If you get curbside waste pick up, you’ve probably received a new Green Bin within the last few months. Our Waste Campaigner Emily shares the top 3 reasons why she loves her new Green Bin!

1) It captures more organics.

City of Toronto waste audits consistently show that up to 40% of what the average household puts in the garbage bin actually belongs in the Green Bin! Though some households are small, the average household actually needs more room for organic waste. Tissues, diapers and sanitary products, food-soaked paper packaging (e.g. greasy pizza boxes, dirty paper plates) all go in the Green Bin.

2) It keeps our workers safe.

Organics are very heavy - and the small bins, with the tiny wheels, mean collection workers have to bend over, carry the heavy bin to the truck, and dump it in by hand. Multiply that by hundreds of stops a day (and some houses have more than one bin), and you can understand why collection workers have such high injury rates. The new bins can be wheeled out (without bending) and are emptied with mechanical arms, just like the garbage and recycling bins. This means safer and healthier green jobs!

3) The lock keeps raccoons out!

The new bins have easy-to-use locks and they can stay locked (until they open automatically when lifted by the truck!), keeping our favourite, but annoying, raccoon friends from making a mess.

Did you know: back in 2002, TEA led the call for Toronto’s Green Bin program, the first - and still largest! - organics collection program! Subscribe to email updates & join us in advocating for a Zero Waste Toronto!

Emily Alfred is the Waste Campaigner for the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA).