Curb-side enthusiasm: a guide to sorting your garbage

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VIA iSTOCK

FIRST THINGS FIRST
The city has a kick-ass app for garbage collection that will send you notifications reminding you when to put yours out, and what exactly you should be kicking to the curb. It’s a game-changer, so download it now and become a trash wizard.

RECYCLING
Your blue bag is for plastic, glass, paper and aluminium containers and plastic bags. Flyers, egg cartons, magazines, box board (AKA beer cases or cereal boxes) and corrugated cardboard can be curbed in a grocery or retail bag. Most important is that your paper products should not be mixed with other recyclables or you’ll be scorned with a garbage scarlet letter, AKA a big ol’ rejection sticker. These bags get picked up weekly.

COMPOST
Resist the urge to scrape off your plate into the trash can because this is so easy. Your compost bin (the green one your landlord has hopefully provided for you) is for food waste, paper towels and napkins only. If you don’t have a mini-green bin, liquor store bags or a beat-up Tupperware work well as a vessel to (pro tip) store your compost in the freezer to avoid stink and fruit flies. Even better is that the paper bag can be biffed directly into the compost bin when it’s full. Organics are picked up bi-weekly most of the year, weekly July through the end of September.

GARBAGE
In theory, if you’re obeying the rules of compost and recycling, your garbage bags should be minimal. The first sign of a rule-breaker is someone with piles of them. Clear garbage bags are where most of your refuse should be—the number you’re allowed to pitch varies by style of dwelling (six bags for a single unit, townhouse of semi-detached, four bags for apartment buildings with less than six units).

Each household is allowed one black garbage bag for privacy (say you aren’t comfortable with the world seeing your floss and tampon applicators) or in many cases, unfortunately, laziness (we all know you were too lazy to dump and rinse that mouldy salsa jar, you dink).

Trash is collected bi-weekly.

FOR APARTMENT BUILDING DWELLERS
Your rules aren’t necessarily the city’s rules, so check with your super intendant/landlord/ property manager to make sure you’re throwing shit out correctly.