Single-use foam polystyrene foodservice products are not only recyclable, they are the most recycled of all single-use foodservice materials today —paper or plastic— and are currently recycled in select locations in Canada. The City of Toronto added foam cups and food containers to the City's Blue Box program in December 2008, and in fact, in Ontario approximately 90 municipalities, representing over 50 percent of all households in the province, have access to blue box programs (both curbside and depot collection) that collect post-consumer foam cups and containers. All those foam coffee cups, fast food containers, yogurt cups, bakery plates and lids, crystal drink containers, meat trays, —all household polystyrene— and white cushion packaging material no longer have to end up in landfills. They are completely recyclable!
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Polystyrene Foodservice Products |
Products made from Recycled Polystrene |
Materials collected for recycling differ from community to community based on economic, political, demographic and societal factors.
The following provides a list of Canadian municipalities, primarily with populations of 10,000 and greater, that have been verified by Dart (as of April 2009) as collecting foodservice PS in their curbside and/or depot blue box program. Please note that our best efforts were used to make this list as accurate as possible. However, due to the many factors that can cause the status of municipal recycling programs to change, Dart cannot guarantee its absolute accuracy.
ADDINGTON HIGHLANDS, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-968-3848
Website
http://www.addingtonhighlands.ca/
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
ALFRED AND PLANTAGENET, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-673-4797
Website
http://www.alfred-plantagenet.com/en/Garbage_and_Recycling_44.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
ALGONQUIN HIGHLANDS,TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
705-489-2379
Website
http://www.algonquinhighlands.ca/index.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
AMARANTH, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
519-941-1007
Website
http://www.amaranth-eastgary.ca/ta/a_land.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
ARNPRIOR, TOWN OF
Telephone
877-335-1184
Website
http://www.arnprior.ca/recycling.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
ATHENS, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-924-2044
Website
http://www.athenstownship.ca/services/waste-management/
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
AUGUSTA, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
Maynard 613-925-4604 or North Augusta 613-926-2497
Website
http://www.augusta.ca/landfills.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Yes at landfill
BARRIE, CITY OF
Telephone
705-726-4242
Website
http://www.barrie.ca/Content.cfm?C=553&SC=1&SCM=0&MI=410&L1M=4
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
BRANT, COUNTY OF (Emterra Environmental)
Telephone
519-449-2451
Website
http://www.brant.ca/ourcounty/public_works/waste_management/recycle.shtml
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
BRANTFORD, CITY OF
Telephone
519-759-0070
Website
http://www.brantford.ca/content/publishing.nsf/Content/Garbage%2C+Recycling+and+Landfill
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
CASSELMAN, VILLAGE OF
Telephone
613-764-3139
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
N/A
CHATSWORTH, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
519-794-3232
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
CLARENCE-ROCKLAND, CITY OF
Telephone
613-446-6022
Website
http://en.clarence-rockland.com/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=173
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
DEEP RIVER, TOWN OF
Telephone
Beaumen Recycling 877-335-1184
Website
http://town.deepriver.on.ca/works/Publicworks.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
DESERONTO, TOWN OF
Telephone
613-396-2440
Website
http://deseronto.ca/departments/recyclingwaste/
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
DRYDEN, CITY OF
Telephone
807-223-2367
Website
http://www.dryden.ca/website.nsf/pw_so_recycling?OpenPage
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
ELIZABETHTOWN-KITLEY, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-275-2277
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
ENNISKILLEN, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
519-882-3044
Website
http://town.petrolia.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=39&Itemid=39
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
N/A
ESSEX
Telephone
519-776-6441 ext. 229
Website
http://www.ewswa.org/pages/ recycle/basics.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
GANANOQUE, TOWN OF
Telephone
613-345-2442
Website
http://www.townofgananoque.ca/files/%7B41B85750-107E-484E-80D9-433377F1E501%7D2008%20Garbage.pdf
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
GEORGIAN BLUFFS, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
519-372-1855
Website
http://users.sitewaves.com/index.cfm?page=708&CFID=960980&CFTOKEN =81013176
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
GILLIES, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
807-475-3185
Website
http://www.gilliestownship.ca/article/waste-disposal--116.asp
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
GREATER NAPANEE, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-549-7100
Website
http://www.town.greaternapanee.on.ca/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=102
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
N/A
GREATER SUDBURY, CITY OF
Telephone
705-671-2489
Website
http://www.greatersudbury.ca/cms/index.cfm?app=div_wastemanagement&lang=en&currID=1134
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
GUELPH, CITY OF
Telephone
519-822-1260
Website
http://www.guelph.ca/living.cfm?itemid=46464&smocid=1488
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
HALDIMAND, COUNTY OF
Telephone
905-318-5962 ext. 603
Website
http://www.haldimandcounty.on.ca/residents.aspx?id=614
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
HASTINGS HIGHLANDS, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
613-338-2811
Website
http://hastingshighlands.ca/upload/newdocuments/bylaw_garbage.pdf
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
N/A
HIGHLANDS EAST, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
613-339-2442
Website
http://www.highlandseast.ca/frame6.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
HORTON, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-432-6271
Website
http://www.hortontownship.ca/Municipal/Landfill.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
N/A
HOWICK, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
519-335-3208
Website
http://www.town.howick.on.ca/landfill.php
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
HURON EAST, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
1-800-265-9799
Website
http://www.huroneast.com/documents/Acceptables.pdf
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
KAWARTHA LAKES, CITY OF
Telephone
705-324-9411
Website
http://www.city.kawarthalakes.on.ca/Community/Waste/index.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
KEARNEY, TOWN OF
Telephone
705-636-7752
Website
http://townofkearney.com/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=36
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
KENORA, CITY OF
Telephone
807-467-2092
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
KILLALOE, HAGARTY, AND RICHARDS, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-757-2300
Website
http://www.killaloe-hagarty-richards.ca/waste.html#recycle
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
KINGSTON, CITY OF
Telephone
613-546-0000
Website
http://www.cityofkingston.ca/residents/waste/
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
LAURENTIAN HILLS, TOWN OF
Telephone
877-335-1184
Website
http://town.laurentianhills.on.ca/garbage%26recycling/
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
N/A
LEEDS AND THE THOUSAND ISLANDS, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-659-2415
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
LOYALIST, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-386-7351
Website
http://www.loyalisttownship.ca/living-garbagerecycle
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
MADAWASKA VALLEY, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-756-2747
Website
http://www.madawaskavalley.on.ca/municipal/waste.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
MARKHAM, TOWN OF
Telephone
905-415-7535
Website
http://www.markham.ca/Markham/Departments/WstMgt/overview.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
MCDOUGALL, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
705-342-5252
Website
http://www.municipalityofmcdougall.com/?cat=12
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
MCNAB-BRAESIDE, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
1-800-957-4621
Website
http://mcnabbraeside.com/wastemanagement/listofrecyclingitems.asp
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
MEAFORD, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
519-538-1060
Website
http://www.meaford.ca/docs/Recycling.pdf
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
MELANCTHON, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
519-925-5525
Website
http://melancthontownship.ca/services.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
MINDEN HILLS, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
705-286-1260
Website
http://www.mindenhills.ca/environment.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
NIAGARA FALLS, REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
905-685-1571
Website
http://www.regional.niagara.on.ca/living/waste/Recycling-Items.aspx
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
NORFOLK, COUNTY OF
Telephone
519-582-2100 or 519-428-0020
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
NORTH DUNDAS, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-774-5157
Website
http://northdundas.com/locgovt/waste/recycle.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
ORANGEVILLE, TOWN OF
Telephone
519-943-0101
Website
http://www.orangeville.org/page.php?id=504&s=284
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
ORILLIA, CITY OF
Telephone
705-325-3522
Website
http://www.city.orillia.on.ca/cityhall/PublicWorks/SolidWaste/solidwaste_intro.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
OTTAWA VALLEY
Telephone
613-735-7537
Website
http://www.ottawavalleyliving.com/contactus.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
OWEN SOUND, CITY OF
Telephone
519-376-4274
Website
http://www.e-owensound.com/environment/index.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
PETERBOROUGH, CITY OF
Telephone
705-876-1600
Website
http://www.peterborough.ca/Living/City_Services/Waste_Management.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
QUINTE WEST
Telephone
613-394-6266
Website
http://www.city.quintewest.on.ca/services/pubworks/wastemanage.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
RUSSELL, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-443-3066
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
SAULT STE. MARIE, CITY OF
Telephone
705-541-7000 Ext. 275
Website
http://www.city.sault-ste-marie.on.ca/Article_Page.aspx?ID=270&deptid=1
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
SOUTH FRONTENAC, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-376-3027
Website
http://www.township.southfrontenac.on.ca/Garbage
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
SOUTH GLENGARRY, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-347-1166
Website
http://southglengarry.com/recycling.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
TORONTO, CITY OF
Telephone
416-392-2467
Website
http://www.toronto.ca/garbage/index.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
WATERLOO, REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
519-883-5100
Website
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
WELLINGTON NORTH, COUNTY OF
Telephone
519-837-2601
Website
http://www.wellington-north.com/dept-page.php?a=2&d=11&p=57
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
WEST GREY, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
1-800-538-9647
Website
http://www.westgrey.com/files/documents/Schedule_20081.pdf
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
WEST NIPISSING, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
705-753-6913
Website
http://www.westnipissingouest.ca/pop/dep-enviro.html#bluebox
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
Sí
WHITESTONE, MUNICIPALITY OF
Telephone
705-389-2466
Website
http://www.whitestone.ca/recycling.html
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
No
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
WHITEWATER REGION, TOWNSHIP OF
Telephone
613-646-2282
Website
http://www.whitewaterregion.ca/departments/recycling.htm
Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?
Sí
Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?
No
In addition, the Stewardship Ontario website www.blueboxmore.ca also provides information on the materials collected in curbside blue box for Ontario municipalities.
If further information is needed on a listed municipality, or if information is needed for a municipality not included in this list, it is recommended that you contact your local Public Works/Environmental department (i.e., whichever local government department handles recycling) directly. This is the best way to find out which specific materials are currently accepted for recycling in your city or town.
Regarding commercial recycling (from business and institutions) versus residential recycling, this is usually done directly by private firms rather than through the local municipality. You may be able to get a list of local private recyclers from your local government department that handles recycling.
Recycled foam food service products can be reprocessed into building insulation, plastic lumber, and many other products. Dart is capable of reprocessing 12 million pounds of foam products annually and encourages the recycling of foam cups and foam foodservice products by offering the following options:
Drop Off Locations for the General Public
Dart operates several polystyrene foam drop-off locations at our North American production plants for anyone who wishes to recycle foam products including one at our production facility in Campbellford, Ontario. LEARN MORE
Dart also has a “portable” recycling program available in Canada: CARE (Cups Are REcyclable).
CARE (Cups Are REcyclable) for Large Operators
To make recycling polystyrene foam food service products easier for our customers, Dart offers the CARE (Cups Are REcyclable) program. The CARE Program helps large operators using all types of foam food service products (not just cups) cost-effectively separate the foam from other products, consolidate the collected material, and arrange to have it recycled. LEARN MORE
Polystyrene Quick Facts (PDF)
Solid Waste and Landfill Issues
Although greater amounts of municipal solid waste (MSW) have been recycled and composted in the last forty years, the majority of MSW generated in the United States is safely disposed of in landfills. Today’s modern MSW landfills are well-engineered facilities that are regulated under strict federal and state regulations to ensure protection of human health and the environment. LEARN MORE
2006 Life Cycle Inventory Study
A 2006 peer-reviewed study from Franklin Associates Ltd. provides an extensive and comparative look at the energy and environmental performance of foodservice packaging products made with polystyrene foam, bleached paperboard or corrugated paperboard, including hot and cold beverage cups and sandwich "clamshells." Known as a life cycle inventory, or simply LCI, the study offers a cradle-to-grave picture of a product's environmental attributes, from raw material extraction and manufacturing to post-use recovery or disposal. The 2006 Foodservice Packaging LCI evaluated products across the full range of resource and energy use, solid waste generation, atmospheric emissions and waterborne emissions. Comparisons between systems were summarized for four key performance areas: energy, solid waste (weight), solid waste (volume), and greenhouse gas emissions. LEARN MORE
The Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA) is the voice of the Canadian Plastics Industry. With over 2,422 companies employing 76,530 workers, Canada’s $17.6 billion plastics industry is a sophisticated, multi-faceted sector encompassing plastic products manufacturing, machinery, molds, and resins. LEARN MORE. Dart is an active member of CPIA.