Green Bin
Collection
Green bin material is collected every week on your regular collection day.
Place your green bin at the curb by 7 AM on your collection day or after 7 PM the night before.
Collection times can change without notice so don’t miss the truck!
Prevent dog poop from decomposing and getting into our local streams and rivers, always bring it home and put it in the green bin!
Watch this video to learn how dog owners can protect our environment.
To help reduce the amount of pet waste ending up in the landfill, the City has installed green bins in all dogs' off-leash areas.
Visit Off-Leash Dog Parks to learn more.
- Make the Most of Your Green Bin
Make Collection Easier
- Reuse any plastic bag to line your kitchen container and green bin;
- Make sure your green bin weighs less than 18kilograms;
- Lid must be fully closed:
- Use a clear bag for excess organic material and place beside your green bin at the curb;
Don't Forget the Bathroom
Use a kitchen container or other small bin to collect organic material in the bathroom, like tissues, empty toilet paper rolls and sanitary products. Remember to remove all plastic packaging.
Reduce Odours and Pests
- Keep it clean:
- Clean your green bin regularly with dish soap or simply rinse with a hose
- Spray with vinegar or sprinkle with baking soda
- Place newspaper or flyers at the bottom to absorb moisture
- Store meat, fish, bones in the freezer until collection day
- Set out the morning of your collection day, not the night before
- What Goes in Your Green Bin
Organics recycling is one of the easiest things you can do to help our environment. Keeping organic waste out of landfill reduces the methane that contributes to greenhouse gases.
Food and food scraps
- Bones – meat and seafood
- Egg shells
- Coffee grounds, tea bags
- Fats, oil and grease (F.O.G) go in the green bin, NOT down the drain! To learn more, visit Protect Your Pipes!
Soiled paper and paper products
- Paper coffee cups (no lids)
- Paper towels, napkins and tissues
- Soiled paper plates and pizza boxes
- Small amounts of shredded paper
Other
- Diapers, adult briefs and feminine hygiene products
- Hair and fur
- Pet waste and kitty litter
For more items that go in your green bin, use the What Goes Where search tool to help you recycle right, recycle more!
Backyard Composters
Home composting is a great way to make your own free nutrient-rich soil for your yard and garden. It is very important to note that not all food scraps are accepted and regular maintenance is necessary to deter pests like mice and rats. Rats are a fact of life in the City, to help avoid attracting them to your backyard composter, continue using your curbside green bin for items such as cooked food, dairy, meat, fish, bones, pet waste and diapers.
- Get a Green Bin
You can buy green bins and kitchen containers at any Markham Recycling Depot. To find a location near you, visit the Recycling Depots & Drop Off Centres homepage.
Exchange Policy
Broken or damaged Markham-branded green bins can be exchanged at Markham Recycling Depots only. $5.50 fee applies. Kitchen containers cannot be exchanged.
Green bins and blue boxes are also available for purchase at these community centres:
• Angus Glen Community Centre
• Centennial Community Centre
• Milliken Mills Community Centre
• Thornhill Community Centre
Green Bin $28.50 (prices effective Jan. 1, 2024)
Kitchen Container $12.00 (not available at community centre locations)
Payment
You can pay by cheque or debit/credit card.
- What Happens to my Green Bin Material?
Markham's Green Bin Program handles food waste, food-soiled paper and personal hygiene products. Your organic waste is collected every week at the curb and delivered to composting facilities for processing. The final compost is then used as soil nutrient by local agriculture and horticulture operations.
The Region of York manages the processing of the organic material from Markham's green bins. Learn more by visiting York Region's Green Bin Organics Program Homepage.