Polystyrene Facts For Canada

Foam polystyrene cups and other foodservice products are technically very easy to recycle and are currently being recycled in Canada!

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!


Polystyrene Foodservice Products			Products made from Recycled Polystrene

Municipal Recycling of Polystyrene

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

ALGONQUIN HIGHLANDS,TOWNSHIP OF

Telephone

705-489-2379

Website

http://www.algonquinhighlands.ca/index.html

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

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?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

CASSELMAN, VILLAGE OF

Telephone

613-764-3139

Website

http://www.casselman.ca/pdf_general/dechets_egouts/BoiteBleue-BlueBox.pdf http://www.casselman.ca/pdf_general/dechets_egouts/Garbage_recycling_en%20.pdf

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

N/A

CHATSWORTH, TOWNSHIP OF

Telephone

519-794-3232

Website

http://www.chatsworth.ca/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=6&MMN_position=51:51

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

CLARENCE-ROCKLAND, CITY OF

Telephone

613-446-6022

Website

http://en.clarence-rockland.com/siteengine/activepage.asp?PageID=173

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

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?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

ELIZABETHTOWN-KITLEY, TOWNSHIP OF

Telephone

613-275-2277

Website

http://www.elizabethtown-kitley.on.ca/garbage_pick-up.htm#What%20items%20are%20included%20with%20blue%20box%20pick-up

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

GILLIES, TOWNSHIP OF

Telephone

807-475-3185

Website

http://www.gilliestownship.ca/article/waste-disposal--116.asp

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

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?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

Sí

KENORA, CITY OF

Telephone

807-467-2092

Website

http://www.kenora.ca/portal/city/administration/departments/operations/operations.aspx?id= 836&TierSlicer1_TSMenuTargetID=285&TierSlicer1_TSMenuTargetType=4&TierSlicer1_TSMenuID=72

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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

http://www.townshipleeds.on.ca/Services/PublicWorks/WasteSites/RecyclingProgram/tabid/326/Default.aspx

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

LOYALIST, TOWNSHIP OF

Telephone

613-386-7351

Website

http://www.loyalisttownship.ca/living-garbagerecycle

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Sí

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

Sí

MCDOUGALL, MUNICIPALITY OF

Telephone

705-342-5252

Website

http://www.municipalityofmcdougall.com/?cat=12

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

Sí

MELANCTHON, TOWNSHIP OF

Telephone

519-925-5525

Website

http://melancthontownship.ca/services.htm

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

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?

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

http://www.norfolkcounty.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=27&id=104&Itemid=133

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

ORANGEVILLE, TOWN OF

Telephone

519-943-0101

Website

http://www.orangeville.org/page.php?id=504&s=284

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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

http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/region.nsf/97dfc347666efede85256e590071a3d4 /c709152fd596f97085256e8b0052660e!OpenDocument

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

WEST GREY, MUNICIPALITY OF

Telephone

1-800-538-9647

Website

http://www.westgrey.com/files/documents/Schedule_20081.pdf

Accepting Foodservice PS curbside?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

Accepting Foodservice PS at depot?

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?

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.

Dart Recycling Programs

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

Foam vs. Paper Environmental Facts and Information

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

Additional Information

Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA)

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.

Foam Facts for Canada

Foam polystyrene cups and other foodservice products are technically very easy to recycle and are currently being recycled in Canada!

Polystyrene Foodservice Products

Products made from Recycled Polystrene

Municipal Recycling of Polystyrene

Dart Recycling Programs

Foam vs. Paper Environmental Facts and Information

Additional Information

Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA)