In Niagara Region, pet droppings can be put in the green bin
Published January 13, 2022 at 3:52 pm
Did you know that in Niagara Region, pet droppings can be put in your green bin?
While most pet-owners scoop it and pitch in the nearest garbage can, the region’s waste department says it’s perfectly acceptable refuse in green bins provided it’s wrapped in newspaper or placed in a certified compostable plastic bag.
As well, so long as it’s in a compostable plastic, cat litter can also be placed in the green bin so long as it’s not clay-based litter which doesn’t decompose.
While most residents have been using the green bin just for organic material, such as food stuff, Niagara’s green bins also accept: examination table paper, facial tissues, fireplace ashes, hair (human and animal), sawdust, and paper-based products such as plates, bags, muffin cups, napkins and straws.
In many regions, paper-based products are blue box only.
The waste department says most of the waste placed in the garbage stream is organic waste (such as food waste) and should be composted. Using the Green Bin diverts this organic material from the garbage and saves valuable landfill space.
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They added that organic material needs oxygen to properly break down into soil and will not break down in a landfill. Without oxygen, organic material buried in a landfill produces methane gas, which is 20 times worse for the environment than carbon dioxide.
“Green Bin material is taken to a composting facility and turned into valuable compost in only eight weeks.” they said.
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