Residents may wish to purchase liners for use in the kitchen container and Green Bin. A liner is used to help keep containers clean. Liners help prevent food scraps from sticking to the bottom of the bins. If wet food scraps freeze and stick to the bottom of the bins, not all the contents will be emptied during collection.

Liners can usually be purchased from hardware and grocery stores. The approximate cost per bag varies depending on the product and where it is purchased. We found the following price ranges:

• Small Green Bin liners: Between $0.40 to $1.50 per bag
• Large Green Bin liners: Between $0.80 to $1.50 per bag
• Kitchen catcher liners: Between $0.15 to $0.70 per bag

By way of a London example, reusable containers can be used for yard waste as part of the Green Week collections. However, many Londoners choose to pay between 35 cents and 50 cents per paper bag to facilitate their participation in the collection program.

The type of liner permitted differs from municipality to municipality, and the type permitted could impact householder experience and cost. Liners types include:

In a few municipalities plastic bags are permitted for the convenience of citizens, and during COVID-19 plastic bag liners have been required in a few municipalities for perceived/potential hygiene issues.

What type of bin liner?

The type of liner permitted will depend on which materials are permitted in the Green Bin. For example, municipalities that accept diapers also accept plastic bag liners. The table below provides details on Green Bin liners used in Ontario and some other Canadian municipalities.

When you consider what type of bin liner you would like used in London’s program, consider that your decision should be consistent with the type of materials (e.g. food waste, diapers, etc.) you would like to see permitted. A key decision is whether plastic should be permitted in the Green Bin program. Plastics are often introduced if either diapers and sanitary products are permitted materials and if plastic bags are permitted as bin liners. Generally plastic bag liners are used in programs that allow diapers and sanitary products.

Allowing diapers and sanitary products in the Green Bin will increase processing costs. Diversion through the Green Bin could increase; however, the diapers and sanitary products are not composted or digested; therefore, they still end up in the landfill. The main benefit to adding these materials is the convenience it offers to households which would otherwise need to store these materials for garbage collection over the longer collection cycle. Learn more about what can go in the Green Bin.

It has been proposed that garbage collection will be reduced to bi-weekly (every two weeks on the same day) when the Green Bin program begins. Green Bin and Blue Box will be collected weekly on the same day. Learn more about bi-weekly garbage collection.

What about other municipalities?

Acceptable Green Bin Liners

Notes:

¹ Green Bin materials must be bagged during COVID-19

² Variations exist across the Region of Durham. Some municipalities make liners mandatory

³ This was enacted during COVID-19 and intend to make this permanent