Questions and Answers

The following are some frequently asked questions about the Blue Box program, the transfer station, yard waste, the Green Bin program, and household hazardous waste.

Blue Box

What new materials can now be included in the Blue Box?

York Region now accepts aluminum foil (e.g. pie plates and trays), dry, empty metal paint cans with lids off, empty aerosol cans, rigid plastic containers for food and household cleaning products (excluding plastic bags, plastic wrap and Styrofoam), gable top containers (e.g. milk containers) and aseptic packaging (i.e., juice boxes). For a full list of items accepted by the Region, please click here.

Why are we now including plastic jars, tubs and lids in the Blue Box?

With the opening of the Waste Management Centre in East Gwillimbury, plastic jars, tubs and lids are included in the Blue Box because markets for these items have been developed.

What plastics should NOT be included in the Blue Box?

Please do not include plastic film (i.e. shopping bags), Styrofoam (i.e., expanded polystyrene) and plastic packaging. These materials are either costly or difficult to handle in our new Waste Management Centre or there is no viable market for these materials. We are exploring the feasibility of adding these items next year. For a full list of items not accepted by the Region, please click here.

What do plastic items become when recycled?

Plastics are used in the creation of many new products, including some surprising items. For example, plastic containers that are recycled go on to become things such as fleece shirts, new plastic containers, rulers, irrigation pipes and more. Other recyclables, such as milk cartons become paper towels and empty paint cans are made into new cans.

Do paint cans have to be empty to be acceptable for recycling?

At a maximum, there may be 1/2 cm of dried paint left in cans with lids removed for recycling. If there is more dried paint left, either scrape off the excess and place the can in your blue box, or dispose of the can in your regular garbage. If there is any liquid paint left, please take it to a Household Hazardous Waste Depot for safe disposal.

What is the new Waste Management Centre?

The new Waste Management Centre, located at 100 Garfield Wright Boulevard in the Town of East Gwillimbury, is York Region's state-of-the-art facility. The Centre consists of a materials recovery facility (MRF), garbage and food waste transfer stations and education centre.

Where can I learn more about waste diversion and recycling?

Here are some links where you can learn more about waste diversion and recycling in Ontario:

Yard Waste

Why kraft?

Yard waste is shredded prior to composting. Plastic bags don't degrade and the shredded plastic must be screened out of the compost and landfilled. This process costs taxpayers over $200,000/year. In addition, it's impossible to remove all the plastic fragments resulting in a low quality compost.

Worse yet, a portion of the compost screens out with the plastic and gets landfilled, reducing our diversion efforts by as much as 20%. Kraft bags decompose naturally and can be composted with the yard waste, thereby reducing processing costs and improving diversion.

How much more will this cost me?

Regional staff surveyed local stores in September 2004. Kraft bags averaged between 28� - 60� each. They are approximately 29� more costly than equivalent plastic bags. The lowest price was found at Costco.

The purchase of 10 kraft bags per year will increase costs to the resident by the equivalent of a coffee and donut at Tim Hortons. The purchase of fifty bags increases net costs by about the price of a medium pizza. The purchase of one hundred bags amounts to a net increase of less than a case of beer. These costs can be cut in half by using a reusable container for yard waste throughout the year and eliminated by composting or mulching fall leaves.

I'll need twice as many paper bags!

Comparisons done by the Cities of Toronto and Hamilton and York Region consistently show that kraft bags hold the same volume and weight as plastic yard waste bags. Premium plastic bags hold up to 121 litres. Kraft bags hold between 113 � 136 litres.

Will the bottoms drop out when they're wet?

Kraft yard waste bags are protected with a wet-strength coating that resists water absorption. In late fall, remember to not let the bags freeze to pavement. Place them on the grass boulevard instead. In municipalities where grass is still collected, residents should be instructed to leave the bags open to dry the material out.

York is the second last major jurisdiction in Ontario to switch to kraft bags. Waterloo Region has been using them without problems for more than a decade. The City of Toronto tested kraft bags throughout the collection season of 1998 and collection crews reported no durability issues.

Are they awkward to use?

Kraft bags are easier to use than plastic bags because they stand up and open without collapsing and they won't puncture from twigs as easily as plastic bags.

Do I have to use kraft bags?

Residents can also set their yard waste out at the curb in rigid, open-topped containers (without a lid) such as an extra garbage can or bushel baskets. Labels are available from the Region or your local municipality.

Residents who don't want to pay for kraft bags can also shred leaves with their lawn mowers and use them as mulch on flower beds or compost them.

What can I do with my leftover plastic bags?

Plastic bags can be taken back to local retailers for recycling. For more information about the recently launched Plastic Bag Take-Back program, click here. Leftover plastic bags can also be used as regular garbage bags. They can also be donated to local charities that collect textiles.

Where can I buy kraft bags?

Most major hardware store chains, garden centres, some grocery stores and drug stores carry the type of kraft bags suitable for leaf and yard waste collection. At this time, retail outlets offering bags include: Home Depot, Home Hardware, Canadian Tire, IGA and Loblaws.

Household Hazardous Waste

Additional Items accepted at the Region's Household Hazardous Waste Depots:

Air conditioners	Lime
Broken thermometers	Mortar
Cement bags	Oil tanks cleaned out
Dehumidifiers (containing compressor and coil)	Oxygen tanks (medical use only, maximum 5 pounds)
Driveway sealers	Residual oil
Fertilizers	Road salts
Fire extinguishers	Smoke detectors
Furnace oil (place in 20 L sealed containers for transport)	Water softener salts
Lead-based paint chips

Transfer Stations

Additional Items accepted at the Region's Transfer Stations:

Car brakes	Outboard motors (drained of oil and gas)
Cedar strip wood	Pressure treated woods
Ceiling tiles	Railway ties (4ft long or less)
Drywall	Roofing shingles
Dry powder molder	Snowblower (drained of oil and gas)
Insulation without asbestos	Swimming pools (under 1 metric tonne)
Oil tanks (cleaned out)	Toilets and plumbing fixtures

How do I dispose of my used toilet?

If you are having your toilet replaced by a professional installer, ask if they will take the toilet away as part of the service.

Toilets can be disposed of, for a fee, at York Region's Waste Transfer Station in Georgina. Please note that at this time, toilets brought to this facility will be treated as garbage.

Once the McCleary Court Community Environmental Centre in Vaughan opens later this spring, used toilets can also be brought here for disposal. Please note that a fee will apply.

You can also check with your local municipality regarding the curbside collection of toilets in your area.

Aurora King Richmond Hill

East Gwillimbury Markham Vaughan

Georgina Newmarket Whitchurch-Stouffville

Can I recycle my used toilet?

At this time there are no local end markets to process and recycle used toilets. York Region Waste Management staff are currently researching the possibility of recycling used toilets and establishing an end market to receive these materials in the future.

Green Bin

Can yard waste go in the Green Bin?

No. If you receive curb-side collection of yard waste, please continue to use kraft paper bags or rigid open-top containers/garbage cans for your yard waste. The composting process is different for yard waste than it is for Green Bin material. Yard waste in large quantities can inhibit the composting process if not managed properly.

Do I still need to backyard compost if I have the Green Bin?

We encourage you to continue backyard composting as you are able to produce your own compost for your plants and gardens at home. Yard waste can be placed in your backyard composter, but not the Green Bin. However, there are additional items that are not recommended for the backyard composter, but are accepted in the Green Bin program, such as pet waste, meat, fish and diapers.

What type of bags are accepted as a liner and can I put plastic bags in the bin?

Paper bags or certified compostable bags can be used to line the Green Bin. Plastic bags such as grocery bags are no longer accepted as liners. Certified compostable bags will display a Compostable logo. Compostable bags break down into compost and are a more sustainable, environmentally-friendly option for the Green Bin program. For more information on compostable bags or to see the Compostable logo image click here.

Why are diapers and pet waste allowed in the Green Bin?

During the composting process the organic material reaches a high enough temperature that the compost is pasteurized, killing any pathogenic or infectious materials. Diapers also have a significant paper content that is organic and compostable, and the plastic material found on a diaper will be screened from the final composted product.

Pizza boxes and paper plates are recyclable and compostable. Should I recycle it or compost it?

If your recyclable paper products are not heavily soiled with food, it is best to recycle these items in your Blue Box, but if your pizza box, for example, is heavily soiled in pizza sauce and cheese you can tear your box into smaller pieces and place in your Green Bin to be composted.

Contact Us

For further information, please e-mail us at: EnvironmentalServices@york.ca or call the Region at 905-895-1207 for waste management options.