Blue box recycling: two stream separation is key to Durham’s success

In today’s increasingly challenging recycling markets, it is more important than ever to keep recyclables as clean as possible. Ninety-five per cent of the Region’s recyclable materials are moved to sustainable end markets within North America, including Canada and the United States. Even with this remarkably high rate of materials making it to end markets, we strive to do better. The remaining five percent are non-recyclable materials that residents mistakenly put in their blue boxes. 

The success of Durham Region’s recycling program is because it uses two blue boxes for recycling–one blue box for paper products and packaging and a second blue box for metal, plastic, glass and food and beverage containers. Durham’s two-stream recycling system creates recycling that is easier to sort.

Some municipalities have single-stream or cart-based collection systems and collect all their recyclables in one container for sorting at their recycling facilities. While this can be more convenient for residents, it allows the bottles, cans and jars to soil the paper products. It also, cross-contaminates many of the materials and makes it very difficult to recycle all the materials. When recycling is dirty, it creates more waste and lowers its value–reducing the revenue that helps to keep the cost of recycling programs down.

For more recycling tips visit durham.ca/Waste or download the Durham Region Waste App.