Simple ways to help make using your green bin easier in Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon

Using your organics green bin can get messy and smelly at times. We get it.  But there may be some simple hacks you may not know to help make using your green bin an easier part of your daily home routine.  Did you also know that participating in the green bin program is mandatory in Peel?

The green bin – also known as the organics bin – is for items such as, fruit and vegetable peels, meat and fish bones, paper tissues and napkins, among others – and they’re picked up at the curb every week!

Over 30 percent of items in Peel’s garbage are actually organic/green bin items. When these items are put in the garbage, they end up in the landfill, where it releases harmful methane gas over time. And as we all know, these gases are harmful to all of us.

To help you use your green bin, here are six tips for proper green bin usage:

1. Throw organic items into the green bin, not your recycling or garbage bin.

It can be easy to forget which items go in which bin when it’s time to throw your trash away. Here’s a list of the most common items that should always go in your green bin:

• Food scraps
• Fruit and vegetable peels
• Bones, meat, and fish
• Tea bags, coffee grounds and filters
• Paper napkins, tissues and paper towels
• Loose shredded paper

If you’re not sure about whether something goes in the green bin or not, you can check Peel’s online waste sorting tool. Simply type in the name of the item to see which bin it belongs in.

2. Keep a container in your kitchen to help you collect organic waste.

Consider keeping a container in your kitchen where you can easily put in any food waste, paper towels and tissues, and other acceptable items. Then empty the contents of the container into your green bin and set it out for weekly collection. If you need a new kitchen container, you can find one at Access Peel locations or select Community Recycling Centres in Peel for only $5 each, or you can use any bin that you may have at home as well.

3. Peel fruits and vegetables directly over a paper towel or newspaper for easy disposal. 

For quick and easy disposal of food scraps from the kitchen, try peeling your fruits and vegetables right over an old newspaper or paper towel then wrap it up and throw the whole thing in your green bin. This also helps with disposing of other food waste items, such as the bones from meat and fish.

4. Reduce bad smells by using a paper lining or baking soda.

To reduce the odours from your green bin and kitchen container, consider using cardboard, newspaper, shredded paper, paper towels, or certified compost bags to line the inside of your bin. You can also sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom of the bin, which is effective in neutralizing odours from certain items.  This will make it easier to clean your green bin regularly and keep it in good condition.

5. Put extra organics in a certified compostable bag beside your full green bin for collection.

If you find your green bin is full and you still have more items to get rid of, then put the excess organics into a separate certified compostable bag and place the bag next to your green bin on your pickup day. Extra bags of organics do not need to be tagged.

6. Keep your green bin locked when it’s outside.

Your green bin has a special lock to stop animals and insects from getting into it and making a mess. When the bin is outside (such as on the curb awaiting pickup), be sure to always keep the lock in the vertical locked position.

Avoiding food waste

In addition to these green bin tips, residents are encouraged to reduce food waste by shopping smart, only buying the amount of food that you plan to use, and making sure you eat the food products in your kitchen before they go bad.

Almost 40% of the food we throw out is still good to eat, and cutting down on food waste can help the average Peel household save up to $112 per month!

Need more info?

More tips and information on waste are available at Peel Region’s website – such as their waste sorter which specifies how to dispose of any kind of waste, and their free collection calendar to help you remember your pickup day.

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