Yard Waste Collection and Compost Giveaway Begins

Starting Monday, April 28 and running through to the end of November, yard waste will be collected at the curb on the same day as your recycling.

The yard waste collection program is suitable for:

• leaves
• grass clippings
• plants, shrubs and weeds
• twigs and small branches with a maximum diameter of 2.5 centimeters
• soil and dirt, maximum 5 kg of total

All yard waste must be placed in paper yard waste bags that are securely closed, free of rips or tears and can be carried from the topside without tearing or spilling. Twigs and branches can be tied in bundles measuring a maximum of 60 cm by 60 cm by 30 cm (2ft x 2ft x 1ft). There is no limit to the amount of yard waste that can be placed at the curb; however, yard waste placed in plastic bags will not be collected.

Residents can also drop off their yard waste at the Residential Drop Off located at the Robin Hood Bay Waste Management Facility. All bagged yard waste is composted on-site. Learn more at CurbItStJohns.ca.

In 2018, the City of St. John’s started requiring the use of paper yard waste bags for curbside yard waste due to the high economic and environmental costs of landfilling compostable material. We have composted more than 7,600 tonnes of yard waste in that time resulting in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 228 tonnes which is equivalent to taking 72 passenger vehicles off the road for a year, and a savings of over $550,000 in tipping fees.

Compost Giveaway

Compost created from the paper yard waste bags is now available until November to residents free of charge in the Residential Drop Off (RDO) at the Robin Hood Bay Waste Management Facility, 340 East White Hills Road. 

The RDO is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. Residents must use the RDO entrance, bring their own buckets and shovel to load the compost, and all loads must be covered and secured before leaving the site.