It’s a common situation: You’re standing with your hand hovering between the recycling and garbage bins, not sure how to dispose of an item. You end up throwing it in the recycling bin because you want to help the planet.
It can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to dispose of items correctly. The instructions are confusing and vary between municipalities, and you can’t always trust the little recycling symbol that tells you an item is recyclable.
Yet it’s important to get it right to keep the system working effectively. In this post, I reveal some of the most commonly mis-sorted items in Toronto and how to sort them properly.
Toronto’s waste problem
Every year, the City of Toronto manages nearly 830,000 tonnes of waste. That’s a whole lot of waste and requires money, energy and other resources to handle.
430,000 tonnes of this waste are collected as recycling, organics and yard waste. Approximately 30% of recycling and 20 to 25% of organics end up as garbage because of contamination (incorrect placement of items).
It’s important to divert as much material as possible from the landfill to extend the life of the City’s Green Lane Landfill, which is expected to reach capacity in 2035.
Wishcycling and the importance of recycling right
Wishcycling is the practice of throwing an item in the recycling bin when you’re not sure whether it’s recyclable, hoping it will get recycled. The action may seem harmless, but it can cause problems down the line.
When there’s contamination, the whole batch of items may not be able to be recycled. For example, if food waste is mixed in with paper, the paper may become greasy and not be able to be recovered. In addition, contamination takes effort and money to process, can be dangerous for workers who are processing items by hand and can damage machinery.
Properly sorting waste into the right bins can reduce contamination in waste streams, reduce the materials going to landfill and benefit the environment. We all have a role in contributing to the recycling system, including staying informed about how to recycle and participating in recycling programs.
Commonly confused items in Toronto
According to the City of Toronto, dog poop, food scraps and black plastics are some of the most common items incorrectly placed in recycling bins. Coffee and tea pods are also commonly mis-placed.
Here’s how to sort those items properly, plus some other items that I always find tricky or was surprised about the correct way to sort.
Aluminum foil (tin foil)
This metallic foil for wrapping food should go in the garbage, regardless of whether it’s clean or soiled.
Biodegradable or compostable plastic
Some cutlery, packaging and other plastics are labelled as biodegradable or compostable. Despite their label, these items should go in the garbage.
Learn more about biodegradable packaging here.
Black plastics
Did you know that black plastic items, like takeout containers and plastic bags, should go in the garbage? This is because there’s a small market for black plastic and the sorting technology at the recycling facility can’t distinguish black plastic from the conveyor belt.
Bubble wrap
This packing material should go in the garbage.
Coffee cups (paper)
Disposable paper beverage cups can now go in the recycling through a pilot program launched in July 2024. This includes cups used for hot drinks like coffee or tea and those used for cold drinks like fountain drinks.
Make sure to empty and rinse your cup and remove the sleeve and lid. These can both be recycled as well (as long as the lid isn’t made of black or compostable plastic).
Compostable coffee pods
Like other plastic-based materials that are labelled compostable, coffee pods should go in the garbage. However, check with the manufacturer since some may have take-back programs.
Dog poop
Dog poop should go in the green bin. It can be placed in a plastic bag since bags are removed during pre-processing.
Food scraps
Food scraps should always go in the green bin.
Menstrual pads and tampons (disposable)
Disposable pads and tampons can go in the green bin. However, the plastic wrapper and tampon applicators should go in the garbage.
Milk and juice cartons
Cartons for products like milk and juice should go in the recycling. Make sure to empty the carton completely first. Cartons do not need to be flattened.
Pizza boxes
Empty, unsoiled pizza boxes can go in the recycling. Soiled boxes should go in the green bin. Make sure to remove any plastic and put it in the garbage.
Plastic cutlery
Plastic cutlery should go in the recycling. However, there’s the usual caveat that black and compostable plastic cutlery should go in the garbage.
Plastic grocery bags
Empty, clean plastic grocery bags can go in the recycling (as long as they’re not made of black or compostable plastic). Of course, I’d encourage you to find another use for the bag before tossing it!
Plastic wrap (cling wrap)
Plastic wrap for food should go in the garbage.
Receipts
Receipts made of shiny/thermal paper should go in the garbage, while receipts made of matte paper should go in the recycling.
Personally, I have trouble telling the different kinds of paper apart, so if you have any tips, please let me know!
Shampoo and conditioner bottles
Bottles for hair products like shampoo and conditioner should go in the recycling. Make sure the bottle is empty since shampoo and conditioner are considered hazardous waste. Leave the lid or pump on.
Straws
Plastic straws should go in the garbage.
Paper straws can go in the green bin as long as they are not lined with wax or plastic. Paper straws with a lining should go in the garbage.
Styrofoam
Clean white styrofoam can go in the recycling. Styrofoam that’s soiled, black or shorter than four inches should go in the garbage.
Tea bags
Paper tea bags can go in the green bin. For nylon and silk tea bags, empty the tea into the green bin, then throw the bag in the garbage.
Plastic, foil and plastic-lined tea bag wrappers should go in the garbage, while paper wrappers can go in the recycling.
Toothpaste tubes
Plastic toothpaste tubes should go in the garbage.
Wax paper (parchment paper)
Wax paper and parchment paper, such as you might use for baking, should go in the garbage.
If you’re ever in doubt about how to dispose of an item correctly, check the Toronto Waste Wizard or the TOwaste app.
Plus, you can check this page about blue bin recycling that has a more comprehensive list of what’s accepted in the recycling system in Toronto.
Do you have a correction or a suggestion for an item to add to this list? Get in touch at stepstowardsustainability@gmail.com.
Other recycling tips for Toronto
Here are a few other tips to keep in mind when you’re recycling in Toronto:
- Empty and rinse cans and bottles, then put the lid or cap back on (if applicable).
- Put shredded paper in a clear plastic bag, and tie the bag closed.
- Place small pieces of paper (smaller than a business card) in an envelope or with shredded paper.
- Flatten cardboard boxes (including smaller boxes like cereal boxes) before placing them in the recycling.
- Place items in the recycling bin loose (not bagged).
Where recycling fits in the waste hierarchy
Recycling allows materials to be processed and turned into new items, giving them a new life. It helps advance the circular economy by ensuring materials are diverted from our natural environment and kept in circulation. For example, Circular Materials, an organization focused on building enhanced recycling systems, is developing a Material Access Program, which will return recycled material directly back to producers for use in new products and packaging.
While recycling is one solution for tackling our waste problem, it’s worth noting that recycling is not the preferred option in the waste hierarchy. Instead, we should prioritize waste prevention through reducing the amount of materials we use, and reusing or repairing items when possible. Reducing and reusing are the most impactful options because they use fewer resources and less energy than recycling materials into a new product.
Sorting items correctly for a healthy planet
Educating ourselves on the correct way to sort items in Toronto is a small step we can take to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the recycling system. The system may not be perfect, but our efforts help it work better. If you’re ever not sure how to dispose of something, I’d encourage you to consult this blog post or the Waste Wizard!
I want to know: What items do you always have trouble knowing how to sort?
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I had no idea about the black plastic! I’ll have to look into that for Halifax. Didn’t know about WasteWizard either! I don’t use many products so I don’t usually find myself wondering how to recycle what I use, but now I’m curious if I can’t recycle paper that has markings on it from pencil, charcoal, ink etc, because I’ve been doing that for years >.>
Yeah, I didn’t realize about black plastic either until I was researching this post! It’s confusing how the rules vary between cities. It looks like there’s a similar tool for Halifax: https://www.halifax.ca/home-property/garbage-recycling-green-cart/collection-schedules-what-goes-where
That’s a good question about paper with markings on it! I imagine pencil and ink markings are fine to recycle. But you could try checking with the City or other sustainability-focused artists.