Green Bin contents change on Monday; less plastic, more kitty litter

In an effort to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills, the Niagara Region's Green Bin program will be undergoing a few changes on Monday, September 1st. The biggest of these changes is that plastics such as grocery bags, food packaging and clear green liners will no longer be allowed in the bins. All of these items need to be sorted out at the waste processing plant and create an unnecessary expense for taxpayers. If you continue to put these items in the bin, starting next week your trash will be left at the curb.

In place of the green liners that many of you use there are clear brown liners that are biodegradable and will be allowed in the green bins. They can be purchased in most grocery stores and will have a Biodegradable Product Institute logo right on the box. If it doesn't have the BPI logo, it's can't go in the bin. Paper bags will also be acceptable.

While the region takes some of it's bad content out of the green bin, it's letting you put some good content in there as well. As of this Monday you'll now be able to put kitty litter and pet waste in with your organics. Because of the biohazard concerns involved with animal waste, you need to make sure it's wrapped up in a BPI bag or some newspaper.

The only other change is to yard waste collection. The same rules about plastics apply, however you can now use a seperate container like a garbage can so long as it's clearly identified as organic only. Time to break out the magic markers and glitter glue, people!

Image: TreeHugger

TAGS: Garbage, Green Bin, Niagara, Niagara Region, Organics, Recycling, Waste