Madawaska Valley Township is reminding residents that green bins in winter don’t co-operate like they do in the summer.
The township is asking residents to line their bins with newspaper, light cardboard or a paper bag. This will stop your compost from freezing to the side of the bin, making it easier to collect. The Township says that no plastic bags are allowed in green bin and will be rejected during pickup. They do say that you can duct-tape a plastic bag to the bin so that it doesn’t fall out with the rest of the compost.
The township suggests using bags like food waste paper bags, cereal boxes, potato bags or dog food bags. They also suggest sprinkling baking soda into the green bin and wrapping meat or dairy in newspaper to help contain the smell. They also remind people to remove any packaging from food and other organics before putting them in the bin. The township says spraying your green bin with a disinfectant like Lysol can deter pests. They also say you can use a cardboard box in the winter that can be thrown in with the rest of the compost.