Waste Free Toronto

Buy Recycled

Buying recycled products is another way to reduce waste. Recycled materials don’t use as many raw materials and natural resources. They also use less water and save energy. Recycled products also help keep the green recycling economy thriving.

Recycled content is used for many products:

• office or school supplies (paper, pens and printing cartridges)
• home supplies (paint, storage bins and garbage bags)
• clothing or reusable bags made with plastic fibres

Choosing paper made from 100% recycled paper instead of trees uses 50% less water and energy - and it saves trees!

Challenge:

• If you’re buying new products, choose something that is made of recycled materials. Aim for 100% post-consumer recycled content.
• Share a photo or tell us about it

Take the extra step:
Write to a company that you buy from and ask them to include more recycled content in their products.

Think Twice Before You Buy!

Did you know that you can help the environment and reduce waste by simply not buying something? By repairing, sharing, swapping or re-using things, you can avoid wasteful packaging and avoid sending more things to landfill - and you’ll probably save money.

We can buy less, share things, or buy second-hand things to reduce the waste impact of what we own.

This includes things like borrowing a book from the library, or sharing tools with a neighbour instead of buying your own. You can also buy second hand clothing or donate your old furniture to a charitable store.

Challenge: 

• Instead of buying something new, reconsider it – borrow it from a friend, or rent it instead. Or, if you really need your own, buy it second hand. Share a photo and tell us about it!
• Instead of throwing out something you don’t use anymore, donate or sell it to someone who could use it. Tell us about it! The City of Toronto website lists local non-profit groups that accept donations of used goods.

Take the extra step:
Repair it! Instead of tossing something out, get it repaired, or learn to maintain it yourself so it lasts longer. Mend your clothes, or get them altered by a tailor. Tell us about your repair adventure and snap a photo!

Use Toronto’s Trash Tools

Did you know that in Toronto, more than half of what residents are putting into their garbage bag shouldn't be there? Much of what is put out as garbage can actually be recycled or composted.

There is a lot to learn about Toronto’s waste, and how we can reduce it.

The good news is that the City has a number of user-friendly tools to help you put your waste in the right place!

Challenge:

• Visit toronto.ca/wastewizard and bookmark the Waste Wizard, a simple online search tool to identify where to put your waste.
• The free City waste calendar lists waste collection days and each month features a number of tips on how to sort your waste - if you didn’t get one, order one now by calling 311 or send an email to [email protected] and ask for a Waste Calendar.

Tip:  See "What Goes Where" on City of Toronto website for links to information on how to sort and set out your waste.

Take the extra step:
If you already use the City tools above, share these links with a friend, or a family member.

Send your Electronics to a Better Place

Electronic waste, or e-waste, is a growing problem in Canada. It includes computers, cell phones (and their cables and batteries), TVs, printers, stereos and speakers. The heavy metals, flame retardants and rare minerals in e-waste can be extremely harmful to the environment and human health. Some estimate that e-waste only makes up 4% of the waste stream, but it accounts for 70% of the toxic pollution in our landfills.

The best thing is to keep e-waste out of landfill. Repair your old electronics if you can still use them, or donate or sell them to someone who can use them. But if it’s definitely not fix-able, send your e-waste to be safely recycled by the City.

Challenge: 

• Repair, reuse or recycle your old electronics. Upload a photo in the comments below and tell us about it!
  
  

How to recycle your e-waste

• If you live in a house, just set out your e-waste on garbage day. Use the green bag delivered with your waste calendar, or put the waste in a box by the curb (best to put out a number of things at once).

• If you live in an apartment or condo, talk with your building manager about getting an e-waste collection spot for the whole building. When it's full, they just call the City for collection.

• You can drop off e-waste (and other special waste) at Community Environment Days held across Toronto in the spring, summer and fall. Community Environment Days are held in each ward, ensuring that residents in all parts of the City have a nearby location to safely handle waste. Find out when your local event is on the City website.

Did you recycle or reuse your old electroncis? Send us a photo and tell us about it below!

Knowing how much waste you produce will help you identify how it can be reduced!

• Use Tool #1 OR Tool #2 below to calculate the approximate garbage your household creates in a year.
• Enter your calculated household waste per year in the comment box below to complete the challenge.

The Waste Free Challenge is 10 simple steps that anyone in Toronto can take.
Tell us about you, and why you are taking the Challenge!