Fall has arrived in the North Okanagan and to coincide with the seasonal change, the City is offering tips and reminders to help residents manage their organics carts to ensure carts can be completely emptied during collection.
Tips for complete collection:
Did you know that overfilling your organics cart or adding too much weight can cause material to get stuck? This can lead to only partial collection and a whole lot of disappointment. Help the city help you by following these easy guidelines:
- Layer kitchen organics with yard waste (such as leaves) and soiled paper or newspaper.
- Keep materials loose in the cart.
- Avoid overfilling the cart (the lid must close).
- Avoid pushing down or compacting materials in the cart.
- Avoid placing large amounts of wet leaves and yard waste in the cart. This can become heavy and compacted very quickly.
- Place carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day. Please do not place carts the night before, as this can attract wildlife.
- Ensure carts placed at the curb are 1m (an arm’s length) away from all other objects.
- Ensure all materials in your organics cart are compostable.
- Rocks, soil, plastic bags, animal waste, and branches that are more than 0.5” in diameter cannot be collected.
Tips to keep your cart clean:
- Wrap kitchen waste in newspaper or a BPI-certified compostable bag before placing it in the cart. Alternatively, you can freeze kitchen waste until collection day.
- Place a piece of cardboard at the bottom of your cart to keep waste from sticking.
- Rinse your cart periodically with water and vinegar and then sprinkle it with baking soda.
- Store your cart indoors. If it must be outdoors, choose a ventilated area.
- Place your organics cart for collection every week, even if it’s only partially filled.
- Keep the lid closed at all times.
Tips for managing additional organic waste:
Weight restrictions for Vernon’s curbside waste collection carts are as follows:
- 120L cart: 50 kg (110 lbs)
- 240L cart: 75 kg (165 lbs)
Pumpkins can be composted after Halloween, but be careful about how much weight you’re placing in your cart. Overfilled or overweight carts cannot be collected.
If you have more material than can fit in your organics cart:
- Consider storing the additional material until your next collection day.
- Consider taking larger amounts of yard waste to the Greater Vernon Diversion and Disposal Facility, where residential yard and garden waste can be disposed of free of charge.
For more information on Vernon’s new curbside organics collection program and a list of accepted compostable materials, visit www.vernon.ca/organics.
The City is thanking residents for their participation in the program and the steps taken to help extend the lifespan of its landfill, create a reusable product, and reduce our impact on the environment.