New year = new waste sorting habits
Learn about the right bins and bags for your materials
A new year means a fresh start – and that includes your waste sorting habits! Here’s a quick guide on which waste bins and bags are right for your household materials:
Blue box
Place your recyclables, such as cardboard, plastic bottles and cans, in the blue box. Your box must be less than 121 litres (32 gallons) in size, with no attached lid or wheels.
Try to avoid overfilling your blue box – leave space (about 7.5 centimetres or three inches) at the top of the box. Place heavier items on top of lighter ones to prevent litter on windy days. If your box doesn’t fit all your materials, consider purchasing another online through Service Vaughan or at select community centres while supplies last. The City of Vaughan collects unlimited blue boxes every week!
Green bin
Place your organics, such as food scraps, fats, oils, grease, napkins and diapers, in the green bin. Line your green bin with a compostable, white or clear plastic bag, then transfer your loose organic waste into the lined green bin. Tie the bag securely before placing the bin curbside for collection. Alternatively, you can fill a kitchen container with organics, ensuring the container is lined with a compostable, white or clear plastic bag, then transfer that bag to an unlined green bin for curbside collection.
Garbage
Place your garbage – including black plastic, coffee cups and Styrofoam™ – in grey or black bins or bags. Your bin must be less than 121 litres (32 gallons) in size, with no attached lid or wheels. The total length of any garbage item must not exceed 1.5 metres (five feet).
The garbage limit is three bags or items every other week – including large and bulky items. A paid garbage tag is required for any item exceeding the three-item limit. You can buy tags by calling Service Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or going online to vaughan.ca/ServiceVaughan.
Don’t forget – your waste must be set at the curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled collection day! All bags and bins must weigh less than 20.5 kilograms (45 pounds) for the safety of our waste collectors. The City reserves the right to refuse unsafe, overweight or oversized items.
What goes where?
Need more waste sorting tips? Use the City’s online ‘What Goes Where?’ tool. You can also download the Recycle Coach app through the Apple App Store or Google Play to learn where waste items belong. The app provides waste-less tips and a personalized collection schedule with optional alerts on what to put to the curb each week.
For more information on waste services in Vaughan, visit vaughan.ca/waste.
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