Trash Talk

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Garbage cans are now mandatory. Please be aware of the following and refer to the links on this page:

• Garbage collection every two weeks;
• Weekly green bin pickup year-round;
• Blue and black box pickup on alternating weeks.

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Safeguarding garbage

Residents who do not have garden sheds or garages will need to protect their  garbage from invasion by wildlife and pets. Rinse meat trays and refrain from placing meat leftovers in garbage cans and you can avoid problems with maggots. Lining your garbage can with a heavy-duty plastic bag may reduce pests. A successful idea at keeping squirrels away from your garbage can is to attach a  mesh bag containing dog or cat hair.

Recycling food waste

Residents who do not have garden sheds or garages will need to protect their garbage from invasion by wildlife and pets. Rinse meat trays and refrain from  placing meat leftovers in garbage cans and you can avoid problems with maggots. Lining your garbage can with a heavy-duty plastic bag may reduce pests. A successful idea at keeping squirrels away from your garbage can is to attach a  mesh bag containing dog or cat hair.
 
Reducing garbage by improved recycling with green bin use –  the best defence is to recycle and to use your green bin for every bit of food waste. During the warm weather especially, stash discarded meat products in your freezer and add them to the green bin the night before garbage collection. Cleaning with a hose, some soap and vinegar also helps prevent maggots. Green bins can be lined with bags, newspapers and yard clippings to help keep them cleaner and  prevent freezing in winter.

Keeping your bin clean

Liners:      
Some residents may find using liners will help keep their bins neat, or prevent contents from freezing to the bin during  winter.      

• Use newspaper or any other paper-based product (like cereal boxes or waxed milk  cartons) to line the bottom of your container(s). Wrapping items in newsprint or flyers prior to placement in the green bin will also help to keep the containers clean.     
• Make a home-made bin liner from old newspaper.       
• The City's Green Bin program does not accept compostable or biodegradable plastic bin  liners.

Warm weather tips:  

• Rinse the  green bin with your garden hose periodically to keep it clean, especially if you don’t line your bin with paper    
• Capture  fruit flies (more common during warm weather) with a bowl of vinegar covered  with plastic wrap with several small holes in it. Empty as required.
• Put salt  or vinegar on maggots to kill them. If maggots appear in the green bin, a fly  has laid eggs on some exposed food waste.  
• Wrap wet food waste (e.g. meat, fish, fruit and vegetable waste) in old newspaper or used  paper towel.
• Use the special food waste bag or other paper (e.g. grocery popcorn, sugar, flour or  potato) bags to hold your material.   
• Put meat  and fish waste into a paper bag and then in your freezer until collection day    
• Alternate  layers of food waste with layers of dry waste (e.g. leaves, dead plants,  sawdust, wood shavings).
• Periodically rinse the green bin using a mild detergent or white  vinegar/water solution immediately after collection.     
• Sprinkle a  small amount of powdered garden lime, baking soda or powered laundry detergent  (no bleach) in the green bin.

City of Ottawa: garbage and recycling schedule

The weekly pickup of garbage has ended.  Why not sign up for City of Ottawa reminders about garbage collection? Click on Create a reminder,
and choose the option that works for you.

For practical tips and information, check out the City of Ottawa website under Garbage and Recycling. You can then put into action any strategies that you need to use to make this transition go smoothly for yourself and the community.

Topics include: Green Bin and Leaf and Yard Waste; Recycling; Collection Calendar; Waste Explorer; Upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Depots, to name a few.

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Please don't...

Placing garbage, yard waste or remains from a house or yard clean-up out at the curb many days before the actual garbage day, sends an open  invitation to animals and vandals.

Please respect where you live and this neighbourhood. Store your clean-up items in your yard,  your garbage in a secure storage area and place these items at the curb at the  appropriate time.
 
On that note, THANK YOU to residents who go above and beyond or clean up garbage spill-overs!

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Please do...

• Set out your garbage no earlier than the evening before garbage collection day;
  
• Use animal proof containers DO NOT USE plastic bags for food waste.
  
• Clean up your own garbage if it has been strewn over the pick-up area.