Update: How to recycle during shut down of composting facility

HAMILTON, ON – Yesterday, the City of Hamilton began the process of shutting down its Central Composting Facility in response to odour issues.

Today, the City is encouraging residents to continue participating in the composting, recycling and yard waste programs. At this time, all materials typically destined for Hamilton’s Central Composting Facility are being redirected to a different facility.

Some changes that residents should be aware of:

1. Food scraps and soiled paper products should still go in the green bin. At this time, some food scraps are being temporarily redirected to the landfill, but for operational reasons, residents are encouraged to continue using their green bins.
2. All yard waste should go in a paper yard waste bag or other clearly marked open-top reusable rigid container (i.e. bins, baskets or garbage can without a lid).  All yard waste will continue to be composted at a different site to produce high quality compost.
3. There are no changes to the blue box program.
4. There are no changes to waste collection – each single family household can still put out one bag or can of garbage each week for pick up. Additional bags still require a trash tag.

The City encourages residents to leave their grass clippings on their lawns to reduce the amount of grass being picked up at the curb, and provide food and nutrients to worms and grass. Residents who don’t wish to leave their grass clippings on their lawns can place grass with their leaf and yard waste.

Tips for proper recycling of leaf and yard waste:

• Use paper bags, not plastic bags
• Use open top reusable rigid containers (i.e. bins, baskets or a garbage can without a lid) preferably marked with a City of Hamilton yard waste sticker, available for free at all Municipal Service and Recreation Centres
• Do not use cardboard boxes or blue boxes for yard waste
• Ensure bags and containers weigh less than 50 pounds
• Bundle branches and twigs and tie them together with string in bundles no longer than 1.2m (4ft) and .75m (2.5ft) in diameter. Individual branches can’t be larger than 7cm (2.5in) in diameter. Branches that are more than 7cm (or 2.5in) in diameter should be dropped off at Community Recycling Centres
• Do not let branches stick out of the yard waste bag
• Do not rake yard waste and leaves onto the roadway

The City thanks residents for their continued participation in the recycling and waste programs.

Additional Resources:

• Yard Waste Program
• Waste & Recycling Programs