Recycling

We are happy that so many people in our building are participating in the blue box and composting programs.

However, over the past few weeks, a few residents have placed items in the blue bin which can’t be recycled – pizza boxes, black plastic, Tim Horton cups and toothbrushes.

When we include items that are not recyclable, it contaminates the entire batch and renders our entire large outside bin worthless.

Here is an article which lists materials which currently can’t be recycled in Toronto along with reasons they are excluded from the blue box program.  

Waste, Recycling & Composting

• Waste in plastic grocery bags can go down the garbage chute from 7:30 AM to 9 PM.  Never put any really heavy items down the chute and never liquids.  A few years ago, someone threw in a paint can.  It took several days to remove all the paint from the walls of the chute.

• Never allow oil, grease, or animal fats to go down any sink.  It often cools and hardens on lower floors, causing drains in other units to back up and overflow.

• We encourage recycling.  Here is a sheet with a list of items that can’t go into the Blue Bins and a reminder to wash and rinse all cans and bottles.

• Please flatten all boxes and cut cardboard into small sections which should be bundled with twine.

• If you wish to compost, please use biodegradable bags and place the sealed bags with compost in the large bin in the garbage room.

What is Not Recycled in Toronto

In the city of Toronto there are still materials that cannot be recycled. Unfortunately, contamination exists. When we include what is not recyclable in a collection of materials that is, it contaminates the whole batch. This reduces the value of our recyclables or renders them worthless.

How to be a better recycler starts with knowing what is and is not recyclable. When we recycle correctly, it saves money and is efficient. We also do right by our environment. Here’s what isn’t recycling in Toronto.

Pizza boxes are cardboard stained with grease and covered in crumbs. They’re the perfect example of a recyclable contaminated and rendered worthless. Most food containers are unsuitable, for this reason.

Food scraps should be placed in a compost bin. One of the worst contaminators of Toronto recycling is organic waste like apple cores and eggshells. When thrown into a recycling bin, everything else soaks up the residue and particles from these scraps.

Coffee cups including Tim Hortons and Starbucks coffee cups are not recyclable in Toronto. Though the outside is made from paper, the inside has an oily plastic lining that contaminates the product. This renders it unrecyclable in our current recycling program.

Paper that has been soiled or coated with wax such as frozen food packaging is not recyclable. Any sort of meat wrapping paper is also not considered recyclable. These are contaminated materials on their own and would contaminate a blue bin’s recycling if included.

Chip bags are lined with polypropylene plastic. Though they are otherwise aluminum, the inside lining means they aren’t accepted in our single-stream recycling stream.

Aluminum foil is one of the most recycled materials in the world. However, it cannot contain any grease or food residue. As you can imagine, all aluminum foil used to carry food is likely to end up contaminated.

Batteries are considered hazardous waste and should never go into a blue bin or into the garbage.  Please take them to the collection box found on floors P1 and P2.

Cling wrap is made from polyvinyl chloride. This material is not recyclable, contaminated or otherwise. Any sort of household cling wrap should be placed in the garbage can with the other waste materials.

Coffee pods including Keurig and Tassimo, are not recycled in Toronto. They are made with different materials that cannot be easily separated. The resulting composite material is a self-contaminated non-recyclable.

Clothing and other textiles are not considered recycling in Toronto. Like plastic, clothing gets caught in the sorting machine. This results in damaged equipment and potential workplace injuries. Any old clothes, shoes, blankets, or curtains you have can be donated to agencies, organizations, or local non-profits. This is what the city recommends.

Plastic toys can be donated to a local non-profit. Toys are not recyclable in Toronto. Even if they show a recycling code, no plastic toy should be placed in the blue bin. No municipal waste program in Canada currently accepts plastic toys.

Light bulbs are made from components that all of which can be recycled. Unfortunately, it requires special processes to separate the various materials that make up a light bulb. No municipal recycling program, including Toronto’s, has this technology. This makes light bulbs unrecyclable.

Black plastic is not recyclable for two reasons. First, there isn’t a market for it. This means there’s no way to sell it. Even if there was a way to sell it, the second reason why black plastic cannot be recycled is that the sorting technology does not recognize it.

Ceramics are not recyclable in Toronto. Fortunately, there are private companies willing to accept ceramics. 

Electrical cords, hoses, and cables are easily tangled in recycling sorting machines. Electrical cords, fortunately, can be included with suitable electronics you intend to bring to an e-waste sorting facility. Any other hoses, cords, or cables should be put into the waste bin.

Tools are not recyclable in Toronto. From power drills to hammers, screwdrivers, and cords, there are a lot of components to remove from them. Each component is in its own category of waste or recycling. This makes it an efficient recyclable. However, if your old tools are still functional, you may be able to donate them.

Recycling in Toronto relies on having the facilities to sort the materials and a market to sell them on. As recycling facilities continue to be built in Canada, we hope that more items will come to be accepted into the city’s blue bin program. The culture of recycling continues to change for the better. As large a city as Toronto is, there’s still a lot more work to do. The quality of recycling must change. Contamination must be reduced. Landfill diversion efforts must be prioritized.