Try as we may, we all produce garbage. The good news is that not all of it has to end up in a landfill. By sorting waste, you can ensure that recyclable items are put in their proper place. Participation in the recycling program from all Ottawa residents including those in rental homes is important to make the program cost-efficient. Please follow the instructions contained in this article when disposing of your recyclables and garbage. Do your part to ease the burden of over-flowing landfills. Please take the time to sort your recyclable waste and place it in the provided bins.

What happens to recyclable materials?

All recyclable materials collected through the City of Ottawa program are sorted, baled and sold to different manufacturers that reuse or recycle them into
various new products. This revenue is reinvested by the City into the recycling program allowing it to keep the cost of the program down. For example:

• Old newspapers and magazines are recycled into newsprint.
• Telephone books are used for moulded products such as egg cartons.
  
• Aluminum (such as soft drink cans) is manufactured into aluminum sheeting for auto trade and general use.
  
• Steel cans (such as soup and juice cans) are made into steel construction products such as re-bar.
• Glass bottles and jars (such as juice and wine bottles) are recycled into new glass containers.
  
• Plastics (such as margarine containers and plastic bags) are manufactured into moulded products such as pallets shipping containers and recycling boxes.
  
• PET (2-litre soft drink bottles) is recycled into polyester yarn for carpet, clothing or packaging.
  
• Polystyrene (such as coffee cup and meat trays) is recycled into office products such as mail trays and rulers.
  
• Juice boxes are used for paper towel and tissue production.

Do not Recycle these items

We know that we can recycle newspapers and pop bottles, but there are some items you should not put into recycling bins.

These non-recyclable items should be put in garbage containers:

Non-Recyclable Glass-Metal-Plastic

• Ceramics such as dishes, cups and pottery
  
• Other glass such as drinking glasses, window glass, light bulbs, and mirrors
• Motor oil bottles
  
• Plastic buckets larger than 2-litre capacity
  
• Other plastics such as dishes, toys, make-up jars or caulking tubes
  
• Plastic film such as meat and cheese wrap, over-wrap from boxed products, stretch wrap
  
• Plastic bags such as garden-product bags
  (i.e. fertilizer, peat moss, etc.)
  
• Clothes hangers
  
• Laundry baskets

Non-Recyclable Paper-Cardboard

• Waxed paper
  
• Cereal and cracker box liners and cookie bags
  
• Candy bar wrappings
  
• Freezer packaging such as frozen concentrate cans, frozen dinner boxes, paper ice cream cartons
  
• Dishwasher detergent boxes, potato chip bags and canisters
  
• Wooden Clementine crates
• Foil wrapping paper, bows, ribbons