Green bin program will start in King in two weeks
By Bill Rea

THE BIN WILL SOON BE IN Larry Hollet, operations project manager with King Township, is working with members of Team Green Reiko Milley, Lisana Walks and Peter Martin to spread the word about the new green bin program, which is slated to start Sept. 10. They were on hand for an information session last Tuesday in Pottageville and more sessions are planned for this week.Turn to page 2 for more on the program.

Residents in King Township have either received their green bins, or they should be getting them soon.

Larry Hollet, operations project manager with the Township, said deliveries started to homes last week. Collections are due to start Sept. 10 in King, along with the other northern six municipalities of York Region (Aurora, East Gwillimbury, Georgina, Newmarket and Whitchurch-Stouffville).

The Township hosted an information session on the green bins in Pottageville last Tuesday, and Hollet said a couple of dozen people attended. Sessions planned for this week include tomorrow (Thursday) at Nobleton library from 2 to 4 p.m. and at Ansnorveldt Library from 7 to 9 p.m., along with one Friday at Schomberg Library from 2 to 4 p.m.

Gary Brooks of Schomberg IGA is seen here with the green bin display set up in his store.

There will also be an open house at the Township offices in King City next Wednesday (Sept. 5) from 6 to 9 p.m. the King Environmental Advisory Committee (KEAC) will be assisting with that, Hollet said. "We'll have lots of informed people there," he remarked.

The sessions are being manned by members of Team Green, a group of students hired by the six municipalities to help roll out the program.

Green bins offer residents another way to dispose of their organic garbage, thus cutting down on the amount of trash the Region is obliged to send to dumps.

The start-up kit being delivered to homes includes a green bin, which is to be put out for weekly collection and a smaller indoor kitchen catcher.

Materials for the green bin include: • fruits and vegetables; • shredded paper in small quantities; • breads, pizza and pasta; • nuts and shells; • house plants with soil (but no yard waste); • soiled papers, microwave popcorn bags, sugar and flour bags, ice cream boxes, tissues, paper towels and napkins;
• meat and fish products;
• dairy products;
• eggs and shells;
• diapers and sanitary
products;
• pet waste, hair and fur,
kitty litter and animal
bedding;
• plate scrapings;
• coffee grounds, filters and
tea bags.
As well, there are a
number of items that are not
to go into the green bins:
• plastic wrap;
• Styrofoam;
• plastic containers;
• plastic trays;
• milk bags;
• dryer lint or dryer sheets;
• baby wipes and cotton
balls;
• disposable mop sheets;
• cigarette butts and tobacco;
• fireplace and barbecue
ashes;
• wood pieces;
• gum;
• vacuum bags and contents;
• popsicle sticks and
toothpicks;
• recyclable items like glass
and metal;
• aluminum foil and plates;
• leaf and yard waste.
The Region has suggested the green bins be store in the garage or enclosed area to keep raccoons or other pests out, and setting them at the side of the road the morning of pick-up. Alternatively, the bin can be hung from a hook, since a raccoon would be unable to open it without leverage. The lids can also be secured with short bungee cords, provided they are removed when the bin is set out for collection.

When it comes to controlling smells from the bin, the Region has offered a couple of suggestions, including lining the kitchen catching with a plastic bag and tying it securely before putting it in the bin (making sure the bag is puncturefree). Bins should be rinsed regularly with water and dish soap or vinegar. People can also consider freezing particularly smelly items, like fish scraps, until collection day.

The green bins are not meant to replace backyard composters. The region is urging residents to keep using them.

As well, Binny has been making the rounds of York over the summer.

Binny is the green bin campaign mascot for the six municipalities.

"We decided to create a brand for our collaborative communication campaign and felt a green bin with a personality would be a universally appealing and memorable campaign identifier," explained Crystal Moss, chair of the communications working group for the northern six municipalities.

Binny introduced himself to most residents via a postcard in mid-June to kick-off the campaign, announce the collection start date and communicate upcoming open houses in the various municipalities.

Residents will continue to see Binny in print form throughout the summer, along with the campaign slogan, "The Bin is in!"

He will also appear at select community events with Team Green.

"From door-knocking to visiting community events and attending open houses, Team Green will be the face of the campaign for the community and will lead the public outreach component this summer," remarked Kristen Yemm, vice-chair of the working group and Team Green's supervisor.

To spread the word to residents about the green bin coming in September and promote participation in the program, a communications plan has been developed that contains the following tactics: • A newsletter to all households in late August announcing key information about the green bin program, and a follow-up newsletter to all households in late fall. • Media releases on service level changes and the positive environmental impact of the program. • A series of advertisements in late August and early September. • Regular Town Page newspaper ads and ongoing Web updates on the municipal Web sites. • Outdoor signage, posters and more.

To learn more about the green bin program, residents are encouraged to visit their municipality's Web site, attend an upcoming information open house, or call the Green Bin hotline at 1-877-456-0373.