No Time to Waste!

Beginning October 31, 2023, the City of Peterborough will begin weekly collection of organic waste in green bins supplied to eligible households, on the same day as recycling collection. Specially designed trucks will use a mechanical arm to pick up and empty the green bins. As of October 31, regular garbage will only be collected every other week and must be placed at the curb in clear garbage bags rather than garbage bins. (Photo: City of Peterborough)

By: GreenUP

By next month, the City of Peterborough will have the opportunity to become a whole lot greener.

Eligible households are already receiving their Green Bins and becoming a part of the City’s organic waste and composting program. Household garbage will also need to be contained in a clear bag for bi-weekly collection, and bins won’t be permitted at the curb beginning October 31st.

Through these programs, we can take tangible climate action as a community. The simultaneous and connected shifts, however have led many residents to seek out more support and information to be successful.

Here are some tips and tricks from GreenUP staff amidst the new City of Peterborough Waste Programs:

• If you are eligible, and have already received your Green Bin, open it up to discover a kitchen catcher bin, a waste management calendar and guide (full of helpful tips, tricks, and detailed insights into City waste programs), bag samples, and more! More than 50% of your household waste should now, ideally, move to the Green Bin.
• Concerned about wildlife interfering with your bins? Reduce attractants by rinsing your recyclables, making sure your Green Bin is completely closed and locked, and storing your full clear bags securely until it’s time for them to go the curb (by 7 am). Taking your bags to the curb in the morning will reduce the number of nocturnal visitors!

Beginning October 31, 2023, the City of Peterborough will begin weekly collection of organic waste in green bins supplied to eligible households. On your collection day, place your green bin at the curb and ensure there’s at least two feet of clearance between the green bin and any other items set out for collection. That includes recycling bins, green waste bis or bags, or the clear garbage bags that replace traditional garbage bins. (Photo: GreenUP)

• Have a successful organics pick-up. Place your Green Bin out to the curb 2 feet away from any other bin, and point the arrows towards the street. The specialized truck that picks up the green bin will do so with a mechanical arm!
• A handy tip for keeping moisture out of your Green Bin: line it with scrap or shredded paper, paper towel, or paper bin liners.
• There is a mobile app that helps make sorting your materials easier. “City of Peterborough Waste,” features a collection calendar and a tool for what goes where. On a desktop? check out the sorting wizard here!
• Do you have a waste bin you no longer need? Repurpose it to collect seasonal yard waste instead of using leaf bags! Labels for yard waste bins are available for free from City Hall, GreenUP, and Home Hardware on Simcoe Street.
• Ensure you meet the 30lb per clear bag limit at the curb. Any heavier objects should instead be taken to the Peterborough Waste Management Facility at 1260 Bensfort Rd. in Otonabee-South Monaghan.
• GreenUP can help you identify ways to reduce your waste. If you want to replace common items that end up in the landfill like cling wrap, plastic straws, and sanitary pads, the GreenUP Store & Resource Centre at 378 Aylmer Street North has reusable, zero-plastic alternatives. The GreenUP Store also sells backyard compost bins, smaller collector bins, and City recycling bins – which are $8 – far less expensive than at big box stores.
• The environmental intention behind the clear bag waste system is that it prevents hidden recyclables or organics from being diverted to the landfill. Want to remove even more hard-to-recycle items from your clear bags? Some locations, including GreenUP, provide recycling collections for toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes, plastic razors, plastic coffee bags, and more!
• Last but not least, don’t forget to put your Hallowe’en pumpkins in the Green Bin. What great timing!

Beginning October 31, 2023, the City of Peterborough will begin weekly collection of organic waste in green bins supplied to eligible households. On your collection day, make sure the arrows on the green bin and the locking mechanism are pointing towards the street with the handles pointing towards your home. This is necessary so the collection truck’s mechanical arm can pick up and empty the green bin. (Photo: GreenUP)

Waste reduction requires thinking about what goes in the Green Bins and, more importantly, what we can keep out of the clear bags. Through these programs, it is estimated that greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by 1,943 tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2030 and by a total of 79,305 tonnes between 2023 and 2050. This could be compared to taking 18,000 cars off the roads for one year.

As residents, we all have the collective power to reduce the methane created in our landfill facility, by following our local waste management guidelines.