Coquitlam crews will be making their way around town this week to collect yard trimmings one last time this spring.
The free biannual waste program is scheduled to end next Thursday (May 11) after a six-week stint across the city.
That means local homeowners that pay a garbage fee on their utility bill every year can leave out unwanted yard clippings for curbside pick-up on their regularly-scheduled green-cart collection day.
While there's no date set, the next campaign is scheduled to take place in the fall.
"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 an earlier statement.
Property owners can gather, pack and place yard waste beside their green cart.
Other options include:
- 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
The material can be set out 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.
Coquitlam homeowners who don't pay a garbage fee are encouraged to take any discarded yard trimmings to the United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre (995 United Blvd.).
The facility accepts several natural products, including:
- Grass clippings
- Leaves
- Plants and plant cuttings
- Tree and hedge prunings
- Tree branches
- Food waste
It's open all year round. Proof of residency is required.
For more information, you can visit the yard trimmings page of the City of Coquitlam website, call 604-927-3500 or send an email to [email protected].
