Kelowna

It’s almost time to start filling up your yard waste cart.

Starting March 1st, all residents on municipal curbside garbage collection will benefit from yard waste pick up every two weeks from March through November. Simply place yard waste directly into the cart with the green lid and wheel it out for pickup every other week (on the non recycling pick up weeks).To determine your yard waste collection week, please refer to your Living Greener Calendar, or visit the regional district website.

Waste Reduction Facilitator Rae Stewart says last year alone the new curbside yard waste cart pickup program saw remarkable participation. Approximately 8,500 tonnes of yard waste was collected at the curb and turned into reusable compost instead of being buried at the landfill.

Stewart adds, “The curbside yard waste collection program is a winner all round. It helps residents who don’t have a vehicle to take their yard waste prunings and garden waste to the landfills. It reduces long traffic lineups and congestion at the landfills by eliminating the need for drop off. And with the new bi-weekly collection system, residents don’t have to wait like they used to for seasonal collections. Now they can put yard waste out every other week. Not only that, it gives us the chance to compost all this yard waste, thereby saving valuable landfill space.”

People are reminded to put your yard waste out for collection by 7 a.m. on the morning of your regular garbage day.

Accepted items include:

Grass clippings

Leaves

Needles

Branches and prunings up to five centimeters (two inches) in diameter and less than one metre (three feet) in length

NOTE: Yard waste is no longer allowed in the garbage, and must fit in the cart with the lid closed. No plastic bags, rocks, sod, flower pots, fruit droppings or kitchen scraps please.

Up to two additional 360 litre yard waste carts can be purchased from your municipality. For additional yard waste carts and collection options, contact your municipality or visit the regional district website.

Link: Regional District website