Toronto's special garbage collection completed

City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:

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News Release:  July 22, 2013     

Toronto's special garbage collection completed

The City of Toronto has completed the special garbage collection for materials damaged by flooding following the intense rainfall on July 8.

 

Solid Waste Management Services collected approximately 4,100 tonnes of flood-damaged material across the city.

Regularly scheduled garbage, Blue Bin (recycling), Green Bin (organics) and leaf/yard waste collections will resume on Tuesday, July 23. Residents should follow their collection calendar and are reminded about basic set-out requirements:

• If you have more garbage than will fit in your bin, you can leave extra garbage bags beside the Garbage Bin for collection with a City-issued bag tag attached to each garbage bag. Garbage-bag tags can be purchased in packages of five for $15.50 ($3.10 each) at local Canadian Tire stores.

• The City will continue picking up oversized/bulky items such as box springs and mattresses, furniture, lamps and luggage. These items can be placed out next to your Garbage Bin for free collection. No tags or special arrangements are needed. The City regularly collects these items in a separate truck for reuse, recycling or disassembling at no cost and keeps them out of the landfill.

• Carpeting should be tied in rolls measuring no longer than 1.2 metres (four feet) and weighing less than 20 kilograms (44 pounds).

• Electronic waste will be collected separately on your regularly scheduled garbage day. Set these items out for pickup half a metre (about two feet) away from your Garbage Bin.

The City cannot collect household hazardous waste (such as paint cans, fluorescent lighting tubes/bulbs). These items should be taken to a Drop-off Depot or your local Community Environment Day for safe disposal. Toxic Taxi also provides free pickup of 10 to 50 litres/kilograms of hazardous materials. Call 311 to book an appointment.

Construction/renovation waste (such as drywall and wood) should be taken to a Drop-off Depot or residents can arrange for removal by a private waste disposal company.

Check Waste Wizard, the online search tool at http://app.toronto.ca/wes/winfo/search.do, or call 311 if you are unsure of how to properly dispose of waste materials.  

Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Media contact: Siobhan Ramsay, Senior Communications Co-ordinator, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5001, sramsay@toronto.ca