About the green bin
Your green bin collects food scraps and yard waste. We empty it every week on the same day as your Blue Box recycling. Keeping these materials out of the garbage helps the environment. When food waste goes to the landfill, it creates methane, a greenhouse gas. Composting turns it into useful soil instead.
Not sure what to do with an item? Visit Garbage & Recycling or call 519-555-0100.
What goes in the green bin
Food scraps
- Fruits and vegetables (peels, cores, stems)
- Meat, fish, seafood, and bones
- Dairy products, cheese, and yogurt
- Bread, pasta, rice, beans, and grains
- Egg shells
- Coffee grounds, tea bags, and paper coffee filters
- Plate scrapings and leftovers
- Small amounts of cooking oil or fat if absorbed in a paper towel or newspaper
Food-soiled paper
- Paper napkins and paper towels
- Paper bags (like lunch sacks)
- Newspaper (for wrapping scraps or lining your kitchen container)
- Pizza boxes with food residue (remove the plastic pizza saver)
- Empty cereal boxes used to hold food scraps (no plastic liner)
Yard waste
- Leaves and grass clippings
- Weeds, plants, and flowers
- Short branches and prunings (under 10 centimetres thick and 50 centimetres long)
What stays out of the green bin
Putting the wrong items in your bin can damage equipment or ruin the compost. Please keep these items out:
- Plastic bags of any kind, including bags labelled "biodegradable" or "compostable"
- Pet waste and pet waste bags
- Diapers and hygiene products
- Tissues and paper plates with plastic coating
- Liquids of any kind (pour them down the sink instead)
- Dirt, rocks, soil, and sod
- Large branches, trees, or stumps
- Glass, metal, and recyclable containers
Tips for using your green bin
Indoors
Line your kitchen container with newspaper, paper towels, or paper bags. Do not use plastic bags. Drain excess liquids from your food scraps down the sink before putting them in the bin. Keep the lid closed when you are not using it. If odours are a concern, freeze smelly scraps in a container or zip-top bag until collection day.
Outdoors
Store your green bin outside in a shady, flat, and well-ventilated spot. Keep the lid closed and place the bin away from fences and deck railings so animals cannot knock it over. To keep the contents dry and reduce smells, alternate layers of food scraps with dry leaves or grass clippings. Set your bin out every week, even if it is not full. This keeps the weight down and ensures we collect it on time.
Extra yard waste
If you have more yard waste than your green bin can hold, use paper yard-waste bags. We collect them biweekly from April to the end of November. You can also take extra green bin material to the East Wrenford Waste Management Facility or the Northgate Drop-off Depot at no charge.
See also: Forestry bylaws and management.
Need help?
If you need a new bin, want to report a missed collection, or have questions about what can be composted, contact City Services. Call 519-555-0100, dial 311 inside city limits, or visit Garbage & Recycling.