Green Waste (Green Cart)

Our green waste collection service helps reduce landfill waste while supporting composting efforts. Green waste includes yard trimmings, leaves, grass clippings, and other organic materials.

Year-round curbside collection of yard trimmings, food scraps and food-soiled papers is provided to all single-family homes, as well as to multi-family homes and businesses that have signed up for City collection services. Only put carts out on the street from 5:30 – 7:30 am on collection day and secure them again by 7 pm.

Did You Know?

Food scraps, food-soiled papers and other organic materials are banned from the landfill.
More than 40% of household garbage is compostable organic material.
Green waste disposal costs half as much as garbage disposal.

How to Participate

To start, find a pail with a lid (such as a four-litre ice cream pail) and place it in a convenient place in your kitchen, such as under the sink.

Put your food scraps in the compost pail instead of the trash can. You can also wrap your scraps in newspaper or place them in a paper bag, kraft paper liner bag or food waste bag made of 100% natural fibres.
Empty your pail into your green cart along with your yard trimmings.
Roll your cart to the curb on collection day between 5:30-7:30 a.m. You do not have to have yard trimmings in your green cart, and it does not have to be full, to put it out at the curb.

Avoid Paying More – Sort it Right!

While many residents sort their waste correctly, missorted waste continues to be a problem. The City has been warned that if people continue to put the wrong things in their carts, disposal fees will spike and the City could be fined. To keep costs down, the City has begun to monitor the contents of green carts at the curbside. If waste is missorted, residents will receive notices and educational materials. If the problem persists, fines of up to $300 may be issued.

Reduce flies & prevent maggots	Reduce flies & prevent maggots	Minimize Odours	Keep cart clean	Keep animals away
Wrap food scraps in old newspaper or used paper towel.	x	x	x	x
Place food scraps in a paper bag (e.g. grocery, sugar, flour, potato or kraft paper liner bag) or in a food waste bag made of 100% natural fibres, like Bag to Earth brand.*	x	x	x	x
Put meat and fish waste in a paper bag and freeze it until collection day.	x	x	x	x
Alternate layers of kitchen waste with dry yard waste (e.g. leaves, dead plants).	x	x	x	x
Periodically rinse the cart with a mild detergent or vinegar/water solution immediately after collection.	x	x	x
Sprinkle a small amount of powdered garden lime, baking soda or powdered laundry detergent (no bleach) in the cart.	x	x
Allow grass clippings and leaves to dry before placing them in the cart.		x
Put salt or vinegar on maggots to kill them. If maggots appear in your cart, a fly has laid eggs on some exposed kitchen waste.	x
Capture fruit flies with a bowl of vinegar covered with plastic wrap with several small holes in it. Empty as required.	x
Secure your carts with a City-approved locking system or store carts in your garage or other wildlife-resistant enclosure.				x

* Please note: compostable or biodegradable plastic-type bags are not accepted because they hinder the composting process for our service provider.

Sort It Right Guide

Check out our user-friendly guide with detailed collection and sorting information, including the collection schedule.

Sort It Right Search Tool

Not sure how to properly dispose of an item? Try out the Sort It Right! Search Tool to look up any item and find out where it goes.

What Can Go into a Green Cart?

Port Coquitlam residents currently divert about 66% of their waste from the landfill. If we sort our waste properly, about 75% of what is typically thrown away can go into the green and blue carts, to a recycling depot or to a take-back program.

Please note: compostable or biodegradable plastic-type bags are not accepted because they hinder the composting process for our service provider.

Diagram detailing what can go in a green cart bin.

Christmas Tree Disposal

Did you know you can chop up your Christmas tree and put it in your green cart? Find out how to dispose of your Christmas tree.

Important Information

When overnight temperatures dip below zero, the City may pick up green carts later in the day than usual to allow the contents to thaw.
All waste must fit into the carts provided and the lids must close completely; no extra material will be collected.
Do not include any plastic bags or containers.
Yard trimmings are not permitted in garbage carts and will not be collected unless it is in the proper cart.
Residents who self-manage their green waste by using alternatives such as backyard composting are not required to participate in the green waste collection service.
Larger or extra carts are available for additional fees. Residents who wish to change the size of their carts, have additional carts, or to return a green waste cart, please request a Change of Service [PDF/50KB].