NEWS RELEASE
TOWN OF NEWMARKET
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Did you know by placing a single plastic bag in your recycling bin you can contaminate all items in your blue box? This means that your blue box items may not be recycled and will make its way to the landfill, as it will be treated as waste.
In an effort to reduce blue box contamination and limit the amount of waste that enters our landfills, the Town of Newmarket has launched an educational Blue Box Campaign to remind residents what items are accepted and not accepted in the blue box.
Beginning July 15, Town of Newmarket staff will be visiting areas around town to conduct a random visual inspection of blue box materials placed at the curb for collection on scheduled waste and recycling collection days.
The purpose of this campaign is to remind residents of items that belong/do not belong in the blue box for recycling, while also identifying residents who are doing a good job with their recycling efforts.
“Year after year, our diversion rates have continued to grow due to the commitment by Newmarket residents to reduce, reuse and recycle,” says Mayor John Taylor. “This educational campaign will serve as a reminder that proper separation of recycling materials can help make a difference in the community and that everyone has a role in ensuring environmental sustainability.”
If town staff have visited your area, residents can expect to see one of two different sets of door hangers left behind at the door (see below). One door hanger will identify that there are contaminated items in the blue box that do not belong. The other door hanger will identify that residents are doing a great job with their recycling efforts while encouraging them to continue to do so.
During this campaign, residents are reminded to keep the following waste and recycling tips in mind:
- Plastic bags/ film, plastic overwrap, polystyrene, plastic toys, batteries, medical waste, coffee pods and take-out cups do not belong in the blue box.
- Recycle items such as flattened boxboard – tissue boxes, pizza boxes, cardboard (flattened and bundled), plastic bottles and jugs, metal food and beverage containers – emptied and rinsed, glass bottles and jars (lids removed), milk/ juice cartons and drink boxes (straws removed) and newsprint – magazines, flyers, newspapers (plastic wrappers removed).
- The Town, in partnership with Diabetes Canada, has a textile-recycling program. This program accepts all adult and children’s clothing. Textiles can be brought to the Magna Centre, Ray Twinney Recreation Complex and Newmarket Community Centre and Lions Hall.
- Residents can exchange their broken blue box at select Town of Newmarket facilities at no cost or call Green For Life (GFL) at 1-866-421-5625 to schedule a replacement bin exchange.
- Purchase an additional blue box at a Town of Newmarket facility during regular business hours
- Do not overfill your blue box to the point of overflow. Flatten boxes to save space.
- Place heavier items such as books and magazines on top of the lighter items in your blue box. This should help prevent light blue box materials, such as paper, from blowing out of the bin and littering the streets.
- Cardboard boxes must be flattened and in securely tied bundles, no larger than 36” x 36” x 8” and can be placed out for collection on your regular scheduled day beside your blue box.
- Download the ‘Recycle Coach’ App from the App Store or on Google Play on your Apple or Android device to access collection schedules, reminders and disposal information or visit newmarket.ca/wasteandrecycling to use the Recycle Coach web application for more tips.
For more information on the town’s waste and recycling initiatives visit newmarket.ca/wasteandrecycling
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