There are lots of types of items that don’t seem like they should be thrown away, but you don’t know how or where they can be recycled. Luckily, the city of Toronto offers lots of options for a wide variety of waste and recycling.
Light bulbs
Light bulbs and other glass are not accepted in the blue bin in the city of Toronto. Placing these items with other recycling can result in recycling employee injury and contaminated recycling. Light bulb waste is becoming a huge problem in Toronto, as it is both toxic and sharp. However, you can enroll in a pick up or mail-in program that specifically accepts light bulbs. This is usually free and sometimes earns you rewards from the company. To make it easier, you can store used light bulbs in a safe storage area until you are ready to mail.
Electronics
Old electronics like laptops, computers, televisions, hard drives and DVD players should not be thrown away. For the sake of the planet and the privacy of your information, they should be disposed of properly. There are plenty of ewaste toronto companies that specialize in electronic wiping and disposal, sometimes up-cycling the parts that are still functional. These companies usually have drop-off locations for your convenience.
Hazardous Waste
Household hazardous waste includes anything that is corrosive, explosive, flammable or poisonous. Examples include household cleaning products, antifreeze, batteries and pesticides. These types of items can be dangerous to people, animals and the environment and they need to be handled properly. The city offers free-pick up, which needs to be pre-arranged, in addition to multiple drop-off points. Community environment days usually include a hazardous waste collection center, as well.
Don’t just indiscriminately throw everything in your blue bin, that can be dangerous for all parties involved. Take the time to separate out different types of recycling and be a responsible steward of our planet!
