Green Bin Waste

The green bin collects food waste, soiled paper products, and small amounts of yard waste only if food waste is visible. Collectors must see food waste in the green bin to pick it up.

Green bin waste collection schedule

Green bin waste is collected every week. You can only use the green bins that we supply. This is limited to one per household. Extra materials or yard waste in other bins or bags will not be collected.

Green bin collection rules

Put acceptable items in loosely or in an acceptable liner and place your city green bin by the curb on the correct pickup date before 6 a.m.
Place your green bin on the curb as close to the roadway as possible, without blocking the sidewalk.
The green bin and its contents must weigh less than 66lbs (30kg).
The green bin must be able to close without material sticking out of the top lip of the bin.
If adding yard waste to your green bin, remember that food waste must be visible to collectors, or they will not pick it up.

What can I put in the green bin?

Fruits and vegetable scraps, eggs, egg shells
Tea bags, coffee grounds, condiments
Meat, poultry, bones, fish, shellfish, shells
Dairy products, butter, margarine, lard, grease (solid)
Bread, baked goods, rice, pasta, grains
Paper towels, tissues
Greasy pizza boxes (collapsed to fit)
Microwaveable popcorn bags, paper plates
Yard waste (must be visible in green bin for collection)
Dryer lint, hair, nail clippings
Sawdust, wood chips (in paper bags to prevent blowing)

Do not to put the following waste in the green bin:

Animal carcasses (roadkill, wild game, etc.)
Roots and sod
Oxo-biodegradable liners (green bin liners must show the compostable symbol
Sand
Pet waste and litter
Feminine hygiene products
Cooking oil and other liquids
Dryer sheets, cotton balls and swabs
Gravel, stones, dirt

Need a green bin, kitchen container, or backyard composter?

Residents can get one free green bin. You can also get a replacement if yours has been lost, stolen, or broken. You can choose either a 45L or 80L green bin size, but you cannot change this later.

Get your green bin at the Kingston Area Recycling Centre (KARC) at 196 Lappan's Lane.

Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from the administrative building
Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from the scale house

Please bring your broken green bin with you if you want a replacement.

Kitchen containers, for collecting food waste in your kitchen, can also be bought at KARC for $4.10. 

Backyard composters are also available at KARC for $54. The green bin takes items that cannot be put in backyard composters like meat, bones, shells, dairy products, fats, and oils.

Green bin liners

While you don't have to use them, using green bin and kitchen container liners can make things smell better, keep things cleaner, and ensure we collect everything. Liners can also prevent materials from freezing to the green bin in the winter.

We accept the following liners:

Paper liners: Look for paper food waste bags at grocery and hardware stores. You could also use newspapers or other paper products (like paper bags or magazines) to line your bin or kitchen container.
Compostable liners: BPI or Certified Compostable Bags are available at grocery and hardware stores.
Green Lid compost container: Please make sure to only place the container in the green bin. The lid is not compostable and needs to be placed in the garbage.

Note: Not all kitchen container or Green Bin liners sold in Kingston are accepted in Kingston Green Bins. Bags that are marked "Oxo-Degradable" or produce bags are not accepted in Kingston Green Bins.

Look for the BPI or Certified Compostable logo:

BPI Logo

Certified Compostable Logo

City of Kingston
City Hall
216 Ontario Street
Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3
Canada
contactus@cityofkingston.ca
Phone: 613-546-0000
Fax: 613-546-7816

The City of Kingston acknowledges that we are on the traditional homeland of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat, and thanks these nations for their care and stewardship over this shared land.

Today, the City is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.

Learn more about the City's reconciliation initiatives .