Toronto’s annual spring clean up is April 19 to 22, 2024. Learn more and register for Clean Toronto Together.

 

Litter can be a big problem in Toronto. It makes the city look bad, can have harmful effects on the environment and animals, and costs millions of dollars a year to clean up. Small items such as cigarette butts and gum, and large items such as paper towels and napkins, masks, and single-use drink cup lids and pieces are commonly littered items in Toronto. Help keep Toronto’s streets, sidewalks, beaches and parks clean by properly disposing of waste in the bins provided.  

The City has seen an increase in the amount of litter with more people enjoying Toronto’s public spaces. Please keep public spaces clean and safe by using available garbage and recycling bins to dispose of your waste.

The City has increased the amount of waste bins along the waterfront and in high-traffic parks and is emptying those in high-traffic areas more frequently. Littering comes with a fine of up to $500.

 

The City of Toronto works diligently throughout the year to keep public spaces vibrant and beautiful, with dedicated efforts to refresh streets, parks and ravines. The City’s Litter Operations run 20 hours per day, seven days a week.

Ongoing efforts to keep Toronto clean include:

  • Litter cleanup along major arterial streets, sidewalks and laneways
  • Collection of waste from public space litter bins located within the public right of way and from waste bins in parks and on beaches
  • Manual (i.e. staff with bag and broom) and mechanical (i.e. sidewalk sweepers, litter vacuums, backpack blowers, specialized pick-up trucks and pressure washers) methods to maintain the cleanliness of the public right of way.

The City is also responsible for the facilitation and clean-up of approximately 800 special events each year, which include parades, street events, community street parties, demonstrations, curb lane closures, sidewalk sales and athletic events.

City Pride Parade 2022

The City is committed to helping event organizers reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by providing technical advice, coordination and support for special events. Learn more about Street Events.

Cigarette Butts

Cigarette butts and debris are the most prevalent small  litter items found on Toronto streets, can take years to break down and contain toxic chemicals that can be released into our environment.

Toronto street litter bins have a special receptacle designated for cigarette butt disposal.

Street litter bin showing cigarette butt receptacle

If you don’t have access to a street litter receptacle, make sure your cigarette is completely extinguished and cooled, and then dispose of it in the garbage.

Warning from Toronto Fire Services: Never put cigarette butts in garden planters because this can quickly lead to fires!

Gum

Chewing gum makes up a large part of Toronto’s litter. A lot of the small dark patches on our roads and sidewalks were once someone’s gum. Many people do not see gum as litter and toss it on our roads and sidewalks causing them to look dirty and uncared for.

Used chewing gum (and its wrapping) belongs in the garbage.

Personal Protective Equipment

Masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment continue to be littered throughout Toronto’s beaches, parks and streets. These should be disposed of in the garbage bins available.

Paper Towels and Napkins

Paper towels and napkins are common large litter items found on Toronto streets. If in a park, and there is a Green Bin nearby, these can be disposed of in the Green Bin. Otherwise, they should be disposed of in the garbage.

More information can be found in the 2022 Litter Audit Report.

Environmental Damage

Items carelessly discarded on the ground can be harmful to the environment, as they may not easily biodegrade and can remain in our ecosystem for years. Some items can even get swept into sewers or rivers and end up in Lake Ontario.

Harmful to Animals

It is common for animals, such as dogs, to eat foreign objects that they find on the ground. Small litter items can end up being eaten by pets and wild animals and have harmful effects on their health.

It’s Expensive

Keeping Toronto clean is no easy task. If Toronto residents and visitors kept litter items off our streets, the City could save millions of dollars a year.

Use Street and Park Litter Bins

There are approximately 10,300 garbage/recycling street bins across the city and 11,000 garbage and recycling bins in City parks. In addition, there are Green Bins in a number of parks across the city. Please do your part. Help keep Toronto clean and beautiful by using these bins.

The City is also undertaking a pilot project to test the use of a dedicated compartment for dog waste in street litter bins. The goal of this pilot is to determine if the collection of organic waste from street litter bins is feasible, and to find out if this type of initiative can successfully divert more dog waste from landfill.

Pack a Litterless Picnic

When visiting Toronto beaches and parks for a picnic or gathering, reduce the amount of waste you create by opting for reusable items such as reusable bags, utensils and cups. Other options include bringing your food in reusable containers, using cloth napkins and bringing fruits and vegetables and food that does not have packaging.

Also consider carrying a small plastic bag to dispose of any waste you create.

Recycle Right – On the Go!

It’s just as important to recycle right on the go! Incorrect placement of items such as coffee cups, dog waste, food waste and containers with leftover food in public recycling bins is ruining perfectly good recyclables, sending them to landfill.

Report Litter Hot Spots & Illegal Dumping

The City has a bylaw against littering and illegal dumping. If you see an area with a lot of litter or notice illegal dumping of waste, please report it to 311.

Learn more about illegal dumping.