It’s time to take action against litter!

Did you know an estimated 10,000 tonnes of plastic debris enter Ontario’s lakes and rivers each year? Plastic litter does not break down and can last hundreds of years in our environment. Don’t let that scare you – let it drive you to action! Today is the Provincial Day of Action on Litter, and the City of Vaughan encourages everyone to take charge in reducing litter in the community.

What residents can do

• Use recycling and waste bins provided by the City in public spaces. If they are full, take your garbage home with you.
• Keep your home and surrounding area clean of litter. Prevent windblown litter by not overfilling your recycling bins.
• Pack your blue box carefully and put heavier items on top of lighter ones to keep them from blowing away on windy days or consider putting recycling out the following week.
•  Consider purchasing additional City blue boxes or using a larger blue box (up to 121 litres, no lids or wheels) if you have too much material.
• Recycle properly – masks, gloves, wipes and plastic bags belong in the garbage – not the blue box.
• Take flyers and mail to recycle at home.
• Report illegal dumping or littering to Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. Littering has a negative impact on the community and the quality of life of everyone – it can be harmful to the environment; it can be dangerous for pets and wildlife as they may eat or be injured by discarded items; and it costs money for the City to clean up litter.

For the safety and well-being of everyone in the community, including front-line staff, littering and illegal dumping are prohibited under the Littering and Dumping By-law 103-2020 (PDF). If you witness illegal dumping or littering, please report it to Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or accessvaughan@vaughan.ca. Individuals found dumping their household garbage are subject to a maximum fine of $5,000 per offence.

The City is here to help with waste resources and services 

• Visit our website at vaughan.ca/waste for information on City waste services.
• Receive customized notifications about your waste collection by downloading the Recycle Coach mobile app.
• Check out the What Goes Where tool to help you understand how to dispose of your items.
• Purchase garbage tags, green bins, blue boxes and exchange damaged City bins and boxes at vaughan.ca/ServiceVaughan.
• Learn about the medical waste exemption program.
• Book a Waste-less Virtual Visit – a one-on-one coaching session via FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype and Zoom to help you understand what goes where, reduce items headed to the landfill and answer any questions you have about the City’s waste collection services.

To receive the City’s latest COVID-19 updates as they happen, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn channels.

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