Skip to content
Sponsored Content

Spring forward into 2023 with simple steps to reduce waste on the west coast

Spring will be here any day now! When it comes to residential waste management, it’s a busy time of year as gardeners get out their gloves, and tourist season begins for the west coast communities. So, what does that mean for the west coast? Get tips below for collecting and sorting waste as we spring forward into 2023!
32039817_web1_230306-Impress-UWN-ACRD-Composting_1
On the west coast, conservation and care are key to the health and wellbeing of our community. Actions like composting can help.

Spring will be here any day now! When it comes to residential waste management, it’s a busy time of year as gardeners get out their gloves, and tourist season begins for the west coast communities. So, what does that mean for the west coast? Get tips below for collecting and sorting waste as we spring forward into 2023!

New Year, New Season

We live in a remote area, where conservation and care are key to the health and wellbeing of our community. Taking steps to reduce our garbage is important to us year-round, but in the warmer weather, our waste increases 30 per cent with the influx of visitors. Help us divert garbage from the landfill through composting and recycling!

Pro tip: Most of our local businesses provide compostable cutlery and containers!

Yard Waste Tips

It’s also a new season for yard waste! With the arrival of warmer weather comes yard and garden work. Be sure to recycle your yard waste in the green organics cart – just remember not to pack down/stuff carts, or they’ll be too heavy for the mechanical arm of the truck to lift and empty.

Pro tip: too much yard waste? Try grasscycling – leave your grass cuttings on the lawn after mowing. Less waste and more environmentally friendly.

Sorting Reminders:

YES TO:

  • Food scraps, tea bags and paper coffee filers/grounds in the green carts
  • Small amounts of clean cardboard (no plastic/tape) in the green carts
  • Paper towels and napkins in the green carts
  • Plastic, tin, paper packaging, aluminum and foil in the blue recycling carts
  • Put paper drinking straws in the blue carts
  • Yard waste, like small branches and leaves

NO TO:

  • Plastic in green carts, even if it’s labeled compostable
  • Baby wipes, diapers or personal hygiene items in the green carts
  • Foam meat trays in the green carts
  • Soft and flexible plastics (bags, cling wrap, packaging) in the blue recycling cart
  • Broken glass directly in the black garbage carts – wrap first with paper, or other end-of-life materials

Get the App!

We’ve seen 903 mobile downloads of the Sort’nGo app by residents since launch, with 975 collection day alerts created and thousands of waste items searched including:

  • Styrofoam: Drop off styrofoam items at Ozzard Environmental Recycling Depots, and consider donating your old egg cartons to a neighbour farm with chickens.
  • Plastic Bags: Flexible/soft plastics like plastic bags or cling wrap DO NOT belong in organics carts – even if labelled compostable. Take soft plastics to the depot, or reuse. Discard compostable plastics in black garbage carts.
  • Corrugated Cardboard: Belongs in blue recycling carts. Flatten boxes and cut down to a maximum size of about 2.5 feet, or 30” X 30” (78cm). Excess broken down cardboard that has no tape or plastic attached can go in the green organics cart, along with food soiled cardboard, like greasy pizza boxes.

Questions?

Contact the Sort’nGo hotline at: 250-736-7678 or email sortngo@acrd.bc.ca