INTRODUCING…THE GREEN BIN PROGRAMBy participating in the Green Bin Program your school will be keeping organic material –

such as food waste and soiled paper food products – out of the garbage and turning

it into

to achieving our diversion goals.

www.toronto.ca/greenbin

What’s the purpose ofthe Green Bin Program?

*By weight

Organic materials make up approximately 30% of the garbage going to landfill. By collecting your organic materials – such as food waste and soiled paper foodpackaging (see page 2 for details) – the Green Bin Program will help us reduce the amount of material that Toronto sends to landfill.

Residents in single-family homes and apartment/condominiums are successfully participating in the Green Bin Program.

Total waste stream composition from sample houses in Toronto*

compost. This will help us reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and move us

closer

Household hazardous waste

Into

Not

the Green Bin…• Fruit, vegetable scraps • Paper plates• Meat, shellfish, fish

products• Candies, cookies, cake

• Pasta, bread, cereal• Baking ingredients, herbs,

spices• Dairy products, egg shells • Household plants, including

soil• Coffee grounds, filters,tea bags • Diapers, sanitary products

• Soiled paper towels, tissues • Animal waste, bedding(e.g. from bird/hamstercages), kitty litter

• Soiled paper food packaging:fast food paper packaging, icecream boxes, muffin papers,flour and sugar bags

• Pet food

What happens to organic material?Your Green Bin organic materials will be picked up by collection vehicles and taken tothe City’s organics processing facility. Operators inspect the organics and remove large,unwanted items. A biological process called “anaerobic digestion” converts thematerial into solids, which is then turned into clean, rich compost.

Anaerobic digestion is a biological process that usesbacteria to break down solids in the absence of oxygen.

into the Green Bin…

January 2013

These items do not break down and, therefore, cannot be turned into compost.

● Plastic wrap, baggies, sandwich bags● Plastic items such as food containers (e.g. yogurt or margarine tubs), cutlery● Plastic milk bags● Foam polstyrene meat trays and liners● Foil● Wax paper● Leather, textiles, clothing● Cigarette butts, tobacco● Corks (from wine bottles, etc.)

● Paper coffee cups and lids● Gum● Cotton swabs/balls● Baby wipes● Disposable mop sheets● Dryer lint, dryer sheets● Vacuum cleaner bags and contents● Hair, pet fur, feathers● Fireplace or BBQ ashes● Wood products, wood chips● Candles● All recyclable items

Lining your green bins · To minimize waste, line only ONE container with a plastic bag. Do not use biodegradable bags.

So... - If you line the room-size green bin with a plastic bag, the residential size green bin will not need to be lined. - If the residential-size green bin is lined, you don’t need to line the room-size bin. - If the 35-gallon organic carts are lined, you don’t need to line the residential-size bins.

Non-plastic linings! Consider lining your room-size green bin with paper towels, newspapers, or paper bags.

What to putinto yourGreen Bin