Blue Cart Recycling Tip of the Month
Say no to Stringy Things!
Hoses, electrical cords and rope, oh my! Because they get caught in the machines at the recycling facility, keep stringy things out of your blue cart.
If it dangles, it will cause a tangle! Please do not put these items in your blue cart.
- No garden hoses
- No rope, string or yarn
- No electrical cords, cables or wire
- No Christmas tree lights
What should I do with these items instead?
- If the item is still usable, consider donating to charity, giving to family or friends or posting on an online bartering site like Kijiji.
- If the item is broken, it should go in your black cart as garbage.
- Still not sure what to do with your stringy item? Use the online search tool at ca/whatgoeswhere to find the answers.
Green Cart service is coming to your home
As the Green Cart program rolls out this year, you’ll see how a small change to your routine can cut your garbage in half and turn your food and yard material into valuable nutrient-rich compost. Here’s what homeowners can expect from the program.
You’ll receive everything you need to get started
When your green cart arrives look inside to find:
- Kitchen pail and samples of compostable bags to collect food scraps
- Samples of paper yard waste bags to use when your cart is full
- Instruction guide
- Collection schedule
You’ll be amazed at how much can go in
All food and yard waste can go in the green cart. You can even put in things that you can’t compost at home like meat, bones, cheese, bread, pasta, branches and pet waste too.
These materials can be safely composted because the material reaches and maintains a temperature of at least 55 degrees Celsius during the composting process, which kills any harmful bacteria.
Green carts will be rolled out by quadrant
Once everyone in your quadrant receives their carts, weekly green cart pick up will begin and garbage collection will move to once every two weeks.
Once the community rollout schedule is finalized it will be available on calgary.ca/greencart.
Live in an apartment or condo?
By Nov. 1, 2017 your building is required to separate food and yard waste from the garbage for composting or diversion. Talk to your building owner or manager or visitcalgary.ca/multifamily.