One Change Per Week

By now, you have likely received a flyer in your mailbox about the upcoming yard waste program changes. Let’s take a moment to talk about it!

What’s the change?

Monday, August 28 will be the last day for Monday yard waste collection in brown kraft bags. As of Tuesday, September 5, weekly yard waste collection will be in green carts on your regular pickup day only.

What if I have more yard waste than will fit in my green cart?

Option 1: Upgrade to a bigger cart! We now have 240L green carts available. That’s the same size as your current black (garbage) and blue (recycling) cart. There’s a one-time fee of $45 for this cart (and that’s less than you paid initially for your current 120L green cart). To order, please contact us (contact info below) and we’ll swap it for you. New carts will be delivered immediately to anyone ordering by August 25. Orders placed after that will be delivered when supplies and staff are available.

Option 2: Drop off additional yard waste in brown kraft bags at our free drop-off location, the Public Works yard at 5003 Graham Ave. This will be available on Mondays from 8:30 am-4:00 pm, from the third Monday in April to the first Monday in November—this year, that means drop-off runs on Mondays till November 6.

Option 3: Can’t make it on Mondays? The Thornhill Transfer Station (3016 Old Lakelse Lake Rd) accepts yard waste on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays: May 1–Oct 31 it’s from noon to 7 pm, and from Nov 1–April 30 it’s from noon to 5 pm.

Option 4: Gearing up for a big fall clean-up? We’ll have an additional drop-off day at the Public Works yard on a Saturday in the next few months to help with fall clean-up. Stay tuned for details.

What goes where?

Your green curbside cart can contain all organics as before, including food scraps as well as yard waste. However, the drop-off location at the Public Works yard can only include yard waste—grass clippings, branches, leaves, etc. Please bag them as usual in brown kraft bags for drop-off.

Why was this necessary?

We have two types of trucks. Our newer type uses a mechanical arm to pick up carts, and that’s the one you see each week collecting black, blue, and green carts Tuesday through Friday. Our older type of truck could only be used to pick up bags manually (by hand). Maintaining equipment for both the manual yard waste pickup and automated refuse, recycling, and organics pickup proved to be very costly. Not only that, but it also is very labour-intensive (and potentially dangerous when bags are overloaded) for staff to repeatedly hoist bags by hand, and ensuring their health and safety is a high priority.

When the two manual trucks finally reached the end of their life and were due for replacement, staff determined that replacing them with a similar model didn’t make sense—better to replace them with another truck with a mechanical arm, so that it could be put into use throughout the week when needed and keep all trucks running better for longer. This also saved local taxpayers like you the cost of purchasing two new trucks, since this program has reduced our fleet from four total trucks to three.

However, the trucks with mechanical arms can only pick up carts, not bags—so the current yard waste program is no longer compatible with our fleet. In spring 2022, we presented several options and invited public feedback on four proposed options as well as other ideas. The responses were mixed, and we recognize that—but we selected to use two of the proposed options in tandem to help address this: bigger green carts plus a drop-off location.

How can I get more information?

• Keep reading this blog for lots of great info on refuse-related topics!
• Browse Recycle Coach (tip: the app is great!) to search for what goes where.
• Contact us directly: Call 250-615-4019 or email recycle@terrace.ca

Due to the BC Day holiday on Monday, August 7, yard waste pickup will take place throughout the week. Please leave your bags on the curbside on Tuesday, August 8, and we will pick them up as soon as we can. Thank you!

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019

Let’s build some new recycling habits! We get it—it can be tough to remember what goes where and how to prep it. Here are some basics to keep in mind. With a little time, they can become second nature when filling your blue cart!

• Empty and rinse plastic and metal bottles and containers. Give that Campbell’s can a quick swish with water, or stick the Kraft peanut butter tub in that last spot in the dishwasher before you start it up!
• Flatten cardboard. Keep a utility knife nearby to flatten that Amazon box or Froot Loops box, and be sure to fold or cut it up if oversized so it doesn’t get stuck in the cart (or worse, the truck).
• Keep soft plastics out. Place items loosely in the cart rather than bagging it. Overwrap from your Charmin, plastic wrap and Ziplok bags from your lunch, and Doritos bags do not belong here.
• Place soiled paper products in your green cart. Cheesy pizza boxes, paper takeout containers, birthday party paper plates, paper towels, tissues, and napkins can all be composted.

When we make #OneChangePerWeek, recycling is much less daunting!

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019

Wondering about our yard waste program? Here are a few things you can do to ensure your yard waste gets picked up as intended!

1. Put out yard waste in brown kraft bags on Mondays only. Our drivers don’t pick up these bags during their other curbside pickups. It’s a separate collection trip with a different type of truck.
2. Likewise, don’t put out your green organics carts on Mondays. Drivers don’t pick up any carts—even if they contain yard waste—on Mondays. They will be picked up on your regular curbside collection day.
3. Prep your yard waste properly for pickup. Branches should be less than ½ inch diameter (12 mm) and less than 3 feet (1 m) in length. Bags should not weigh more than 50 lbs (22 kg).
4. Yard waste should never include cooked food, oil, meat, fish, bones, animal waste, household refuse, or building materials (like lumber, drywall, and siding—yup, we’ve seen this happen).
5. There is no bag limit, but make sure—as best you can—that your bags aren’t sitting out in the rain for too long prior to pickup. No one likes soggy bottoms! If you can’t pick up the bag without it falling apart, then neither can we.
6. If we have a super busy day (especially in spring and fall) or if there is a statutory holiday on the Monday, we may not get to all bags in one day as planned, and pickup may continue throughout the week. Please be patient and we’ll get to your residence as soon as we can!
7. …But with that in mind, if you have put out bags and they are not picked up by the end of the week, we may have missed you, or there might be a problem with your bags. Give us a call at 250-615-4019 and we’ll investigate!

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019

None of us will forget the constant reminders for staying 2 metres apart during the pandemic. But did you know our refuse carts also like a little bit of space between them?

Please remember the 1-metre rule: Place your carts at least 1 metre (or 3 feet) away from parked cars, trees, or other obstructions like a hydro box, as well as 1 metre away from other carts. The mechanical arm on the truck needs that space all around a cart in order to successfully—and safely—pick it up (and yes—sometimes they do fall over when the arm puts them down!). Remember to also position your carts with the arrows pointing to the centre of the road. *Pro tip: You use these carts each week and may not think about them much—but these instructions are actually on the lid of each one

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019

Extra garbage this week? If it just won’t fit in your black cart and you don’t want to wait for the next pickup, we can help. Purchase garbage bag tags for $2 each at City Hall or Public Works and attach them to your extra garbage bag(s).

Top 3 tips:

• Ensure the bag tag is clearly visible on your extra garbage bag. Stapling it on is best.
• Please be considerate of our crews and keep those bags to 50 lbs at the most. Unlike the carts, which are tipped into the truck by its mechanical arm, the extra bags must be picked up by hand.
• Place your extra garbage bags beside your city-provided garbage cart. Bags placed in garbage cans or other containers will not be collected.

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019

Curbside collection questions? Give us a call!

If your black, blue, and/or green cart was not picked up, your first step should be giving us a call! Our team is ready to answer your questions, and we encourage you to contact us if your pickup has not gone as expected. Usually, there is a simple answer and a quick resolution.

☎️📱 Please call 250-615-4019 or email recycle@terrace.ca with your questions and we’ll be happy to help!

It’s that time of year again—gardening and yardwork season! If you have plans to get out in the garden over the long weekend and beyond, here are a few tips on how to dispose of yard-related materials:

• Plastic plant pots and trays: These are recyclable and can go in your curbside recycling cart—please be sure to remove any remaining soil first!
• Ceramic and clay flowerpots: Try to find someone else to reuse these pots before throwing them away. You could also break them up to use for drainage in another pot! If all else fails, these go in your black garbage cart or to the Transfer Station.
• Soil bags: Soft plastic, including soil bags, grocery bags, bread bags, etc. can be recycled at Do Your Part. It does NOT go in curbside recycling carts.
• Garden hoses: Hoses, ropes, and strapping get tangled in conveyor belts at recycling sorting facilities. Please, these do NOT go in curbside recycling carts and should be placed in the black garbage cart or taken to the Transfer Station.
• BBQ propane/pressurized tanks: These should NEVER go in any curbside cart—pressurized containers can explode when compacted or catch fire. Please take these tanks to ABC Recycling, Allen’s Scrap & Salvage, or the Transfer Station.

Wondering about something not listed here? Check out Recycle Coach and search for your item—you’ll probably find it there! Find the web version and links to the app for Apple and Android devices on our website.

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019

How do I recycle shredded paper?

Great question! First of all, kudos to you for shredding your sensitive documents. It’s a great way to help prevent identity theft. Second of all, recycling shredded paper is easy! Here’s what to do:

Shred that paper!

1. Collect your shredded paper in a paper bag (like the kind from the grocery store) or a small box (recycled boxes work great—like a cereal box, or reuse a small box you received in the mail). If you’re putting it in a box, make sure the box is 30" x 30" x 8" or smaller.
2. Close up your bag or box securely (staples and tape, respectively, work well).
3. Put your bag or box into your blue cart.
4. If your blue cart is full, put your bag or box into a transparent plastic bag along with your additional extra recycling and set this next to your cart. (Any extra recycling placed in a bag next to the cart is dumped into your cart after it’s been emptied into the truck, and then it gets emptied into the truck, too.)

Loose shredded paper will get EVERYWHERE. Please don’t put it loose in your cart, or (if there is one) in the bag beside your cart!

BONUS: If you have just a little bit of shredded paper, you can also put this in your green organics bin!

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019

Have you been doing some spring cleaning recently? We salute you! However, a common challenge we see in our recycling programs is “wish-cycling.” This is when we put items in our curbside carts that we think *should* be recyclable, when they actually are not—or, at least not in the curbside program. It’s easy to assume that everything will find its way to the correct recycling stream, but that’s not usually the case. Wish-cycling could actually contaminate a whole truckload of recycling. Here are a few tips for properly disposing of some common spring-cleaning items.

IF YOUR CLOSET IS FIT TO BURST: Textiles are some of the most wasteful items. First of all, please do not put any clothing, blankets, sheets, shoes, etc. in your blue recycling cart as our recycling program does not accept these items. Instead, consider repairing ripped items or repurposing irreparable ones into rags—perfect for dusting and wiping down the rest of your home during your spring cleanup! You can also sell or donate items that just simply aren’t your style anymore. There are tons of buy-and-sell groups in our area for adults and kids. Clothing swaps with friends can be another fun way to refresh your wardrobe (or your kids') without sending the existing contents of your closet to the landfill.

IF YOUR COFFEE TABLE KICKED THE BUCKET: Furniture, especially wooden furniture, may seem like it can be recycled (it’s made of trees, after all!) but this doesn’t belong in your curbside carts. For instance, we’ve seen whole kitchen chairs in blue carts before, and they just cannot be recycled this way. In fact, bulky, heavy items like furniture shouldn’t be in any curbside cart—black garbage cart included—as they can damage the truck or pose a risk to workers. Please consider selling or donating items that are still in decent condition or find someone who refurbishes furniture for their business or hobby project. Items that are truly beyond hope should go to the Transfer Station in Thornhill.

IF YOU JUST FOUND AN OLD WALKMAN IN YOUR BASEMENT: Electronic waste, aka e-waste, is a huge problem these days, and many people simply throw things in the garbage when they stop working. But wait! While your old rotary dial phone from the 80s or that Tamagotchi from 1996 can’t be tossed in the curbside recycling cart, it absolutely can be recycled! Whether it’s a broken blender, busted hand-held drill, ancient TV set, or old-school flip-phone, there’s a place to take it: our local Return-It, aka Bottle Depot. Find a full list of acceptable items here—you might be surprised what’s on the list!

IF YOU JUST DID ONE HECK OF DEEP CLEAN: Our blue recycling cart is the perfect spot for most of your empty cleaning product containers—but please check the label first! We don’t want hazardous materials in our curbside collection program. Paints, solvents, flammable liquids, and similar items that contain warnings like poison, toxic, corrosive, etc, will need to go to Do Your Part Recycling in Thornhill—but if you’re not certain about a product, check in with the Regional District of Kitimat-Stikine before disposing of it. Most regular household cleaners won’t fall into this category, though—if the container has a #1 through #7 material-type indicator on it, then it should be accepted in curbside recycling. That includes spray, pump, and pull-up tops. Just remove the lids and/or spray taps and place all parts into your cart separately. There are lots of “greener” ways to clean, too—try baking soda, lemon, white vinegar, and salt to clean up. Check Recycle Coach for tips!

IF YOU’RE STANDING THERE HOLDING A THING AND DON’T KNOW WHERE TO PUT IT: Just head to Recycle Coach, our handy app/website search tool. It probably has information on the item you’re wondering about. Recycle Coach includes a customized collection calendar for your address, as well as Terrace-specific information about what goes where.

Happy spring cleaning!

recycle@terrace.ca | 250-615-4019