Toronto Green Bin Guide

🟢 your green bin is collected every single week, year-round. it's for organics — basically anything that used to be alive or came from something alive.

What Goes in the Green Bin

FOOD SCRAPS (all of it)
  fruit & vegetable scraps
  meat, poultry, fish, shellfish
  bones
  bread, pasta, rice, cereal
  dairy products
  cooking oil & grease (small amounts)
  coffee grounds & filters
  tea bags
  nuts, shells, pits
  candy, chocolate, chips

PAPER PRODUCTS (soiled)
  paper towels & napkins
  tissues & facial tissue
  pizza boxes (greasy ones)
  soiled paper food packaging
  paper plates (no coating)
  parchment paper
  muffin wrappers

HOUSEHOLD ORGANICS
  houseplant trimmings
  pet waste & kitty litter
  diapers & sanitary products
  dryer lint
  hair & nail clippings
  wooden popsicle sticks
  wooden chopsticks
  cotton balls

What Does NOT Go in the Green Bin

THESE ARE NOT GREEN BIN ITEMS:
  plastic bags (even "compostable") -> garbage
  animal bedding (wood shavings) ----> garbage
  cigarette butts ------------------> garbage
  foam/styrofoam -------------------> garbage
  rubber bands ---------------------> garbage
  plastic wrap ---------------------> garbage

Pro Tips

tips from lil' garbage guy to keep your green bin from becoming a biohazard:

  1. line it with newspaper or a paper bag
     → keeps the bin clean, makes emptying
       easier, and it all composts together.

  2. freeze smelly stuff until collection day
     → fish bones, meat scraps, shrimp shells.
       toss them in a bag in the freezer, then
       into the bin the night before pickup.

  3. sprinkle baking soda in the bottom
     → absorbs odours between pickups.

  4. rinse your bin after every collection
     → a splash of vinegar + water does the
       trick. especially important in summer.

  5. in winter, line the bottom with cardboard
     → prevents contents from freezing to the
       bin walls. learned that one the hard way.

  6. keep your bin in the shade in summer
     → heat accelerates decomposition (and smell).
       your nose will thank you.

Green Bin vs Garbage: Confusing Items

  greasy pizza box ---------> 🟢 green bin
  clean pizza box ----------> ♻️  recycling
  paper coffee cup ---------> ♻️  recycling
  coffee cup lid -----------> ♻️  recycling
  paper plate (clean) ------> ♻️  recycling
  paper plate (food on it) -> 🟢 green bin
  "compostable" cutlery ----> 🗑️  garbage*
  pet waste ----------------> 🟢 green bin
  kitty litter --------------> 🟢 green bin
  dryer sheets -------------> 🗑️  garbage

* toronto's industrial composting can't process "compostable" plastics. i know, it's confusing.