Staggering amounts of garbage removed from Toronto ravines since 2020

Overflowing bins aren't the only garbage problem in Toronto, a new report stating that over 250 tonnes of trash have been removed from Toronto ravines since 2020.

Toronto may be known around the world for dense cityscapes, hip neighbourhoods, and an unmatched food scene, but it's our extensive network of natural ravines that truly make the city unique.

These ravines offer a slice of nature in densely-populated areas and double as wildlife superhighways, the reason it's not uncommon to see coyotes and deer just casually chilling in residential neighbourhoods.

And they're also a huge boost to the city through an estimated annual contribution of $822 million in ecological and recreational services.

But like any place where humans and nature co-exist, our garbage and pollution threaten the delicate balance of the ravine system. This is why the City is investing heavily in its ravine strategy program, which includes efforts to clean up the trash leavings of our garbage species.

and the people living there have added 250 tonnes.

— Mark Daye (@MarkEDaye) May 25, 2022

A City update on the implementation of the ravine strategy includes details on cleaning up these important green networks through "a multi-pronged approach to address litter and dumping in ravines that complements enforcement efforts with the City's ravine litter picking crew and community engagement initiatives."

Since 2020, the City has overseen the removal of an astonishing 252 tonnes garbage and metal from 333 hectares of ravine land.

Through the Ravine Strategy, @cityoftoronto staff have removed 252 tonnes garbage and metal from 333 hectares of ravine land over the past two years.

Learn how you can get involved by visiting https://t.co/5lEcD6D60Y#ravinesTO pic.twitter.com/uRnQ12MMCu

— City of Toronto PFR (@TorontoPFR) May 27, 2022

It's not necessarily an easy statistic to visualize, so here are some comparisons.

It's roughly equal to the weight of 40 adult elephants or 100 rhinoceros, and would be enough trash to balance an enormous scale holding two and a half blue whales. Which is a little macabre when you actually try and visualize what half a whale would look like.

As to why there is so much trash in Toronto's ravines, city data analyst Matt Elliott suggests in his latest City Hall Watcher newsletter that "one way to prevent dumping might be to actually provide waste bins along routes like the Don Trail."