York Region encourages residents to switch from plastic to compostable bags in the Green Bin

NEWMARKET – The Regional Municipality of York is sending a sample package of compostable bags to all York Region homes receiving Green Bin curbside collection this September. York Region encourages residents to make the switch from plastic to compostable liners in the Green Bin to reduce waste and make this successful program even more environmentally-friendly.

“Shifting from plastic to compostable bags in the Green Bin is a sustainable step forward for our program,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch. “Residents have enthusiastically embraced the Green Bin program and now have a new opportunity to further reduce waste by choosing to go compostable.”

Packages containing information on the benefits of compostable bags, as well as four free samples to line your Green Bin kitchen container, will be mailed during the first week of September. Residents are invited to try the bags and visit www.york.ca/waste to complete a survey before
October 2nd for a chance to win a prize.

“Plastic bags are no longer the best we can do in our Green Bins,” said City of Vaughan Regional Councillor Mario Ferri, Chair of the Region’s Solid Waste Committee. “Certified compostable bags are a durable, affordable and sustainable alternative to plastic.”

Unlike plastic bags, which must be removed at the end of the composting process and disposed of, certified compostable liners are made from cornstarch or plant-based material that breaks down completely during the composting process. Certified compostable bags are marked with a Compostable BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) logo on the packaging. Other products without this logo may be marketed as biodegradable or for use with the Green Bin program, but these bags are not certified compostable.

Certified compostable bags are available at many grocery, hardware and retail locations across York Region. Visit www.york.ca/waste for full details of the Green Bin Compostable Bag program and a list of certified compostable bag retailers.

Following the results of the compostable bag campaign, York Region staff will prepare a report for York Regional Council to determine the possibility of a future mandatory program.

York Region’s Green Bin program was introduced in stages beginning in 2005, with all nine municipalities participating by September 2007. York Region processed approximately 48,000 tonnes of organic material in 2008.

For more information on The Regional Municipality of York, please visit www.york.ca