Stringent regulations that exist for waste disposal in Ontario are easier to enforce compliance when it’s commercial scale or anything of the sort, and being a provider for dumpster rentals in Trenton and Colborne we have years and years of experience with the need to be adhere to regulations about what can be disposed of and where, and what can be recycled too. Jobsite cleanup usually involves putting more than a little bit of trash into the dumpster that will have to be separated from the rest once it gets to those facility.

But one area where there has been considerable success with recycling and Ontario’s blue box program is with paper-based packaging recycling, and that’s what we’ll look at with our blog entry this month. Call us anytime for Trenton disposal bin rentals and waste disposal.

Diversion Rate Cut Nearly in Half

Paper-based packaging has come to the forefront as a success story for Ontario’s household Blue Box program. This is based on both marketed tonnage based on new data released by the Ontario RPRA who are responsible for the province’s circular economy laws. There are 246 programs participating in this, and the residential waste management statistics and trends that are made clear from it are very helpful in reducing the amount of recyclable material that ends up in locations where it becomes disposed waste instead.

The most noteworthy find was that the program has lead to provincial diversion rates declining to 49.1% and in the vicinity of this number is where that rate continues to stay as we move into the middle of 2023. To define diversion in case that’s needed for anyone, it is the rate measured after the recyclable material has been processed at an MRF – material recycling facility.

So that 49.1% number reflects material that is placed in the Blue Box but is not recycled. Reasons for that could be anything from food or residue contamination, materials that are not readily recyclable or residents not properly separating their waste and placing non-recyclables in their Blue Boxes. Either because they don’t know any better, or often because they can’t be bothered to separate it and determine where it should go.

Paper-Based Packaging an Easier Fit

Everything from old corrugated cardboard, old boxboard, and a portion of residential mixed papers and mixed fibers packaging can be included in paper-based packaging, and it is with these types of materials that the Blue Box program has had the most success and the best inroads into having residents comply with the program. Approximately 290,00 tons have been processed in each of the last two years, and that’s up from 271,433 tons for 2020. The current number for 2022 and 2023 make up about 39% of the total Blue Box tonnage of 736,379 tons of the material recycled overall for those two calendar years. Again, not the type of material we’ll see much of in with our Trenton and Colborne dumpsters or waste disposal bins, but that’s as it should be.

Printed paper recyclables like newsprint, telephone books, household fine paper, and catalogues are the second largest volume of material seen as intake with the program. Currently it contributes about 20% of marketed tons collected but this category is unlike mixed paper and fibers in that the numbers are declining. Fortunately this is because of fewer materials produced and made available to the public, not that less of it is going into the boxes.

Printed papers have experienced a nearly 66% decline in tonnage from 2016-2021, while paper-based packaging has increased by 72.5% over the same period.

2/3 Properly Processed

Paper recycling is definitely a success story in Ontario now, as more than two-thirds of all paper that Ontario households generate is both collected and properly recycled through Ontario’s Blue Box program. The good news doesn’t end there, as a good portion of the material collected is then repurposed by PPEC member mills into other paper packaging products like boxes and cartons and the benefits of doing this are both immediate and far reaching.

And starting this July the Ontario Blue Box program starts its transition to a new producer responsibility regulatory framework. It will make it so that producers assume 100% responsibility of the operational and financial management of the program by the end of 2025.

The industry foresees a continued increase in paper packaging, particularly with the way brands and manufacturers are moving away from other types of packaging to sustainable, renewable, and recyclable paper-based packaging. By adding producer responsibility to this architecture of it all the hope is that it will promote improved end markets, less contamination, and residents doing more of the sorting on their own so that there are even higher overall and recycling rates in the Province.

Call Load n’ Lift first when you need to rent a dumpster in the Trenton or Colborne areas and for any instance where jobsite clean up and waste disposal means you need a disposal bin delivered and picked up right to the site. We’ve been in the business for many years and our high standing with the Better Business Bureau plus having plenty of people speak of our high customer service level means that you’ll have what you need for the best price and with the best service for dumpster rentals here. Discounts for military at CFB Trenton and a Senior’s discount are available, and we can have disposal bins delivered to you just as quickly as you need them.

This is a need for international big cities too, and if you’ve ever left North America you’ll see how a lot of them have metro populations that are way bigger than ours. Interestingly enough a lot of them do a lot better with municipal waste management and large-scale industrial recycling too. The expertise there is considerable though, and they’ve also got much larger tax bases to work with. Smart solutions and digitization are redefining the way waste is processed, and the way this makes a positive impact on costs, sustainability and efficiency is something we can take interest in here.

As disposal bin rental providers for Trenton and Colborne these are the topics we’ll always like to take note of, and there’s no doubt that private waste disposal companies do a play a part in better waste management at the civic level with the way we ensure that waste is properly disposed of at the proper locations and in accordance with municipal and Provincial regulations. One area where there’s even more of a need to is Hazmat disposal, but that’s another blog entry itself.

What we’ll do here with this one is talk about 6 continuing trends that are driving change in waste management. Think of Load n’ Lift first for a Trenton / Colborne rubbish removal service.

1. Collection / Treatment Costs for Waste Always Rising

Among the many reasons why the cost of waste collection and processing are going up are inflation, the rising cost of labour and higher energy / fuel prices. There is a high level of regulation in the waste industry and now a lot of it is in response to trends with moving away from landfills and pushing for better recycling.

There’s a lot of talk these days about how waste monitoring systems can cut cost, and they do it by optimizing waste collection routes and frequencies. In some places waste collection vehicle routes have been reduced by nearly 30 %. Smart monitoring the measures bin fullness is in the works too, and this will correlate to better route and operation management too.

More dynamic rather than fixed collection frequency made possible by knowing when a bin is full will be hugely beneficial. Route monitoring is soon to be in use with waste disposal businesses to and that will include Trenton and Colborne dumpster rentals.

2. 2. Incentivizing Lowered Waste Production / Greater Recycling

Municipalities and housing associations in North America are exploring several options to put into place programs that make for fairer fees for citizens and also motivating them to create less general waste plus only need to pay for the waste they produce. The last part of that is going to sound really appealing to a lot of people, and if that type of improvement can go along with smart bin management then there’s going to be a lot of good that comes of this.

Digitally monitored bin management is also something new, and the hope with it is that it may make a pay-as-you-throw model or one with volume-based fees. This would be very feasible in multi-family dwellings with stratas.

We’ve talked about RFID tags for hazmat disposal in another blog post here , and this technology will be a good fit here too with automated collection control and the possibility of weighing the waste. RFID tags for dumpsters may be a possibility too, and that will go for our disposal bin rentals in Colborne and Trenton too. We’d be keen to see if bin fullness sensors could be incorporated into dumpster rentals Ontario too.

3. Deposit Return Schemas

Deposit return schemes are the most powerful tool as far as the circular economy goes, with almost immediate effect on collection rates and recycling. In the European Union (EU), there are challenging KPIs (key performance indicators) for beverage container collection (77 % collection goal for single-use plastic beverage bottles by 2025, increasing to 90% by 2029), and DRSs will be obligatory from 2029.

4. High ESG goals for Factories

Factories are setting higher ESG goals in 1st and 2nd world countries, and in some cases even stricter ones because of what they are now required to do because of governmental regulation. Aiming to meet the Paris Agreement targets is a big part of why a lot of these governments are doing this, and it is a good thing they are.

Load n’ lift is always at the ready to provide you with one or more disposal bins at your property or jobsite anywhere in Trenton or Colborne or nearby communities like Belleville and Cobourg. You would find lower rates for a dumpster rental here, and we put a premium on being speedy and courteous with our bin drop-offs and pick-ups.

Check out our offers page where you can see our dumpster rental discounts and how we have ones for senior citizens and a discount on dumpster rentals for military families at CFB Trenton.

Enough about that though. Where we’re going with this talk about trash bins and technology is this; It’s about a good 9-hour drive from here to New York City but if you were to make the trip to the Big Apple you might encounter a trash barrel robot that isn’t the type to stay in just one spot on the sidewalk at all times.

Go Robot

Researchers at Cornell University has built two trash barrel robots, one for landfill waste and one for recycling, and they are both remote controlled. They were well received in New York, and now the researchers have plans to see how well they are received in other cities around the United States. Now granted these barrels don’t do trash disposal on a mega scale like we do with our disposal bin rentals in Colborne and Trenton, but they move under their own power and there’s a whole lot to like about that.

These self-powered and moving garbage bin robots haven’t been given names yet, but they are either one of 2 colours; blue or grey. But what is more noteworthy is that recycled hoverboard parts are a key component used in either type. They also feature a 360-degree camera and are operated using a joystick. So yes, it’s quite possible that trash robot operator will soon be job title at the City of New York’s sanitation department.

There’s plenty of video footage showing how people were appreciative for the service and one man even remarked how it was nice to have a trash bin ‘meeting us where we are’ with a play on the expression so frequently used with modern service and marketing approaches.

Still Mixed Reaction

Apparently some people still had concerns about the cameras and how that might be misused as public surveillance. Some people made obscene gestures towards them and one person even knocked one over.

This type of research is helpful during prototype development because it can flag potential problems robots are likely to encounter when encountering and interacting with humans in city cores or even in suburban areas if these trash bin robots start to be rolled out in satellite cities too. Plenty of those around New York the same way they are around Toronto here with the Golden Horseshoe, but again we’ll stay in our lane and stick to waste disposal and dumpster rentals for Trenton and Colborne.

These news trash bin robots are still a work in progress, but it’s another example of how technology is making major inroads into all industries, including waste disposal and trash management. Something to keep an eye on, because as we know trash and waste is a huge challenge that a lot of cities haven’t done very well with keeping up over the years.

Watching how that’s changing is always going to be something that grabs our attention here, and we hope it’s a subject that’s of interest to you too.

Need a disposal bin rental for any property or worksite in Trenton and Colborne? You can get the lowest price on dumpsters here at Load n’ Lift guaranteed and this also comes with delivery of the bin to your location and then picking it up / disposing of contents once you’ve filled it with whatever needs to go. We also have a lease-to-own dumpster program for contractors and home builders who see the need to have their own, and that’s just one of many things we’d be happy to discuss with you. Call us at 877-355-5623 or use our quick contact form.

Solar charging panels are seen all over the place, and they’re becoming as commonplace as it is to think of Load n’ Lift first for dumpster rentals in Trenton and Colborne Ontario. But as much good as they do with clean energy production, solar panels are a bit of a headache when it comes to recycling them once they’ve reached the end of their working lives.

But there’s new research that has come out of Macquarie University in Australia that is indicating that commercial microwaves may make that recycling prep much less of a big deal.

We’re definitely thankful that our dumpsters for rent in Colborne and Trenton are a thousand times more durable and that they can keep on going out to jobsites for years upon years and just come back with the occasional new dent. Part of the advantage of being the best disposal bin rental provider in the area, but we do take interest in anything that’s related to taking away items that aren’t needed / wanted anymore.

That applies to recycling too, and so this news about using micro waves to break down solar panels more quickly is something that’s worthy of a blog entry.

Exclusive Heating

When the silicon in solar panels is being made it passes through a process called ‘annealing’ where materials are heated to temperatures well above 500°C. What’s been determined now is that annealing is actually better done with microwaves and using them means the panels are also easier to disassemble at EOL (end of life).

The reason for this is the way that microwave radiation heats individual substances, and it heats a very thin layer of silicon instead of heating the entirety of all the materials around it as would be the case if an oven was being used. This happens especially fast with a microwave, and then another part of what makes the whole thing easier too is the fact that the microwave doesn’t have to be carefully cleaned after.

Biggest Benefit for Recycling

As it is now solar cell recycling is a very energy intense process where panels are crushed up and then heated to temperatures of 1000°C or more. This extreme heat is what allows valuable components to be extracted from the panels so that they can be used again. The biggest advantage here is in the way the silicon cell pad can be separated from the glass.

As easy as it is to have Trenton and Colborne area dumpster rentals delivered to your job site the same day? Different context and different type of easy, but you’re free to make the connection if you like. We’ll continue talking about using microwaves for solar cell panel recycling though. Using an oven to cook the panels means the some of the reusable solar cell components are destroyed, and the most valuable of them is the toughened glass on the top of the panel. In this case the glass ends up being sold as scrap, but if you recycle the panels using a microwave to heat it up then the glass can be saved because microwaving the silicon softens the plastic in a different way and makes it easy to peel.

Next up with the list of advantages is the way extra chemicals are not needed to wash and dissolve the plastic in the way they would be if the oven process was still being used. There is some challenge in finding way to make them microwaves capable of heating up to those types of temperatures and then being able to handle them.

Success so far there though with developing the types of units that could become commonplace for solar panel recycling and refurbishing. Some of the prototypes developed so far are able to go from room temperature to 500 degrees Celsius in as little as two seconds.

Call Load n’ Lift first for Trenton dumpsters or Colborne disposal bins that we can deliver directly to your jobsite, and often the same day you call for them. We bring them, you fill them, and then we take them away full of as much waste as you can make and dispose of it in a responsible manner and in full accordance with Ontario Provincial guidelines. We have senior citizen and military discounts available on our dumpster rentals and remember that we have different size dumpsters to rent – 7, 8, 11, 16, 20 and 25 yard container sizes available for Trenton and Colborne waste disposal services.

It’s a far stretch from what we do as a dumpster rental provider for Trenton and Colborne here in Ontario, but as is always the case any topic that is connectable to waste management interests is going to be of interest to us. So that’s what we’ll use as our blog entry here this time around. Have a read through to learn more about how a grading system may be effective for having much less textile waste ending up in landfills.

Call Load n’ Lift for Colborne disposal bin rentals and we can do the entirety of your Trenton jobsite cleanup with waste pickup and disposal using one of our dumpsters. Unlikely you’ll have mounds of textile waste, but if you do there’s no type of jobsite cleanup we can’t handle with whatever waste has been generated and needs to go ASAP.

Quality Call

Researchers from the University of Waterloo and Seneca College aren’t far from us here in the Trenton and Colborne area where we do dumpster rentals. Why we mention those folks here is they have developed the new method to evaluate a textile item’s quality, grading it from an A to an F not unlike what you used to see on your report card when you were a kid. This determination is used to figure out whether the textile can be resold or recycled, or whether it should in fact just be tossed.

Already so far with this testing and grading method they have found that more than half of textile waste in Canada could be reused, and darn near 25% of what is not recycled could be. We’re all well aware of how consumers buy, use and dispose of new garments, and the way in which ‘fast fashion’ more clothing is discarded more quickly than ever before. A lot of it ends up in the landfill, and less than 1% of the materials are recycled.

Another factor is the way Canada doesn’t have a standardized process for sorting textiles, and these researchers are suggesting a broader definition of textile waste that accessories, shoes and soft toys, in addition to clothing and home textiles is a good place to start. By sorting the materials to ensure consistency in grading and proper evaluation of the item’s condition, there’s more of a standardized reference point for where they should go from there.

The possibilities with this for better textile waste management are extensive as having a comprehensive assessment delivers more data and insights into waste management and prevention. Items that were able to receive a grade A to D classification made up more than 50% of the waste stream analyzed, so there’s merit in putting more resources into this. This finding emphasizes that there are many opportunities to divert textile waste in Canada.

Texting recycling in Canada is still a work in progress and needs to be better, unlike dumpster rentals Trenton and Colborne with waste disposal services. There’s also a connection to be made between better textile waste management and recycling and climate change with the way this waste can actually contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

If you need large scale junk removal in Colborne or Trenton and want to rent a dumpster that’s dropped off and then picked up once full you will be best served by a call to us here at Load n’ Lift. We can quite often have your disposal bin rental on site the same day and we are absolute pros at collecting it once you’ve filled it and then disposing of waste in the proper, legal, and most environmentally-friendly manner.

Seniors and Military families always receive 5% off disposal bin rentals and we have 6 different sizes of bins. 7 / 8 / 11 / 16 / 20 / 25-yard containers that we have ready to go as soon as you say you need them. Call Load n’ Lift anytime!

Our scope of operations and responsibilities here at Load n’ Lift is much smaller and simpler, and what we need to be relied on for is delivering disposal bin rentals for Trenton and Colborne area residents who need them. Nothing too complicated or challenging about that, and we take a lot of pride in our service track record with getting people their rental dumpsters quickly as soon as they need them. Figuring out what to do with an entire regions solid waste production with regards to proper and responsible disposal is going to be a handful.

First world countries have made serious positive progress in processing solid waste and minimizing the environmental impact of it. Second and 3rd-world countries, not so much. However, there’s reason for optimism with how we can all collectively be better with solid waste management and that is what we will look at with your blog entry here at Load n’ Lift this time around.

Serious Detriment

Solid waste management is a universal issue that matters to all of us no matter where you live. When you consider that 90% of waste is openly dumped or burned in low-income countries, you can make the connection that it is poor and vulnerable people who are most affected.

From an environmental perspective, poorly managed waste is contaminating the world’s oceans, causing drains to clog and causing flooding. It also transmits diseases, puts people more at risk for respiratory problems from burning, and it also harms animals that consume waste unknowingly.

Economic development is affected too, and we already know that greenhouse gases from waste are also a key contributor to climate change. A study done 5 years ago found that 5% of global emissions were generated from solid waste management and we can be sure things haven’t improved since then and likely have gotten worse. Those emissions numbers exclude transportation.

Heady stuff for sure, and much more so than talking about the best rates on dumpster rentals for Colborne and Trenton. Which are here at Load n’ Lift, but let’s continue with our look at better future management approaches for solid waste.

More and More

No good news to be had here, as solid waste generation is increasing at a disturbing rate. Countries are rapidly developing and doing so without adequate systems in place to manage the changing composition of waste produced by their citizens. More than half of humans on earth now live in cities, and it is these people that are generating more than 80% of the world’s GDP but are also at the root of the global waste challenge.

Estimates are that right now the world generates 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste each year, and about 33% of it is not managed in a manner that would be considered environmentally safe. Add to this the fact that economic development is being foreseen to push global waste to increase by 70% over the next 30 years. This is expected to work out to 3.40 billion tonnes of waste generated annually.

Waste Production by Region

The largest percentage of the world’s solid waste – 23% of it – comes from the East Asia and Pacific region. High income countries produce 34% of the entire solid waste despite the fact they only account for 16% of the world’s population. Waste generation is always going to increase with economic development and population growth, and lower middle-income countries is where this is going to happen most prominently in the near future. In Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia waste generation is expected to triple by 2050 and these regions should be producing upwards of 30% of the total waste by the time.

Upper-middle and high-income countries provide nearly universal waste collection, and more than 1/3 of waste in high-income countries is recovered through recycling and composting. Low-income countries collect about 48% of waste in cities, but only 26% in rural areas. Only 4% is recycled in these countries. Overall, 13.5% of global waste is recycled and 5.5% is composted.

The Fixes

Solid waste management is a key issue when it comes to planning sustainable, healthy, and inclusive cities and communities. Governments must take urgent action to address waste management for their people and the planet. It makes economic sense to invest in sustainable waste management as uncollected waste and poorly disposed waste have significant health and environmental impacts. Using us for disposal bin rentals Trenton and Colborne can minimize environmental impacts in your community.

One positive seen right now is the way the World Bank is working with countries, cities, and partners worldwide to create and finance effective solutions that can lead to gains in environmental, social, and human capital. Since 2000 they committed over $4.7 billion to more than 340 solid waste management programs around the globe, looking for the best initiatives and areas of engagement.

The biggest challenge is with financing solid waste management systems but the World Bank is helping there too.

• In Azerbaijan, World Bank loans supported the rehabilitation of the main landfill site and establishment of a state-owned waste management company, increasing the population served by the formal solid waste management system from 53 to 74%

• In China, a results-based incentive program has upped participation in household kitchen waste separation. The Bank’s $80 million loan has also supported the construction of a modern anaerobic digestion facility to ferment and recover energy from organic waste that stands to benefit 3 million people

• In Nepal, a results-based financing project of $4.3 million facilitated increased user fee collection and improved waste collection services in five municipalities to the benefit of 800,000 urban-area residents

• In Pakistan, a $5.5 million dollar project for support of a composting facility in Lahore in market development and the sale of emission reduction credits that led to reductions of 150,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent and expansion of daily compost production volume from 300 to 1,000 tonnes per day.

Get Colborne and Trenton dumpster rentals done right the first time with your call to Load n’ Lift. No matter the size of the job or variety of waste materials you need removed, we can handle the job with maximum efficiency via our mini-bin and multi-lift roll off equipment.

RFID stands for radio-frequent identification, and these days most people will be familiar with the term based on the anti-card data theft wallets that prevent your cards from being scanned without you knowing it when a person passes by your purse or pocket with the right device. RFID blockers do work well, and now RFID technology is showing promise for making sure that hazardous material waste is properly disposed of. We taking interest in any topic that’s related to waste disposal, and so this is another in the long line of many that have made the grade when it comes to being a blog entry topic here at Load n’ Lift.

Utilizing RFID Tech

As economies develop, they always begin to produce more hazardous waste. the amount of hazardous waste produced by textile, chemical, pharmaceutical, electronic and other industries worldwide increases year by year. Improper handling, storage and use of hazardous waste has the potential to cause atmospheric damage, water and soil pollution, serious health hazards to the production and living environment, and put people and communities at risk.

Any technology that can contribute to the automation and intelligent process of hazardous waste disposal is going to be most welcome, and in the here and now RFID is at the forefront of that. The introduction of RFID technology into the hazardous waste information system enables systems for recognition, automation, standardization and information management.

RFID tags placed in / on pallets or other transport means for hazmat waste will have specific information written into the tags. Staff will use handheld RFID readers to scan labels and barcodes and they will then be uploaded to a backend database. The background system generates tasks and stores them in the warehouse, while sending task commands to the smart forklift or other means based on the type of waste and whatever specific handling protocols may apply to it.

Intelligent Forklifts

An intelligent forklift consists of a forklift industrial control computer (IPC) and an RFID reader. The advantage of these forklifts with smart hazmat handling tech is that they can work with the RFID tags to directly receive the warehousing tasks generated by the background system, and guide the forklift driver to the designated loading point for shipment of the dangerous goods. Delivering dumpster rentals for Trenton and Colborne is a simple matter, but this is certainly much more of a detailed process than that.

Forklifts arriving at the loading and unloading point to load dangerous goods will have their RFID reader supplying the info of the pallet label and be querying the background data system for confirmation of the information needed as pertains to dangerous goods being transferred. Determining handling protocols at this part of the chain means there is less chance of any amount of hazmat materials escaping from the transport.

RFID Dangerous Goods Management

Install RFID tags at warehouse entrances where Hazmat materials are handled will also be a part of this When the forklift enters the warehouse, the RFID reader will obtain the location information in the tag and compare it with the back-end system data. As information matches, it tells the forklift to go to the correct location and following handling protocols as established and with notes if those protocols may vary given the volume of material or any other contributing factor that might not be addressed with conventional hazmat handling approches.

After the forklift driver arrives at the designated shelf, the RFIDHY RFID forklift management system will start unloading. When unloading, the RFID reader will read the shelf label and check whether the shelf information is correct. Provided it is, it will complete the warehousing operation and give feedback to the background system to update the inventory information in time.

RFID for Hazmat Storage Pre-Disposal

There are many instances where Hazmat materials need to be stored before they can be disposed of properly. Utilizing RFID tags in the warehousing process will help the hazardous waste management center strictly classify and store hazardous materials. Warehousing efficiency is improved as it means avoiding dislocation caused by human error, and maximizes the protection of dangerous goods.

There can also be benefits for the pretreatment of outbound dangerous goods and in accordance with relevant operating procedures. Different dangerous goods, methods and steps are different, and avoiding the wrong handling process is something that is make much more of a guaranteed when the correct information is readily and reliably available via an RFID tag.

RFID technology can definitely improve the automation, efficiency and standardization of hazardous waste in and out management.

Dumpster rentals for Colborne and Trenton are always just a call away for same-day site delivery with Load n’ Lift. Everyday materials or Hazmat, we can take take away every last bit of the waste you need gone and we have as many disposal bins as you need for making that happen. Rent a disposal bin from us and you’re automatically entered into a draw to win $250 that happens 4 times a year.

A bit of long ways off from talking about disposal bin rentals for Trenton and Colborne, but we can still frame the two topics in the same blog entry if we get creative. Or not. But for now let’s have a look at this because the huge problem with littering isn’t just a problem in Toronto or Hamilton here in Ontario, and other Provinces will say the same thing for locales that aren’t their big cities.

We all need to be better with not littering, although there are some people out there that genuinely never even do it once. If you’re one of them we tip our hat to your being a very civically-responsible citizen in that regard, and with that said let’s get into this topic

Starts with Manufacturers

Around the 1950s manufacturers started producing a higher volume of litter-generating products and packaging made of materials like plastic. Much of what led to the start of littering being common behaviour was because the mean of having litter was put into people’s hands. Incidences of littering grew swiftly in the next few decades after that, and the problem is that as it continues it steadily contributes to air pollution, land pollution and ocean pollution.

The fact that 8 million tons of plastic waste finds its way into our oceans every year is disturbing, but what we do is make sure that job site waste around here goes into one of our Colborne and Trenton dumpster rentals and being Ontario nothing gets anywhere near the sea to begin with. Back on track, these littering facts aim to shed light on what littering is, why people litter, how litter affects the environment and what any one person can do to end littering and promote others to do the same.

Littering Happens

Littering is the improper disposal of waste products. It can be done mistakenly, like with an unsecured object flying out the back of a truck bed or something similar), but by and large littering is done deliberately. And what are the most commonly littered items? Here is a list of them, and you can go ahead and assume this is equally true of Canada and the USA in the same way:

• Fast food packaging
• Food packaging
• Alcoholic beverage containers
• Tire and vehicle debris
• Plastic bags
• Plastic bottles
• Construction waste*

(make sure yours ends up in a CFB Trenton dumpster rental from Load n’ Lift!)

But the most frequently littered item is also the most pathetic of all of them. Smoking cigarettes is downright stupid to begin with, but in the USA and estimated 9.7 billion cigarette butts are discarded along roadways and waterways every year, and it is a huge problem here in Canada too.

Another one that is really disturbing (and equally pathetic depending on who you talk to) is the way that since early 2020 one of the most littered items across the whole world has been PPE masks. It’s estimated that well over 200 million of them and counting have been carelessly thrown to land wherever they may, and again you can be darn sure many of them have ended up in the ocean.

Why People Litter

There have been studies done on this, and apparently why people litter comes down to 4 primary reasons.

• Laziness or carelessness
• No trash receptacles immediately available
• Lack of municipal bylaw enforcement around littering
• Other litter already being in the area

People who litter out of laziness or carelessness often believe that someone else will come along and pick up the litter after them and then do proper disposal of it. Others may not have been educated on the impact of littering and therefore litter because they don’t know it causes harm, while still others may live in an area where littering is an accepted part of the culture.

Litter Causes Pollution

Chemicals and microparticles are released when litter degrades over time if it is not collected. Unfortunately a lot of litter makes its way into areas in and around civic infrastructure where it’s out of view and therefore no one picks it up ever. Litter that is washed down storm drains is hugely problematic for obvious reasons.

Cigarette butts can contain chemicals such as arsenic and formaldehyde. These poisons can make their way into the soil and freshwater sources, which negatively impacts both humans and animals. There are estimates that 60% of water pollution is attributed to litter. Researchers also estimate that more than 40% of the world’s litter is burned in the open air, which also release toxic emissions.

Definitely don’t litter, and if you need a dumpster rental in Trenton or Colborne be sure to get in touch with our front desk people here at Load n’ Lift. Canadian Military and Families receive a 5% discount on all bin rentals, and we also have big discounts for Senior citizens. We want to be the provider you call EVERY time you need a disposal bin rental around here.

Not something you’ll ever have at the end of your driveway for years and years though before needing to be put out to pasture, as the expression goes. You won’t be producing piles and piles of waste at any one time anyways, and if you did you’d be looking for a Trenton dumpster rental with job site delivery or something similar. So let’s continue right along here where we left off last entry. Old garbage bins that need to be replaced? Don’t necessarily get rid of them, as there are ways to repurpose old garbage bins.

1. Recycling Container

We touched on the idea of using bins for recycling purposed last entry when we talked about taking back empties and getting the deposit on them. But let’s expand on that to say that old garbage bins can be turned into recycling bins for any type of item that can be taken back. You would need to put some type of labelling on it to indicate it is now for recycling when you leave it out, but it is something to consider if you have an old garbage bin and need something for recycling.

2. Loose Material Transporter

This would require you to have a truck or van too, but if you do and you need something to load up on mulch, bark, or even some sand or gravel if someone has some for sale then you can use an old garbage bin to serve as the receptacle for transportation. You may be taking it to the municipal yard here following a dumpster rental in Trenton or Colborne or you may be taking it to an Eco station or a private residence where someone has whatever it is you need for whatever it is you’re doing.

3. Soil Blender

Mention number 3 here for people who have a garden in their backyard or on a rooftop. If you need a large container for mixing soil then an old garbage bin can do the job nicely. Plus the fact that many of them will be on wheels means they can roll around your yard just as easily as they used to roll up and down the driveway to the curb and back.

4. Impromptu Worktop

This is one here is a little bit of a reach maybe, but we’re talking about garbage bin repurposing of all sorts here and not about large waste disposal services for Trenton or Colborne. So suggesting that you might want to turn your old bin over and use the bottom as an impromptu worktop with a piece of particle board or something similar on it gets to go into the list.

This is something you can do if your old bins are empty from time to times, like for example if they’re used to blend soil ^ in the springtime but the rest of the summer they’re not in use the same way.

5. Mouse-Proof Bird Seed Container

Mice sometimes have a way of finding your bird seed or grass seed over the winter, and if that happens then your old garbage bin might be just what you need to keep them out. Store any such items with the lid sealed to keep these kinds of critters at bay.

That’s it for our list of ways you can repurpose old garbage bins, and if you take us up on any of these suggestions we’d like to see what you did if you’re inclined to share. But more importantly call Load n’ Lift first if you need Trenton and Colborne area dumpster rentals with same-day drop off service and then full-service waste disposal that is always done in full adherence to Provincial guidelines. We are also certified for Hazmat waste disposal in Ontario.

How many do you need, and where / how soon do you need them?

Every type of item has a working lifespan, and when your garbage bins come to the end of theirs you have a decision to make; do your bins go in a bin of their own? Not realistic or practical to begin with, so why don’t you give some thought to repurposing your old garbage bins? This is the kind of topic that we can really get into given what service we provide and it’s actually really interesting to see all the ways they can be reinvented and continue on with a service life of a different sort.

This will be one blog entry of 2 on the topic, as there are quite a number of options for garbage bin repurposing for us to look at here. Call us for dumpster rentals near CFB Trenton or Colborne, but if you have much less grand waste disposal needs like everyone else here’s our first of two lists for what you can do with old trash bins.

1. Make it into a Composter

Composting is a very rewarding practice for anyone who grows their own crops of any sort at home, and when done right composting can provide you with the means for some extremely nutrient-rich soil. There’s plenty of information online for how to do this, and the only real challenging part is to do surgery on the lid to add the proper ventilation for the unit to function as it should.

2. Leaf Storage

A garbage bin is an ideal spot to store excess leaves for your compost, keeping them dry and on your property to easily supplement your compost year-round. If you’ve got 2 bins that are ready to be retired from active service, how about making a composter out of one bin and use the other bins to store leaves and other organic waste?

3. Empties Storage

Recycling is just as important as job site waste disposal Trenton and Colbone and one of the things everyone recycles often is empties, because you get your deposit back on them. Old garbage bins are perfect for storing empty beverage containers for recycling. Use them for your bottles and you can eliminate the need for plastic bags when bringing them into the depot! Well, that is provided you have a truck or a van. Likely won’t work in a passenger vehicle. But this is something to think about.

4. Rainwater Collector

Another good idea for anyone who’s a green thumb and wants / needs to conserve water. Transforming your old bin into a rain barrel! This can be clever way to keep your bin from going to waste while cutting down on your water bill at the same time. One tip though – keep it out of direct sunlight to discourage any leaching from the garbage bin.

5. Planter Box

Here’s one you likely would never have thought of. You can use your bin to grow your own produce and if you do a quick search you’ll find that one of the popular options for people here is to use the depth of the bin to allow for growing corn in a bin. Do check if the type of plastic is food safe first, and don’t forget to drill drainage holes in the bottom.

Here’s another possibility – cut your bin in half and make two mini raised garden beds.

6. Dry Firewood Holder

Have a fireplace in your home, and not one of the electric ones that so many newer homes do. If you burn logs in yours then you likely cut your own cords of firewood in the fall to prepare for winter. Get really cold here in Ontario and nothing to do with Colborne dumpster rentals or waste disposal service but one thing you can do with an old garbage bin is keep dry firewood in it to keep it dry and readily accessible when those sub-zero days do arrive.

7. Garden Shed Storage

Old garbage bins can be turned into tool and odds n ends or whatever storage in your garden shed. Some people even keep kids’ summer lawn toys and the like in them. The possibilities are wide here for this use for an old garbage bin.

That’s the first half of our list of potential old bin repurposing options, and we’ll list out the next 7 in our next entry. Need a dumpster rental in Trenton or Colborne? Get the best service around with bins dropped off and then picked up when full when you call Load n’ Lift.