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An early morning stroll on garbage day in our leafy east-end neighbourhood is not a pretty sight. There are always a few tipped over green bins, the contents strewn across the sidewalk, leftovers from a midnight feast by marauding raccoons.
The bins that survived the night sport a variety of straps, chains, hooks, wires and bungee cords to keep the critters at bay — a nod to the ingenuity of residents fed up with scooping up too many disgusting messes from the sidewalk.
The bins, introduced in downtown Toronto five years ago, were supposed to be raccoon proof, but that turned out to be an empty promise.
And if you do too good a job of securing your bin, garbage collectors won’t pick it up. So you’ll have to get out there before they hit your street and undo all your good work. Of course, you can avoid the problem altogether by waiting until 7 a.m. to put out your bin, as the city recommends. But that’s a hassle.
Is there an easier way? Below are some of the methods Toronto residents are using to outsmart the raccoons on garbage day.
WIRES, HOOKS AND BUNGEES
What: Jerry-rigged systems designed to keep the lid on include hooks, wires, bungee cords and even a padlock.
Cost: From pennies to a few dollars.
Pros: Better than nothing.
Cons: Must be undone in the morning, otherwise garbage collectors won’t empty the bin.
Verdict: Raccoons, amazingly, may still get a paw in and rip stuff out. Bungee cords stretch, so they’re not ideal.
STRAPS
What: Strap with luggage clasps at each end, originally designed to secure large garbage cans.
Cost: $7.97 plus tax, sold as the Raccoon Check from Home Hardware.
Pros: Easy to install with four bolts supplied and four drill holes. The recommended way is shown in our gallery, with the strap covering the metal handle. Some people swear by the sideways method.
Cons: Must be unclasped in the morning. Raccoons can still pry the lid open a crack, especially if the bin is full and they can grasp on to a plastic bag.
Verdict: Works best if the bin can be tethered to a fence or pole and kept upright. Always tighten strap tight, so the lid is held down firmly.
SUPER LATCH
What: Add-on latch - the official answer to the bin that doesn’t keep out raccoons. The white contraption adds a double-action mechanism, making the bin more difficult to open than simply lifting the handle.
Cost: $9, including tax. Available from the city’s recycling container pick up locations (416-338-2010, or www.toronto.ca/greenbin).
Pros: Collectors WILL unlatch this one and empty the bin.
Cons: Why wasn’t it incorporated in the original design?
Verdict: "There are no guarantees, but I hear it works," said the cheerful Toronto Works employee who sold me the device. So far so good.
