Green Bin Organics

Green bin organics program for residents

The newest addition to the Region's diversion programs, the green bin program, offers the single largest potential to divert household waste. With approximately 40 per cent of household waste being organic, residents' ability to reduce and reuse is greatly increased by using the green bin!

And?..it is easy being green - put all food waste, soiled paper products and pet waste into your green bin.

Collection schedule:

  • Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo have weekly green bin organics collection on their garbage day.

  • Township settlement areas that have weekly garbage collection also have weekly green bin collection.

For a step-by-step guide to the green bin program, see the Green Bin Brochure.

Where to  pick up a green bin: Waterloo waste management site, 925 Erb St. W.,  Gate 1, Admin building  AND  Cambridge  waste management site,  end of Savage  Drive, Admin building.  Monday to Friday,  8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

~ Back to top of page~

The green bin is a great way to recycle food scraps. Learn more with this video.

~ Back to top of page~

Green cart pilot organics program for apartment buildings and townhouse complexes

Over 30 buildings or over 2,000 units are participating in this pilot program. Green carts (120 litres in size) are placed beside the existing blue and grey recycling carts, creating an "eco depot". Residents receive handy kitchen containers, to help store and carry their organics to the green carts. The organics collected are the same as for the green bin program: all food scraps, paper materials (e.g. greasy pizza boxes, shredded paper and paper coffee cups), and other items (e.g. hair and pet waste).

The pilot program will be monitored until fall 2013 and then Region Council will decide whether to continue or expand it to other buildings.

For more information about the multi-residential Green Cart Pilot Program please contact:

Region of Waterloo, Waste Management
Tel: 519-883-5100
kkitagawa@regionofwaterloo.ca

Already on green cart program?

Here are some helpful resources:

Green cart brochure

Check out the green cart program brochure for a full list of acceptable and not acceptable items, the step by step process, and helpful tips and tricks to participating.

Lining your kitchen container

While you received paper liner bags in your kit, you don't have to use them to participate in the program.

Green cart poster

Keeping pests out of your kitchen container

Superintendent Handbook

We want your feedback! Do you have any suggestions, comments or observations about how the green cart program is working for you, for your building? Please let us know, e-mail kkitigawa@regionofwaterloo.ca

~ Back to top of page~

Green cart program for schools

The Green Cart program is available to public and private schools.  We have conducted our own audits at schools and can show that  60 per cent of school waste is organic and can be diverted  in the Green Cart and out of the landfill.

The Region will provide schools with large size carts for curbside collection. The carts need to be rolled to the curb by 7 a.m.  for collection.

The Region will provide schools with a limited number of green bins and catcher containers for their internal collection system.   There are also posters for green binning and recycling to help support your program.  

Posters are downloadable for your convenience: 

How to get on the program:

Waterloo Region District School Board:

Step 1:   *IMPORTANT* Schools must first get approval from your Facilities department.  Contact the EcoSchool Consultant at 519-570-0003 x 4266.

Step 2: once approved, the Board office will contact the Region of Waterloo; the Region will contact the school.

Step 3: the Region and the school will work together for planning containers and collection.

Waterloo Region Catholic School Board: contact Jim Schmidt, Facilities for inquiries about the program

Other schools:  contact the Region of Waterloo directly at 519-883-5100.


Check out our video featuring two grade 4 students from Suddaby School that show you how to make a green bin/container liner out of newspaper.


~ Back to top of page~

Mixed organics

What stays in and stays out of the green bin

Acceptable items - updated December 2010

Baked goods - e.g. bread, cakes, cookies, dough, pies
Butcher paper
Butter & margarine
Candy
Cat litter
Cereal
Charcoal
Coffee cups (PAPER, no lids)
Coffee filters, grounds
Corn cobs, husks
Cotton balls
Dairy products - e.g. cheese, sour cream, yogurt
Eggs, eggshells
Facial tissues
Feathers
Fish, fish parts
Flour bags
Fruit
Fur
Grains & rice
Gravy & sauces
Grease, lards, fats
Hair Herbs & spices
House plant waste
Jams & jellies
Mayonnaise
Meat, meat products, bones
Muffin/baking cups (paper)
Nail clippings
Nuts & shells

Paper bags
Paper fast food packaging
Paper plates, cups
Parchment paper
Pasta
Peanut butter
Pencil shavings
Pet waste (including bedding, droppings, kitty litter)- must be bagged or wrapped in paper)
Pizza
Pizza boxes
Play dough (homemade)
Popsicle sticks
Popcorn
Popcorn bags (microwave)
Salad & dressings
Sawdust
Shellfish
Shredded paper
Snack foods
Sugar & sweetener packets
Sugar & syrups
Sugar bags
Tea bags (except Lipton pyramid tea bags)
Tissues
Toothpicks (wood)
Vegetables - including waxed vegetables such as rutabaga)
Wood ashes (cold)
Wood chips

Not acceptable - Updated December 2010

Band-Aids
Batteries, paint & other hazardous waste
Biodegradable plastic bags
Candles
Chewing gum
Cigarette butts & ashes
Cleaning sponges
Corks

Cutlery (metal, plastic)
Dental floss/tape, toothbrushes
Diapers
Dryer lint
Dryer sheets
Lipton Pyramid Tea (plastic mesh tea bag)
Metal - (anything in part or as a whole is made of metal of any kind)

Paper towels containing hazardous/cleaning products
Plastic - plastic bags, biodegradable plastic bags, plastic containers, plastic wrap, etc.
Sanitary products - (personal)
Textiles
Vacuum sweepings/ household dirt
Water softener salt
Wax
Waxed paper
Wood, treated wood
Recyclables - place in blue box
Yard Waste - compost in back yard, set out during seasonal pick up, bring to transfer station

~ Back to top of page~

Purchasing liner bags for your green bin

When purchasing liner bags, make sure they are made out of paper. Some paper bags have a cellulose lining to give them more wet strength. This type of bag is acceptable in our program. Check out the tips and alternatives on this Flyer.

Do not purchase any liner bags made out of plastic, compostable plastic or biodegradable plastic. These are NOT acceptable in our green bin program. Some manufacturers or plastic liner bags indicate on their packaging that their bags are acceptable in local programs. This is incorrect. Please do not place them in your green bin because your bin will not be collected.

Paper liner bags are available at many local grocery, hardware, home improvement, and discount retail stores. Look for them in the "garbage bag" section.

Your green bin originally came supplied with a bundle of Bag to Earth kraft paper bags. Learn more about Bag to Earth and order kraft paper bags on line.


~ Back to top of page~

Tips on green binning

Write your address on your green bin in permanent marker. This will help prevent your green bin from getting mixed up with your neighbour's.

Place your green bin at the curb beside your garbage. Many routes now use a split body truck (two compartments) to collect both garbage and organics at the same time. This makes collection more efficient.

Place your green bin to the curb every week - even if it is not full. This will ensure you have enough space in your bin and reduce odours.

Set out only your large green bin to the curb for collection. Please do not set out your kitchen container or just paper liner bags. The driver can only safely and efficiently empty green bins into the truck.

Please do not add any plastic to your green bin, including "biodegradable", "compostable" plastic bags. The materials collected from this program are going to a facility that composts the organics outside and cannot handle any type of plastics.

Maintain your green bin and kitchen container with regular washing. Try to add organics that absorb liquids - like shredded paper and facial tissues - instead of liner bags.

Wrap your organics up in newspaper or line your green bin with a layer of newspaper.

Capture organics in other rooms of your home. Set a paper liner bag in your bathroom to collect tissues and hair.

Store your green bin in a convenient, safe location. Your green bin should beGreen bin in the garage placed in a well-ventilated spot that, ideally, is not accessible to animals.

Handle your green bin gently. This will help it to last longer. If it does get damaged, please contact the Region for a replacement.

Backyard composting is still a part of 'green' households. If you are composting in your backyard, keep up the good work! Backyard composting is still the best and least expensive way of getting rid of fruit and vegetable scraps. Use the green bin for items such as meat, bones and dairy products which should not be composted in your backyard. 

~ Back to top of page~

Green binning when the temperature rises

Don't let hot weather prevent you from being green. Here are some tips:

Layer in! Layer your food scraps with paper waste (such as facial tissues or shredded paper) to help absorb liquids and keep your bin cleaner. 

Chill out! Wait until the day before collection before cleaning out your refrigerator. Freeze meat and fish scraps until your collection day. A Waterloo resident in the Wednesday collection area suggests you either set your entire Green Bin in the chest freezer and leave it there until collection day or if you don't have a freezer large enough, freeze your waste in small paper bags.

Freshen up! Use deodorizers such as baking soda, garden lime, biodegradeable laundry detergent (without bleach) or vinegar in your kitchen container and Green Bin.

Crack down! Naturally control any bugs. Cover maggots with lime, salt, vinegar or Diatomaceous Earth, a natural fossil product. Try hanging some bruised leaves of mint or bay in clusters on your Green Bin. Apply dabs of vinegar to the      outside of your bin rim. Please do not use chemical pesticides.

Curb more! Set your Green Bin out every week, even if it is not full.

Waste less! By green binning, you are saving space in our one and only landfill and helping to create compost. Your efforts make a difference!

~ Back to top of page~

Green binning when the temperature drops


Don't let cold weather prevent you from being green. Here are some tips:

  1. Place green bin to the curb every week - even if it is not full.
  2. Place a piece of cardboard or sheets of newspaper at the bottom of your green bin to help ensure your organics do not freeze to the bottom.
  3. Use paper to line your bin. Line your green bin or alternate layers of food waste and paper. Use newsprint, box board or other types of paper packaging or buy liner bags (see the list of local retailers). Lining and layering with paper helps absorb liquids and limits odours. 
  4. Set your green bin out in the morning of your garbage collection day.
  5. When it snows, place your green bin at street level by shoveling a flat area close to the curb at the end of your driveway.
  6. Instead of the green bin being put out the night before, having them put it out by 7:00 a.m. to lessen the chance of completely freezing.
  7. Coat the inside of the green bin with margarine, butter or vegetable oil, this also helps the collection that much more.
  8. The above also prevents cracking of the green bin in the frigid weather when the crews are emptying the green bin contents.

Thanks for recycling your organics. Thanks for making a difference!

~ Back to top of page~

Contact(s)

Region of Waterloo Waste Management
925 Erb Street West, Waterloo, Ontario N2J 3Z4

Phone: 519-883-5100
TTY: 519-575-4608
Fax: 519-747-4944

Map this Location.
E-Mail to Region of Waterloo Waste Management
Link to Region of Waterloo Waste Management Landing Page

eSolutionsGroup