Owen Sound Green Bin Collection Program to Launch in June
Owen Sound’s Green Bin collection starts June 2025. Eligible households will receive bins and info packages in mid-May for weekly organic waste pickup.
The City of Owen Sound will begin curbside green bin collection the first week of June, as part of a new program aimed at diverting organic waste from landfill.
Beginning in mid-May, eligible residential properties—those with six or fewer units, excluding the River District—will receive a green bin, a kitchen catcher pail, and an information package.
Bins should not be used until the official start of the program in June. Once underway, green bins will be collected weekly, while regular garbage collection will continue every other week on the usual collection day.
The program allows for the curbside disposal of a variety of compostable materials including food scraps, soiled paper, and pet waste. Items that can be placed in the green bin include:
Fruits and vegetables
Meat, fish, and bones
Dairy products
Coffee grounds and tea bags
Soiled paper products (e.g., napkins, paper plates)
Pet waste (in compostable—not biodegradable—bags or directly in the bin)
Other compostable items like wooden stir sticks
Items that cannot be placed in the green bin include plastics of any kind (including biodegradable bags), leaf and yard waste, diapers, cigarette butts, ashes, soil, rocks, metal, and glass.
Mayor Ian Boddy said the program is an example of the City taking “real action to reduce our environmental footprint and build a more sustainable City.”
The Green Bin Program was developed as part of the City’s updated 2023 Waste Management Strategy and reflects a focus on increasing waste diversion and reducing landfill use.
In addition, the City plans to launch the “Recycling Coach” app in the coming weeks. The app will help residents identify proper disposal methods for a wide range of items through tools such as a searchable “What Goes Where” feature and image recognition. A website version of the tool will also be available.
For more information about the Green Bin Program, residents can visit OwenSound.ca/GreenBins or contact Heidi Jennen, Supervisor of Environmental Services, at 519-376-1440 ext. 3223 or hjennen@owensound.ca.