Do your part, put materials in the right cart!
Did you know that more than 60% of the materials in the average garbage cart could have been diverted from landfill through your organics or recycling cart or other waste diversion programs?
Using the right cart can go a long way towards saving space in our landfills, reducing greenhouse gases while reintroducing nutrients into the soil to grow more food. Check out the list below for the most commonly misplaced items found in the garbage cart.

Still don't know where things go? Check the Waste Wizard, the Simcoe County Collects app or read below for more information on organics diversion.
Place your GREEN CART OUT WEEKLY on your regular collection day by 7 am
For a full list of what is acceptable in your organics cart click here
To ensure collection, place your cart:
- with arrows facing the street (handles towards your house)
- 2 feet apart from other cart or any other object
- within 8 feet from the travelled portion of the road
- Organics carts have a gravity-locking lid (if you have issues with animals/wildlife getting into your waste carts, leave in the locked position, it will open automatically when dumped)
- Old green bins can be repurposed for to contain household items like pet food or sidewalk salt
Organics 101:
- Discard plastic packaging from food first and place in your kitchen bin
- Empty kitchen bin often (into organics cart) and rinse to prevent insects and odours
- Use paper or certified compostable bags, when buying the bags, look for these symbols:

- Pet waste, kitty litter and animal bedding belongs in the green cart. It MUST BE BAGGED using paper or certified compostable bags.



Pet waste should be put into the organics cart as the high technology processing system utilized by the County can safely manage pet waste. Please do not place pet waste in a backyard composter or directly apply to gardens as it contains bacteria. The backyard composting process does not reach the temperatures required to kill harmful bacteria.
Learn more about our proposed Organics Processing Facility
Can't find an item? Search our Waste Wizard
To see your customized collection schedule and receive notifications directly download the free Simcoe County Collects app:

