Collection Schedule
Curbside Collection
As of 2017, green carts have been distributed to all eligible neighbourhoods in order to facilitate curbside organics collection. Green carts are collected on a biweekly schedule.
What can I put in my Green Cart?
Only materials that can fully undergo the composting process are accepted in the City green cart program. If the item you are searching for is not included in one of the lists below, please email sustainability@yellowknife.ca with a description of the item for further instructions.
The following is a list of acceptable materials for your green cart:
- Food waste
- Includes edible (i.e. meat, vegetables, fruit) and inedible (i.e. bones, peels, cores) food waste;
- Paper towels or facial tissue;
- Small amounts of boxboard and cardboard;
- Small amounts of leaf and yard waste; and
- BPI certified compostable products (look for logo displayed below on actual product).
The following is a basic list of materials that are not accepted in the green cart:
- Cooking Oil;
- Biodegradable materials;
- General residual waste;
- Soil or rolls of Sod;
- Any plastic without the BPI certified compostable logo (i.e. green plastic bags, berry containers, cups, etc.);
- Animal or Honey Bucket waste;
- Gable top or Tetra containers (i.e. milk cartons, juice cartons, soup broth containers);
- Metal; and
- Electronics.
The Compost Facility
Today, collected organic material is taken to the compost facility located at the Solid Waste Facility. Organic material is then combined with carbon amendments (like leaf and yard waste, and wood chips) and placed into long piles called 'windrows.' These windrows take approximately 2 years to decompose into mature and stable compost.
Please note: Only BPI Institute certified compostable plastics will be accepted by the compost facility. Certified compostable materials will have the following logo (pictured below) directly on the plastic. If there is no logo, the item is not certified and belongs in the garbage stream (e.g. #7 PLA plastics).
If you're interested in visiting the compost facility, please contact sustainability@yellowknife.ca.
