Recycling Right in Public Spaces

It’s just as important to recycle right in Toronto parks and public spaces as it is at home and at work. Street litter bins and park bins, including Green Bins for organic waste in some parks, are available to help you put waste in the right place on the go.

To encourage proper recycling in parks and public spaces, the City has:

• installed Green Bins in all Dog Off-Leash Areas in parks
• installed new lids on Blue Bins (recycling) in several parks and sports fields across the city to capture empty beverage cans and bottles
• allowed single-use hot and cold paper-based beverage cups (such as coffee, tea or fountain drink cups) in the recycling compartment of street litter bins and Blue Bins in Toronto parks

Top Recycling Mistakes

Incorrect placement of items such as dog waste and food scraps in recycling compartments of public litter bins and Blue Bins ruins perfectly good recyclable material, sending it to landfill.

Common items that go in the recycling include takeout containers, chip and snack bags, foil wrappers and disposable plastic bottles. Learn more about what can go in the recycling.

Dog waste

Dog waste should never be placed in the Blue Bin or in the recycling compartment of street bins.

Place dog waste (in any bag) in a park Green Bin, if available. If a park Green Bin isn’t available, place dog waste in the garbage bin or take it home and place it in your Green Bin.

Food scraps

Food scraps should never go in the recycling compartment of public litter bins and park Blue Bins. Food residue gets soaked up by paper and can ruin large batches of otherwise good recyclables.

Make sure items placed in the recycling are empty and free of food scraps and liquids. Food scraps go in the Green Bin or garbage (litter slot) if no Green Bin is available.