on reducing the volume of plastic retail shopping bags, plastic take-out food packaging and plastic water bottles.
