It’s just as important to recycle right in Toronto parks and public spaces as it is at home and at work. Litter bins (with openings for both garbage and recycling) and park recycling, garbage and even Green Bins (organic waste) are available in some parks to help you recycle right on the go.

Incorrect placement of items such as coffee cups, dog waste, food waste and black plastics in recycling compartments of public litter bins is ruining perfectly good recyclable material, sending it to landfill.

Top Four Offenders

These four waste items are often incorrectly placed in public recycling bins/slots:

Disposable Coffee Cups

Most disposable hot beverage cups are made of paper but are lined with plastic or wax, which makes them difficult to recycle. Please, put coffee cups in the garbage or litter compartment of street bins. Non-black plastic lids and paper sleeves should be removed and placed in the Blue Bin or recycling compartments of street bins.

Dog Poop

Dog waste should never be placed in the Blue Bin or in the recycling compartment of street bins. Place dog poop (in any bag) in a park Green Bin, if available. If a park Green Bin isn’t available, place dog poop in the garbage bin or take it home and place it in your Green Bin (organic waste).

Food Scraps

Food scraps should never go in the recycling slot of public litter bins and park Blue Bins (recycling). Food residue gets soaked up by paper and can ruin large batches of otherwise good recyclables. Food waste should never be placed in the Blue Bin. It should be placed in the Green Bin (organics) or garbage (litter slot) if no Green Bin is available.

Black Plastics

Black plastic of any kind, such as take-out containers and black garbage bags aren’t accepted in the City’s recycling program. They should never be put in the recycling compartment of public litter bins and park Blue Bins. Reuse items such as takeout containers. Otherwise put them in the garbage.