Editor's note: The following does not affect residents in the City of Barrie, which handles its own waste collection.
With Simcoe County's new automated collection carts set to roll out starting next week, residents may have questions about what to do with their old garbage, recycling, and organics bins.
Starting Nov. 1, residents can drop off any old curbside collection bins – which include green bins, blue or grey bins and any garbage bins – at any county waste facility. The drop-offs will be free between Nov. 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022 only.
According to Rob McCullough, director of solid waste management, the county does not collect old, obsolete green bins, blue boxes, grey boxes or plastic resin containers at the curb. The old bins will be recycled or reused through their bulky rigid plastics program.
“We do have a recycler who will be taking and recycling the plastic containers. They are not going into our landfill,” said McCullough. “Steel garbage cans will be added to our scrap metal program at the sites.”
“Containers brought into us will be allowed to be taken back out by other site users should they have a need for them. Only those left over or broken will be sent for recycling,” he added.
The county has offered suggestions on how the old bins can be re-purposed for use by homeowners after Nov. 1.
Blue boxes can be used for occasional overflow recyclables, to place leaf and yard waste at the curb, or for storage.
Garbage cans can be used for occasional overflow garbage, but will require a county garbage tag to be affixed. Garbage cans can also be used for storing rakes, shovels or hockey sticks.
Green bins can be used to store items like birdseed, pet food or driveway sand or salt in the winter.
If you’d like to read about other ideas on creative ways to reuse your old waste bins, click here.
