Scarborough and Etobicoke are diverting Do You Have a Backyard Composter? 2,200 tonnes and 1,000 tonnes per month of Backyard composting and the Green Bin organic waste respectively. Program work hand in hand.
The Green Bin Program will enable households to collect organic waste not suitable for a backyard composter (dairy products, meat, HRSDC etc.), which will help to decrease the amount of waste going to landfills. In a 2003 survey, 700 Etobicoke residents were asked several questions regarding their opinions on the Green Bin Program. The Green Bin Program results were: • 96% participate in the Green Bin Program
• 90% set out their green bin for weekly pickup Contact Information • 54% indicate that their curbside green bin If you require a green bin contact the Green Bin What is the Green Bin Program? container is ¾ full or more each week Program at: In January 2001, the City of Toronto Tel: 416-338-2010 introduced the Waste Diversion Task Force • 90% like the wheels that are on the bins Email: [email protected] 2010 to come up with a strategy for the City’s because it is easier to transport Web Site: waste issue. http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/greenbin/index.htm • 90% indicate that the tension of the The Task Force addressed the City’s waste green bin latch is “just right” Who Are We? problem by setting three goals: 30% waste We are a group of youths participating in Scadding diversion from landfill by 2003, 60% by 2006 • 91% are pleased with the bin’s durability Court Community Centre’s Composting Project. and 100% by 2010. The objective of this project is to develop and • 93% are satisfied that the bins protect implement a community composting program in the One significant proposal that was made by the organic waste from animals. Scadding Court area. We will be involved in them in their “Beyond Landfill: A Diverting working with and educating residents and Future” report, was a system, which we now What is Next for the Green Bin Program? businesses about the importance of composting. know as the Green Bin Program. North York residents will begin the program in the fall of 2005. Please contact us at 416-392-0335 if you have any The Green Bin Program enables residents living questions about the program. in houses in Etobicoke, Scarborough, Toronto, The City of Toronto is currently looking into York, and East York to collect their organic ways to implement the Green Bin Program in waste (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee apartment buildings and condominiums. filters, etc.) for weekly pickup.
Two pilot projects are currently taking place The purpose of the program is to reduce the at buildings in Toronto and Scarborough. organic waste going to landfills by turning it into compost, which is a rich soil-like product Instructions and a new calendar outlining how Soiled paper towels, tissues beneficial for soil and plants. the program works and new collection dates Soil paper food packaging including fast food are delivered to households. paper packaging, ice cream boxes, muffin Participants gather organic waste in the small paper, flour and sugar bags Why Did They Start the Green Bin kitchen bin, which can be lined with a plastic Paper coffee cups (no lids), paper plates Program? bag then placed in the larger curbside bin to Candies, cookies, cake Since the closure of the City-owned Keele be collected on a weekly basis. Baking ingredients, herbs Valley landfill site on December 31, 2002, our Household plants with soil garbage is being trucked to a private landfill in What Happens to the Organic Waste? Diapers, sanitary products Michigan. Your green bin waste is collected every week Animal waste, bedding (e.g. from bird or and taken to an organics processing facility. hamster cages, kitty litter) Pet Food
What Does Not Go in the Green Bin? Millions of dollars are spent each year to Plastic wrap, sandwich bags dispose of this waste because disposal costs Operators in the facility will examine the Plastic items such as yogurt or margarine have risen from $12/tonne to $52/tonne. organic waste and take out any big and containers, cutlery unwanted items. Plastic milk bags About 30% of household garbage is made up of Styrofoam, meat tray liners organic materials but with the help of the The organic materials are placed in a Foil Green Bin Program, the waste can be turned hyrdopulper, which blends and spins it into a Wax paper into compost for agricultural and parkland use. liquid pulp. Leather textiles, clothing Cigarette butts, tobacco The Green Bin program with the existing A process called anaerobic digestion, which Corks (from wine bottles, etc.) recycling programs (the grey and blue box) uses bacteria when there is no oxygen Gum helps the City to meet its waste diversion transforms the pulp into organic solid material. Cotton swabs/balls goals. Baby wipes The organic solid material is then taken to Disposable mop sheets another facility and made into compost for Dryer lint, dryer sheets agricultural and parkland use. Vacuum cleaner bags and contents Hair, pet fur, feathers Fireplace or BBQ ashes Wood products, wood chips How Does the Green Bin Program Work?
Residents are supplied with two bins – one What Goes in the Green Bin? How is the Green Bin Program Going? small container for the kitchen and a big bin Fruits and vegetable scraps More than 90% of eligible residents are for curbside collection. Meat, shellfish, fish products participating in the Green Bin Program. Pasta, bread, cereal Dairy products More than 220 less trucks/month are driven Egg shells to Michigan to dispose of our waste. Coffee grounds, filters, tea bags