Curbside Collection

Garbage (black cart)

Black carts are collected bi-weekly.

All waste must fit inside your cart with the lid closed. Your cart must weigh less than 200 lbs (90.7 kg). You can take additional bagged garbage to the Transfer Station for a fee.

Once collected, household garbage is taken to a transfer site run by GFL Environmental before being taken to the Thorhild Landfill or Beaver Regional Landfill.

Second Cart

Residents can subscribe to one extra black garbage cart per household. The following fees and restrictions apply:

• $50 one-time delivery fee applied to your monthly utility bill.
• $12.25 per month fee applied to your monthly utility bill for collection and disposal of waste materials.
• Minimum 6 month commitment.
• LIMIT ONE ADDITONAL CART PER HOUSEHOLD.

For more information, please contact the Waste Hotline at 780-992-6218 or email Waste Services.

Organics (green cart)

Sorting organic materials diverts waste from the landfill and from your black cart, increasing its capacity.

Green bins are collected either weekly or biweekly throughout the year. Bi-weekly collection begins the first full week in November.

All organics must fit inside your cart with the lid closed. Your cart must weigh less than 200 lbs (90.7 kg).

If you bag your organic waste, make sure to only use BPI certified compostable bag, paper bags or cardboard boxes. NO plastic is accepted in the green cart.

Once collected, organics are transported to the Cleanit Greenit Composting Facility in Edmonton where the material becomes high-quality compost.

Recycling (blue bag)

Recycling is collected weekly.

You are allowed unlimited recycling in blue bags. Or, if you prefer, you can put your recyclables in a small bin measuring between 45 cm and 80 cm in height and no larger than 60 cm in width, depth or diameter.

Please make sure recyclables are clean and dry before you put them in your blue bag.

Please do not put plastic bags, Styrofoam or glass in your blue bags. You can take plastic bags and glass to the Transfer Station. Styrofoam is not recyclable.

Once collected, recyclables are taken to a materials recovery facility run by GFL Environmental to be sorted and then recycled or shipped to new markets.

Cart use guidelines

Please place your carts so that the collection truck's mechanical arm can easily access them. To make collection safer and more efficient, please follow these instructions:

• Set your carts and blue bags out by 7 a.m. on your collection day.
• Place your carts on the street with the wheels against the curb (facing forward).
• Keep your carts one metre or 3 feet (an arm's length) away from any obstacles (such as vehicles, trees, or other waste carts).
• Make sure the lid is fully closed. We cannot collect overflowing carts.
• Do not put any extra garbage or organics bags outside your carts. No excess waste will be collected, except during Extra Yard Waste Pick-Up.

Storing your carts

When it isn't your collection day, you must remove your carts from the curb and store them on your property. You can place your carts:

• Inside your garage
• Against the side of your home
• On your front porch
• In your backyard
• Against a fence

How to take care of your carts

To keep your carts in good condition, here are a few tips:

• Wash your carts (inside and out) frequently and allow them to dry completely. You can clean them with soap, baking soda or ammonia.
• To stop items sticking to the sides of your cart, line your cart with newspaper.
• Trap wet waste in paper towel, newspaper, paper bags or cereal boxes to avoid a mess.
• Wait until close to your collection day to clean out your fridge. Or, freeze meat, fish and other smelly items until collection day.
• Layer wet and dry waste to absorb excess moisture and prevent items freezing to the cart in winter.
• Control insects by spreading dish soap around the lip of your cart.
• Do not push down your waste too tightly. This may prevent items from emptying during collection.
• Store your cart in a dry place to prevent rain and snow from collecting inside the cart. Prolonged moisture in the cart can cause damage.

If your cart has been damaged through normal use, please call the Waste Hotline at 780-992-6218.

Cart placement in the winter

During scheduled snow clearing please place your carts at the end of your driveway within 30 cm or 1 ft from the road.

To accommodate snow clearing operations, residents should remove their carts from the curb in a timely manner. Snow clearing vehicles and equipment require clear streets to effectively complete snow clearing operations.

Winter collection tips

Please remember the following curbside collection tips this winter.

• Place carts a minimum of one (1) metre (three feet) apart from each other or any object except for nearby snow banks
• Do not place carts or blue bags behind objects, or on the top of/in snow banks
• Do not pack material into the cart, as it can become stuck. Reminder: in changing temperatures or with condensation, make sure the material in your cart is loose before pickup. Please shake the contents well or put a shovel down the side to loosen the matter
• To avoid organics from freezing to the green organics cart:
  • Line the cart with cardboard or newspaper
  • Wrap food scraps in newspaper or paper towels
  • Create a newspaper liner for your food scraps container. Once the liner is full, empty it into your green organics cart.
  • Use certified BPI compostable bags