Curbside Organics Waste Collection - Begins Tuesday, September 5th!

This September, the City of Kimberley will launch our curbside organics collection program. This program will divert waste from our landfill, reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, and return organic material to the soil ecosystem.

When will the program start?

The program begins the week of Tuesday, September 5th. All curbside collection carts and kitchen bins have been delivered. If you haven't received yours and you believe you should have, please contact 250-427-9660 to inquire. Once you receive your cart and kitchen bin, check inside for information on the program, including how to use your cart and kitchen bin and your new collection schedule. This is also available in the documents sections on this page.

Collection schedules are changing. Garbage and Recycling will be collected bi-weekly. Compost will be collected weekly until November, bi-weekly from November to March and resume as weekly again in April 2024. Collection schedules are posted HERE, under documents on this page, and on the City's website at www.kimberley.ca.

Accepted Materials

Most of the organic waste produced by residents will be in the form of Kitchen Wastes. Kitchen waste is defined as compostable plant and animal derived food waste material including raw and cooked food waste. Kitchen waste includes, but is not limited to:

• Fruits and vegetables (without stickers)
• Meat, fish, shellfish, poultry and small bones
• Dairy products
• Bread, pasta, grains and baked goods
• Tea bags (paper filters only), coffee grounds and filters
• Food soiled paper towels and napkins
• Food soiled parchment and butcher paper
• Food soiled cardboard and paper (pizza boxes, paper take-out containers)
• Egg shells
• Fish waste: all parts of fish
• Bones less than 2” in diameter
• Condemned foods: spoiled and expired food that can't be sold/consumed – without packaging
• Cooking oil, fats and grease. - Soak up with paper towel and put in green cart
  

The organics curbside collection also includes yard waste. Items suitable for collection from your yard and garden include the following:

• Grass clippings, sod and weeds
• Leaves, cones, needles and berries
• Branches, twigs and hedge prunings – Branches/twigs to be less then 2” in diameter.
• Plants, tree fruits and flowers
• Hay, straw and coconut planter liners

Other compostable items include:

• Clean wood shavings / sawdust. Must be bagged in paper bag.
• Untreated lumber scraps. Less then 2" diameter and 12" in length
• Wood popsicle sticks, chopsticks, toothpicks

Prohibited Materials

Essentially, if it wasn't once living food you'd have in your kitchen, or made of 100% paper/cellulose, it probably doesn’t belong.

• Plastics: Plastics of any kind will contaminate the compost.
• "Compostable" or biodegradable bags of any kind. Paper bags are accepted.
• Produce stickers are made of plastic! Please ensure they have been removed prior to disposal.
• Sharps: Sharps in any size or quantity, or items that could produce sharps when put through the mixer will render the compost unsaleable. Examples: glass, plexiglass, needles, syringes, metal, blades.
• Animal bones greater than 2” in diameter
• Kitty litter and pet feces
• Pet hair or human hair
• Domestic septic tank sludge

What about Wildlife?

Wildlife is attracted to organic waste whether it is in an organics cart or a garbage cart. Currently, your organic waste is placed into your garbage cart so the addition of a compost cart will neither increase or decrease the attractant. Continuing to properly manage your carts by securing them on your property or in a shed or garage will minimize the attractant.

We also know that layering food and yard waste in collection carts is an effective way to reduce odours that attract animals.

Bear-resistant carts will be available for a one-time cost of $239.00 to residents that do not have a suitable secure storage location for their cart. Call 250-427-9660 to inquire.