What Can & Can't Go in the Sort'nGo Carts?
Starting this November, west coast residents will begin diverting food and yard waste away from the garbage stream and out of the landfill, so that we can transform that organic waste into compost — extending the lifespan of the landfill and decreasing the harmful methane gases that are produced with organic waste is left buried under garbage.
But with these changes comes updates to sorting items for roadside collection. Here are some tips to help residents hone their sorting skills ahead of the service launch! You can also play the sorting game or search items to sort on the Sort'nGO ACRD app, available for iPhones and Androids (desktop version: https://api.recollect.net/r/area/ACRD).
What Can and Can't Go in the Organics (Green) Cart?
Dos:
- Food scraps, including meat, bones and dairy
- Coffee grinds
- Soiled papers like paper towels, cardboard, tissues and greasy pizza boxes
- Yard waste including grass, leaves, small amounts of fallen fruit, and branches that are no bigger than 24 inches, or two feet, with a two-inch diameter (this is to ensure that material can get through the truck's “hopper” system).
Don’ts:
- Coffee pods
- Stickers, bits of plastic or rubber bands from produce items
- Garden tags or plastic accessories from planters/flowers
- Aluminum foil
- Pet feces
- Compostable or biodegradable plastics (these labels aren't consistently regulated in the industry which means they may not break down as required and could end up contaminating the compost stream)
- Invasive weeds from yard waste, such as Knotweeds and blackberry bushes. See a full list of noxious weeds on the BC Government website.
Pet feces, produce stickers and accessories, coffee pods and invasive weeds should be disposed of in the garbage or at the West Coast Landfill, all other items can be dropped off at SonBird Refuse & Recycling in Tofino at 640 Warren Way, and in Ucluelet at 333 Forbes Road.
What Can and Can't Go in the Recycling (Blue) Carts?
Do's:
Items that go in the blue cart for pickup remain the same:
- Mixed paper
- Cardboard and boxboard
- Paper packaging that contained liquids
- Paper beverage cups and lids
- Tin and aluminum containers or foil
- Plastic bottles
- Containers and tubs under 25L
- Empty aerosol cans
Don’ts:
- Styrofoam
- Plastic bags
- Glass bottles and jars
- Plastic straws
- Squeeze tubes
- Books
Items that don't belong in the blue cart can be dropped off at SonBird Refuse & Recycling in Tofino at 640 Warren Way, and in Ucluelet at 333 Forbes Road (softcover/hardcover books can be donated to reuse centres or recycled).
