Green Bins

A Green Bin is like a blue (recycling) bin, but for food waste such as fruit and vegetable skins, meat and chicken, spoiled leftovers, and other inedible food waste. 

Owen Sound Green Bin Program - Launching June 2025!

The City is excited to introduce a new Green Bin program in June 2025, available to residential properties with 6 or fewer units.

The Green Bin program makes it easy for residents to divert organic waste from landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and turn food scraps, soiled paper, and other compostable materials into useful compost, all while protecting the environment and reducing overall waste.

Green Bin collection will begin the first week of June 2025. Green Bins will be picked up weekly, on the same day as your regular garbage collection day. Garbage Collection will remain every other week. 

Not sure when your garbage day is? Visit the City's Waste Management webpage here.

How the Program Works

1. Get Your Green Bin

Every eligible residential property will receive a free Kitchen Catcher, Green Bin and information package delivered to your household beginning mid-May.

2. Fill it up

Set Up Your Kitchen Catcher: Place it in a convenient spot and line it with newspaper, reused paper, or compostable bags. Use it to collect food scraps. Regularly transfer food scraps to the green bin and rinse the catcher to control odours.

3. Set it Out  

Store your green bin inside or in an enclosed area like a garage or shed to reduce odours and keep animals away. Place your Green Bin at the curb by 8:00 a.m. on your collection day, but no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before. The Green Bin will be collected weekly. 

Remember green bin collection doesn't start until the first week of June!

4. Small Actions, Big Impact!

Waste collected through the program will be converted into compost, reducing landfill waste and benefiting the environment.

5. Who Can Participate?

The Green Bin program is available to residential properties with 6 or fewer units that currently receive curbside waste collection. Multi-unit buildings are not included at this time, but check back for future updates as the program may expand.

What to Put in Your Green Bin

Accepted Items:

✔️ Food Scraps – Fruits, vegetables, eggshells, coffee grounds, tea bags, meat, bones, dairy  

✔️ Soiled Paper – Napkins, paper towels, paper plates  

✔️ Pet Waste – Must be alone or in certified compostable pet waste bags; biodegradable bags are NOT accepted

✔️ Other Compostable Items – Wooden stir sticks, popsicle sticks, certified compostable bags  

Note: The maximum weight of the Green Bin is 20 kg (44 lbs). Also, make sure contents are not frozen or sticking to the bin. Green Bins with frozen contents may not be emptied completely.

Not Accepted:

🚫 Plastic bags, diapers, cigarette butts and ashes, glass, metal, greasy pizza boxes, tray liner from meat trays and non-compostable and biodegradable packaging  

Not sure where it goes? Visit Garbage and Recycling | City of Owen Sound or download the Recycle Coach app - type it in or take a picture to find out (app coming soon!!)

FAQs