If you pay a garbage fee on your yearly Coquitlam utility bills, the city is set to help you get rid of any unwanted yard waste this spring.
The city's six-week yard collection program starts Monday (April 3) when homeowners can gather, pack and place trimmings out for curbside pick-up on green-cart collection days.
The free biannual campaign runs until May 11.
"Collecting an average of 415 tonnes each year, the Seasonal Unlimited Yard Trimmings program helps residents manage the extra yard waste generated seasonally from spring cleanups, falling leaves and garden winterizing," said Shannon Hadley, Coquitlam's solid waste and special projects manager, in a news release.
In addition to using green carts for yard waste and food scraps, Hadley said there are other options to pack extra trimmings.
This includes:
- Old garbage cans labelled with "Yard Trimmings" stickers
- Available for free pickup from the Engineering counter at Coquitlam city hall or a Coquitlam Public Library branch
- Kraft paper bags
- Tied bundles
- Branches must be less than 7.5 centimetres (three inches) in diameter and one metre (three feet) in length
Homeowners are asked to place any of the above beside their green cart, which will be picked up a different truck some time later that day.
The material can be set out on each neighbourhood's weekly green-cart collection day as early as 5:30 a.m, with trucks picking up the spring trimmings between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The rules for participating homeowners who receive garbage and green cart collection are as follows:
- Place all food scraps in the city-issued green cart only
- Food scraps can not be placed in kraft bags or in labelled yard trimming cans
- Ensure each bag, can or bundle of extra yard trimmings weighs less than 44 pounds
- Don't block sidewalks, laneways or streets with yard trimmings
- Don't include sod, rocks, soil and plastic bags; they are not accepted
- Be aware of fines that may apply as per the city's solid waste bylaw, if a cart is set out before 5:30 a.m.
For more information, you can visit the yard trimmings page of the City of Coquitlam website.
Don't pay a garbage fee?
There's an alternative for Coquitlam homeowners without a garbage fee on their utility bills to rid of their unwanted yard trimmings.
The city encourages the use of the United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre (995 United Blvd.) as it's open all year round. Proof of residency is required.
The facility accepts several natural products, including:
- Grass clippings
- Leaves
- Plants and plant cuttings
- Tree and hedge prunings
- Tree branches
- Food waste
For more information, you can call 604-927-3500 or send an email to [email protected].
