Dart - Ontario Polystyrene Recycling Programs

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Foam (polystyrene) cups, as well as other polystyrene materials, can be and are currently being recycled in Canada.

There currently are no recycling programs specifically for plastic-coated paper cups due to the fact that their multi-material composition (paper plus a polyethylene or wax coating) makes them difficult and expensive to recycle. A few municipalities accept them as an incidental contaminant in boxboard mixed paper collection programs.

According to Waste Diversion Ontario’s (WDO) website (click on 2005), 86 communities have residential blue box curbside and/or depot polystyrene recycling programs encompassing more than 3.4 million Ontario households (approximately 73% of all households).

Addington Highlands, Township of
Admaston/Bromley, Township of
Alfred and Plantagenet, Township of
Algonquin Highlands, Township of
Almaguin Recycling Initiative
Amaranth, Township of
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh, Township of
Athens, Township of
Augusta, Township of
Barrie, City of
Brudenell, Lyndoch & Raglan, Township of
Carling, Township of
Carlow Mayo, Township of
Casey, Township of
Chatsworth, Township of
Clarence-Rockland, City of
Deep River, Town of
Drummond-North Elmsley, Township of
Dryden, City of
Dysart Et Al, Township of
East Luther Grand Valley, Township of
Edwardsburgh Cardinal, Township of
Emo, Township of
Frontenac Islands, Township of
Greater Napanee, Township of
Guelph, City of
Haldimand, County of
Halton, Regional Municipality of
Hamilton, City of
Hanover, Town of
Hastings Highlands, Municipality of
Highlands East, Municipality of
Horton, Township of
Howick, Township of
Hudson, Township of
Huron East, Municipality of
Kawartha Lakes, City of
Kenora, City of
Kerns, Township of
Killaloe, Hagarty & Richards, Township of
Kingston, City of
Laurentian Hills, Town of
Leeds and the Thousand Islands, Township of

Loyalist, Township of
Madawska Valley, Township of
McKellar, Township of
McNab-Braeside, Township of
Meaford, Municipality of
Melancthon, Township of
Minden Hills, Township of
Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte
Mono, Town of
Mulmur, Township of
Muskoka, District Municipality of
Niagara, Regional Municipality of
Norfolk, County of
North Frontenac, Township of
Northumberland, County of *
Orangeville, Town of
Orillia, City of
Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre
Ottawa, City of
Oxford, Restructured County of
Parry Sound, Town of
Peel, Regional Municipality of
Perry, Township of
Perth, Town of *
Peterborough, City of
Peterborough, County of
Quinte Waste Solutions
Renfrew, Town of
Russell, Township of
Seguin, Township of
Shelburne, Town of
South Frontenac, Township of
Southgate, Township of
Tay Valley, Township of
The Archipelago, Township of
Toronto, City of
Waterloo Regional Municipality of
Wellington, County of
West Grey, Municipality of
West Nipissing, Municipality of
Whitestone, Municipality of
Whitewater Region, Township of
York, Regional Municipality of

* Recently discontinued polystyrene collection program

In addition, polystyrene materials (including cups, food containers, cutlery, and plates and plant trays/flower pots) are scheduled to be added to the City of Toronto’s curbside recycling program by Fall 2008 once new collection carts are in place (www.toronto.ca).