Talkin' Trash With UHN

Freerange, organic, green healthcare ideas

Recycling Lunch ‘n’ Learns

Not sure about UHN’s new recycling rules?

Come to the Lunch ‘n’ Learns, by our new vendor, Waste Management of Canada (yes, they will have treats)

  • Princess Margaret, 7th floor atrium, Thurs July 18, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
  • Toronto General, Eaton Lobby, Mon July 22, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
  • Toronto Western, lobby near Shopper’s Drugmart, Tues July 23, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
  • Lyndhurst & Rumsey, Lyndhurst Lobby, Wed July 24, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
  • Bickle, lobby near elevators, Thurs July 25, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
  • University Centre, University Ave lobby, Tues July 30, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

You can also quiz yourself … here for Toronto General and PMCRT, and here for Toronto Western, Princess Margaret and Toronto Rehab.

And here’s an easy recap.

What NOT to put in UHN’s recycling bins (New, July 2019):

  • no coffee cups (the plastic lining in the paper cup makes it hard to process)
  • no black plastic
  • no plastic bags and any soft plastic
  • no foamed polystyrene (aka Styrofoam … not new to UHN, but mentioned for being different from municipal collection)
  • no blue sterilization wrap (great for reuse as a drop cloth, or more)

What NOT to put in almost any recycling bin:

Though there are no universal rules for recycling, this is close.  

  • no containers still covered in food (rinse out that yogurt cup, and trash the foil lid)
  • no paper plates smeared with food (this is awesome in the compost bin, nasty in recycling)
  • no napkins, tissues and paper towels (they also prefer the compost bin)
  • no bottles filled with juice or pop, and definitely trash that straw! (better yet, don’t use one)
  • no coffee pods (even the “recyclable” ones are rarely accepted. If/when they are, the grounds go in compost, foil lid in trash, then rinse out the cup to recycle … pretty complicated for a convenience product. Return-to-vendor programs are good, but not as good as brewing old-school and composting the grounds)
  • no plastic cutlery  (City of Toronto may recycle plastic cutlery, but few other places do)
  • no chip bags or candy bar wrappers (though tasty, it’s junk for you and the environment)
  • no stand-up pouches (pictured below since people stare at me blankly when I mention them)
  • No gloves
  • and above all else … no trash in the recycling.