PORT COQUITLAM, BC – Mar. 25, 2020…Port Coquitlam is launching year-round weekly green cart pickup earlier than planned, as more residents spend time at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Starting tomorrow, year-round weekly pickup of green cart collection will start for Port Coquitlam households receiving city waste services. 

“Our green waste volume has been going way up, with so many people doing the right thing and staying at home these days,” Mayor Brad West said. “We decided to kick off weekly pickup now to help residents deal with the extra food scraps and yard trimmings they’ll probably be generating, and our crews are stepping up to make that happen. It’s something we can do as a city to make life a little easier for residents at this time.”  

Households in the Zone 5 in Port Coquitlam will be the first to get the new weekly service Thursday, followed by the other zones in turn. Residents are encouraged to download the City’s PoCo Waste-line App (www.portcoquitlam.ca/wasteline) to get updates and schedule changes. 

Year-round green waste pickup was included in the city’s draft 2020 budget to improve service and to encourage residents to put all of their food scraps, food-soiled papers and yard trimmings into their green cart. Green carts were previously only picked up weekly from early May to late November to coincide with warmer weather and yardwork seasons. 

“We’re making it as easy as we can to encourage people to put compostable items like food into their green cart rather than the landfill,” added Mayor West. “As the weather warms up, weekly pickup will also help keep bears out of neighbourhoods by removing food and other attractants more often.”

Items permitted in green carts include:

• All food scraps, including fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, bones, baked goods and dairy
• Food-soiled papers, including pizza boxes, paper plates, newspaper, napkins, coffee filters and butcher’s or wax paper
• Plant and yard trimmings, including flowers, leaves, grass and branches up to three inches in diameter and 40 inches long

Items not permitted in green carts include:

• Plastic bags and plastic-type biodegradable and compostable bags
• Diapers and sanitary or cleaning wipes
• Pet waste and kitty litter
• Metals, glass, plastic and other recyclables
• Treated wood, rocks or soil

To keep their food scraps pail and green cart clean, residents can:

• Use paper food bags or liners made of 100 per cent natural fibres, such as kraft paper or Bag to Earth brand bags.
• Wrap food scraps in newspaper or used paper towel.
• Line their pail with newspaper.

Although the printed city calendars won’t reflect the new weekly green waste schedule, residents can download an updated Collection Schedule and Zone Map at www.portcoquitlam.ca/waste.

Information about the green cart program, tips and accepted items can be found at www.portcoquitlam.ca/greencart. To search the online waste-sorting database or download the Sort it Right! Waste Sorting & Services Guide, visit www.portcoquitlam.ca/sortitright.

Residents with questions about waste collection services may contact Public Works at 604.927.5496.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

Pardeep Purewal
Manager of Communications & Admin Services
City of Port Coquitlam
Tel 604.927.5335 Cel 604.218.0533
Email purewalp@portcoquitlam.ca