What Goes Where

Select an item
to see where it goes!
Aluminum Foil        
Cardboard              
Chip Bag                 
Chop Sticks            
Coffee Cup             
Coffee Cup Lid       
Coffee Cup Sleeve 
Coffee Cup Tray
Fine Paper              
Food Waste             
Glass Bottle            
Liquid                      
Milk Carton             
Napkins                   
Newsprint               
Other Plastics         
Paper Plates           
Paper Towel            
Plastic Bag               
Plastic Bottle           
Plastic Cutlery        
Pop Can                   
Pop Cup                   
Pop Cup Lid            
Straws                     
Styrofoam               
Tea Bag                    
Thai Express           
Wax Paper              

 

Organics:

Where do soiled napkins and paper towels (hand-drying) go?

The Organics (green) bin.

Where do paper coffee cups go? How about the plastic lid and the cup sleeve?

The paper coffee cup goes into the Landfill (black) bin. Remember to separate the plastic lid (non-black) from the cup. The plastic coffee cup lid and cardboard sleeve go into Mixed Recycling (blue) bin, which is diverted from the Landfill. The coffee cup itself can go in the landfill.

Do soft drink cups go into the Organics (green) bin?

No, soft drink cups may appear to be the same material as coffee cups, but soft drink cups have a wax coating on the outside and inside of the cup. This wax coating makes it difficult to process in the organics bin. Therefore, the cup should be placed into the landfill bin, along with the straw.

Can I pour my leftover liquids into the Organics (green) bin?

No, please do not pour remaining liquids into the organics bin. Adding liquids to the organics bin significantly increases the weight of the compostable bag, causing it to tear easily. The additional weight will also add to the hauling costs.

Can my paper food wrappers go into the Organics (green) bin with my food?

No, most food wrappers are made from wax coated papers that cannot be processed in the organics. Only napkins and paper towels can be placed into the Organics (green) bin. Placing food packaging in the organics contaminates the bin. When an organics bin is significantly contaminated, all the waste collected will be sent to a landfill instead.

Where and how is the “Organics” waste being processed?

The “Organics” waste collected in the green bin is being delivered to a composting facility in Ontario where the material is processed and turned into compost as fertilizers.

Mixed Recycling:

Why is it a problem if I throw the leftover of my meal together with the recyclable packaging into a Mixed Recycling (blue) bin?

Food waste placed into the mixed recycling (blue) bin is considered contamination because it makes sorting the waste at a facility very difficult. In addition, certain items such as fine papers can become non-recyclable if they are contaminated with food.

Should I throw my half-finished soft drink can into the blue bin?

No, please make sure you empty the can or cup first. You can pour it down a kitchen or washroom sink. Liquid or food waste in the mixed recycling can make it difficult to recycle certain items, such as papers. Liquids also adds a significant amount of weight to the bag, making it easier to tear. Additional weight will also increase the hauling costs.

Should soft drink cups go to the blue bin?

No, these disposable cups should go to the Landfill (black) bin. They have a wax coating that prevents them from being recyclable. The straw should also be placed into the Landfill (black) bin.

Should my paper coffee cup go into this blue bin?

No, paper coffee cups can be processed in the Landfill (black) bin. However, the lid and sleeve should go in the Mixed Recycling (blue) bin. Please remember to separate them from the coffee cup.

What kind of plastics are recyclable at Sheridan?

See images below to differentiate the types of plastics that go into the blue Mixed Recycling bin versus those that must go into the black Landfill bin.

Can I recycle milk cartons at Sheridan?

Yes, milk cartons can be placed into the Mixed Recycling (blue) bin.

Can I put plastic bags into the Mix Recycling (blue) bin?

No, plastic bags must be placed into the Landfill (black) bin since they cannot be properly sorted at the recycling facility who process the waste collected from Sheridan.

Can wax paper be recycled?

No, wax paper must be placed into the Landfill (black) bin.

Why aren’t plastic cutlery and straws recyclable?

Plastic cutlery and straws are too small to be sorted at the recycling facility, so they must be placed into the Landfill (black) bin. You can reduce waste to landfill by bringing your own cutlery from home!

Should I put my Thai Express food container into the Mixed Recycling (blue) bin?

No, Thai Express food containers, which are made of more than one material, are not acceptable for recycling. Therefore, they must be placed into the Landfill (black) bin.

Landfill:

Should I throw a paper coffee cup into the Landfill (black) bin?

Yes, it should go into the Landfill (black) bin. Make sure you separate the plastic lid and the sleeve first, which should go to the Mixed Recycling (blue) bin instead.

Which bin should I throw my used face mask?

Used face masks are not recyclable. They should all go into the Landfill (black) bin.

Should my beverage container go to the Landfill bin?

– Disposable hot beverage cups often contains a wax coating and should go in the Landfill (black) bin.
– Cold beverages/soft drink cups if clear plastic (e.g. Tim Horton’s iced cappuccino), should go to the Mixed Recycling (blue) instead. The plastic straw should go to the Landfill (black) bin.
– Plastic bottles and aluminum cans (e.g. pop) should go into the Mixed Recycling (blue) bin.

Why do Thai Express containers have to be placed into the Landfill (black) bin?

No, Thai Express food containers, which are made of more than one material, are not acceptable for recycling. Therefore, they must be placed into the Landfill (black) bin.

Why is it a problem if I throw the leftover of my meal together with the packaging plastic bag into a landfill bin?

When organic material such as food waste is decomposed at a landfill, methane, is released to the atmosphere. This type of greenhouse gas is over 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide in its contribution to global warming. At Sheridan, organic waste is collected via the green bin at the Zero Waste station and it is delivered to a power plant where it is converted to electricity and fertilizers.