Main Options for Yard Waste Collection
The City of Terrace is considering multiple options for the continuation of yard waste collection. These are the four key options that we ask about on the 2022 Yard Waste Collection survey. You may also make additional suggestions and comments on the survey for our consideration.
New Yard Waste Cart for Curbside Collection
As our new curbside collection trucks are not designed for the manual collection of compost bags, to continue the curbside collection of yard waste (in volumes exceeding the capacity of the current green organics cart), residents would need to purchase a fourth 240-litre cart (same size as the current refuse/recycling carts).
Like the curbside collection of recycling, refuse, and organics, residents would be given a day of the week on which they would bring their yard waste can to the curb for pickup.
Adding a fourth cart for yard waste is the most comparable option to our existing collection program, but there are some noteworthy differences. Compost bags would no longer be accepted (collection of yard waste would be limited to what fit inside the new yard waste cart), and each resident would have an additional cart to store instead of purchasing brown kraft bags.
Spring/Fall Cleanup
Currently, each resident is issued a green organics cart that is picked up weekly throughout the year. Yard waste is permitted in these carts, but we understand that they may not be adequately sized during certain times of the year (like yard cleanup in the spring and leaves in the fall). One option we are investigating is to supplement the green organics cart with spring and fall cleanup events.
What would this event entail?
During one week in the spring and one week in the fall, residents would be able to put unlimited compost bags out to their curbs for pickup. This would allow for residents to plan to get rid of excess volumes of yard waste, exceeding the capacity of their organics cart, at least twice per year.
Yard Waste Drop-Off Location
The yard waste collection service that is most common in BC communities is free yard waste drop-off facilities (example photo on the right). The yard waste drop-off facility would be installed in a central location to give residents a place to bring any yard waste that exceeds the volume of their organics cart at no cost. The facility would act as a transfer station. City crews would haul the yard waste back to the Public Works yard to be made into topsoil for future City projects.
Only yard waste would be permitted at this drop-off location; food waste would still be collected in the green curbside organics cart.
Backyard Composting
The best option to reduce the environmental impact of yard waste is backyard composting. This method gives residents the opportunity to process all organic materials they produce and divert this material from our landfill. Benefits of this option are:
- Homeowners are left with a useful product to feed their gardens and lawns, without the need for curbside collection or delivery of materials to a compost facility.
- Reduction of household waste by up to 30%. This is a significant volume of material that would alternatively take up valuable landfill space and contribute to harmful leachate production and gas generation.
Interested in backyard composting, but don’t know where to start?
The City of Port Coquitlam has an excellent web page describing the do’s and don’ts of backyard composting and how to get started! Learn more here.
Consultation has concluded. Thank you for your feedback!
