Diapers, menstrual products added to green bin stream in Durham Region starting July 1

Green bins will be taking more items away from landfill starting July 1, with Durham Region now accepting diapers, menstrual products, incontinence products, pet waste and pet litter for weekly curbside collection.

All materials will be processed at the Region’s Anaerobic Digestion facility, using technology that allows for the additional materials to be accepted and collected weekly, rather than every other week. Anaerobic digestion is considered the preferred solution for Durham because the technology produces renewable natural gas and fertilizer from the green bin materials.

The revised program is designed to maximize waste diversion, minimize the waste being processed at the Durham York Energy Centre, increase convenience and achieve compliance with Ontario’s Food and Organic Waste Policy Statement.

Residents are still required to use 100 per cent certified compostable liner bags for disposing of all green bin organic waste. Although the system is designed to remove non-organic materials, the less plastic introduced the easier it is to manage and the less likely that plastic material will make its way into the finished digestate.

Starting July 1 a limited number of additional green bins will be available for residents to buy (one per household) at a reduced rate of $10. Additional bins can be purchased for the regular price of $19.

There is no limit to the number of green bins that can be set out for collection each week with a maximum weight per bin of 20 kilograms (44 pounds).

For more information visit durham.ca/GreenBin or download the Durham Region Waste and Whitby Waste Buddy apps The apps, available free on Google Play or the App Store, provide residents with customized collection schedules, reminders about collection days, the Know Before You Throw search tool and service alerts.