Vancouver Launches Compost Pick-Up

On Earth Day last month, the city of Vancouver launched the first phase of its new compost pick-up program. For all the details, see Vancouver's food scraps page, but here's how to get started:

Getting started

Get a small container with a lid for your kitchen. You can use an ice cream bucket or large yogurt container, or purchase a metal container (I prefer that; no smells caught in the container like with plastic). Make sure it's a size you can comfortably carry and is easy to wash. Whenever you have any of the accepted food scraps, put them in the container. Empty your kitchen container in your yard trimmings cart regularly.

What can be included in the compost pick-up

Only these food items will be collected for now:
- uncooked fruit and vegetable scraps
- coffee grounds and filters
- teabags
- eggshells

Please note: Newspaper or brown paper bags are accepted if they are being used to wrap food scraps or to line your kitchen container or cart.

Please do not add cooked food to your yard waste. Oils and other ingredients make cooked food more susceptible to odours, pests, and insects. Because the first phase of the program stays with the bi-weekly yard trimmings collection schedule, it's best to only put uncooked fruit and vegetables in your cart.

It's important that you only place approved materials in your yard trimmings cart, as contamination from non-recyclables prevents the waste from being turned into nutrient-rich topsoil. Contaminated materials need to be separated, at an extra cost, before being composted.

Coming soon: A second phase of food scraps collection will be introduced in 2011 where all food scraps (fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, bread, cereal products, and food-soiled paper) will be allowed. When this is introduced, it is expected that yard waste will be picked up weekly and regular garbage pick-up will move to only bi-weekly.

If you already compost

If you already have a backyard composter, keep using it. It's still the best way to compost since it saves on collection costs and energy use. If you are interested in obtaining a backyard compost container, you may purchase one at the Vancouver South Transfer Station. Another great way to go, especially if you want to compost cooked food and don't have the yard space for a backyard unit, is bokashi composting.

Businesses and multi-unit buildings

At this time, this collection service will not be provided to multi-unit residences such as apartments and condominiums, unless your building already has a city yard trimmings cart, and only if the cart is filled mostly with yard trimmings and a small percentage of food scraps. Vancouver is not able to provide food scraps collection service to businesses. The city is compiling a list of a private companies that can provide food waste collection services to your building.