Construction Bin Owner’s Manual — Extended Edition

August 11, 2022

“Congratulations on joining the elite club of the rental construction bin owners. Please examine the instruction closely to get the best out of the bin’s many top-notch high-tech functions”

That’s how an owner’s manual for a rental construction bin would start if it was something sophisticated. Luckily, it’s not. 

It’s just a bin, and its only function is to help you get rid of construction waste. Here’s all you really may need to know about it. 

What goes in the bin?

In short, everything that is non-organic, not hazardous or explosive, is OK to throw in the bin, according to the current Toronto laws. Since we offer construction bin rental service, here’s the list of all the most common things you CAN throw in the bin: 

  • Old tiles;
  • Broken drywall;
  • Scrap wood;
  • Shingles;
  • Concrete;
  • Bricks;
  • Scrap metal;
  • Old fixtures (sinks, toilets, etc.);
  • Insulation;
  • Flooring (carpet, vinyl, hardwood, etc.);
  • Old cabinetry;
  • Cardboard;
  • Packing materials (bubble wrap, Styrofoam, etc.);
  • Plaster;
  • Glass;
  • Paint cans (empty or dried up);
  • Landscaping waste (tree branches, soil, etc.);
  • Electrical wiring;
  • PVC piping;
  • Old appliances (stoves, fridges, etc.).

These, and numerous other things, are 100% safe to throw in the container that you rent from Right Bins.

What does NOT go in the bin?

Anything that is prohibited by local regulations, requires specific licensing, can explode or contaminate soil, is NOT OK to throw in the bin. Most commonly, these things:

  • Batteries;
  • Electronic waste (e-waste);
  • Household hazardous waste (paints, pesticides, solvents, etc.);
  • Medical waste (needles, syringes, etc.);
  • Liquids (oil, chemicals, etc.);
  • Propane tanks;
  • Tires;
  • Asbestos-containing materials;
  • Fluorescent light bulbs;
  • Radioactive materials.

We hope you dind no radioactive materials during your home reno project, but we’re not the ones writing regulations. Feel free to address all your questions to MOEE — Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. 

The easy way to understand whether it’s OK to throw something in the bin

These lists above may change depending on the location and city-specific waste management programs. Based on our experience, though, you can easily make the right decision if you look at the thing in question and ask yourself just 3 questions about it:

  1. Is it going to do damage to the soil in the long run? 
  2. Is it going to explode when it gets heated or exposed to fire?
  3. Is it something that’s not quite healthy when disassembled?

And that’s it! These 3 questions work with pretty much anything if you use basic common sense: 

  • Batteries ciontain lythium, lithium is not healthy, so they’re not OK to throw in the bin;
  • Propane tanks are not dangerous, but if they get too hot — they get deformed and can explode with the remaining gas, so they’re not OK to throw in the bin either;
  • Tires are not dangerous or explosive, but they pretty much never degrade and damage the soil when they do, so they’re not OK to dispose of with other waste.

Simple as that!

How to avoid any problems with your bin?

The most common issues we encounter are all associated with the fact that the bin is… well, a bin: hard to move, exceptionally heavy, large metal object. Here are some things you can do to avoid any issues with it:

  1. Choose the location wisely. If it’s in your driveway — will it block the way for your car? Or anything out of your garage?
  2. Clear the area. We’ll check it before installing the waste bin anyway, but some extra caution is always good. You’re 100% sure you have enough space for the bin? And the surface is even, has no foreign objects? Even tiny ones? And your favourite flower bed is not in the way?
  3. Be proactive. Look at your property, imagine the bin already standing where you want it to be, and think of all the things that may happen while it’s there. For example, if your friends want to come — they’ll have enough space to park the car? And if you decide to powerwash anything, the bin won’t get in the powerwasher cord’s way? And if your renovation project will require the use of machinery, it won’t block it?
  4. Think of your comfort. Won’t the bin block your windows? Even nice and clean, it’s not quite the exact thing you want to see first when you wake up. And can you pass it easily walking to any spot of your yard?
  5. Think of logistics. Some home renovation projects require moving heavy objects, and sometimes — a heavy object is exactly what you need to throw in the bin. Is there any way to place the bin wisely, so you or the construction workers don’t have to carry something heavy for an extra 10 meters around your property?

Think of it this way: the ordering process takes about 5 minutes. The delivery & installation will take less than 5 minutes as well. On top of these 10 minutes, there are definitely at least 5 more you can dedicate to planning the placement of the bin carefully. 15 minutes instead of 10, and the whole week, 2 weeks, or even a month that you’ll need the bin in place are guaranteed to be stress-free.

Some Safety Rules 

It’s not like a garbage bin is some dangerous piece of equipment, but it still would be nice to avoid health risks. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind: 

  1. Don’t run around the bin. It’s a huge metal object with corners and crises, falling on it is not something you need in your life. Even if you have really good reasons to run, for some reason, we recommend passing the bin slowly and respectfully. It’s a second-long process anyway;
  2. Don’t let kids play around it. If you understand that running around the bin is not OK — they are not guaranteed to understand it either. For kids, it looks twice as large as it looks for you, and, from our experience — 10 times more interesting to explore. We recommend not allowing them to “explore” it unsupervised (or at all);
  3. Don’t climb it. Even if there’s that one stubborn piece of wood that sticks out. Even if it’s more convenient to even the surface from the top. Falling on a pile of construction waste, or from the top of it on the ground, is easier than you think. Even if you’re a gymnastics champion, some pieces of garbage can move under your weight at the bottom of the bin and the whole pile will slide, so you simply lose your balance;
  4. Don’t overload the bin. Anything that piles up or hangs from the edges will fall to the ground. It’s not a huge problem to just put it back, but it may be extra hassle to clean the area again and get rid of the scratches on your driveway or holes in your lawn;
  5. And again — seriously — don’t overload the bin. For each size you can order, there’s a limit. We just won’t be able to take it away if it’s too heavy or it may fall from the truck’s loading mechanis

In short, avoid any possible traumatic situations, keep the kids away, and don’t overload the bin. Sounds pretty obvious, right?

Final Word

There’s clearly nothing complicated about construction bin rental. But we’re not new in the market: ALL sorts of situations happen, all the time. However, if you just use the bin you rent as intended — you’re guaranteed to have a hassle-free experience.

In case you’re not 100% sure about anything that involves using the bin you rent — you can always make a call. We know that no home reno project is like another, and there MAY be situations when you’re unsure, whether you’re allowed to do something, or not. The expert that will answer your call is qualified to answer all sorts of questions regarding our services, equipment use, and regulations. 

Categories: Bin Rentals