- Home
- City Services
- Garbage & Recycling
- Green Can Program
Green Can Program
Containers & Collection
The City collects green waste (yard trimmings and food scraps) curbside every week from single family properties, eligible townhouses and apartment complexes of 6 units or less.
- The City does not supply green waste containers. Any container up to 110 liters in size can be a Green Can. Purchase a regular garbage can (available for purchase at retail locations).
- Attach a free City supplied Green Can decal on the outside of your container to identify it from your regular garbage can.
- Decals are available at no charge. Request a decal with the online form or available for pick-up at White Rock City Hall (15322 Buena Vista Ave.) or the Engineering & Municipal Operations Building (877 Kiel Street).
- Each property can put out up to 10 containers of green waste (containers, kraft bags, bundles or combination) weekly for curbside collection.
- Each green waste container shall not exceed four cubic feet or 110 litres in size (one standard garbage can) and each green waste container, including contents, should not weigh more than 50 pounds.
- Please avoid tightly stuffing your green cans. This makes it difficult for crews to empty all the contents.
- Food waste and yard waste kraft bags are available for purchase at the Engineering & Municipal Operations Building (877 Kiel Street). You may use Bag to Earth paper food waste bags. We DO NOT ACCEPT any biodegradable or compostable plastic bags.
If you are unsure if the item should be included in your Green Can enter the item in Put Waste In Its Place search to find out how to recycle the item.
Food scraps are not allowed in your garbage. Metro Vancouver banned organic materials from waste facilities in 2015. Almost 40% of what we throw in the garbage can is organic material that can be recycled. Instead of sending them to landfills, we can turn organics into compost.
It’s easy to have a Green Can:
- Collect all your food scraps and food-soiled paper from your kitchen in a container of your choice. If the paper has been used for cleaning or as a napkin, it should be placed in the garbage.
- Empty your kitchen catcher into your Green Can, along with any yard trimmings you might have. All food scraps/food waste must be placed in a kraft/paper bag or wrapped in newspaper and placed in green bin.
- Place your Green Can curbside for collection on your regularly scheduled day, make sure the City supplied decal is facing out.
- Plastic bags (even those labelled biodegradable or compostable) are NOT accepted in the green can program at this time.
- Think about it: Food has always been present in the garbage. The same waste is now separated into a different can.
You have the option of putting your yard waste/trimmings for curbside collection:
- Branches will also be collected curbside provided they are:
- Bundled and tied with string (no plastic or wire)
- Maximum branch size: less than 1 metre (39 inches) long and less than 7.5cm (3 in) in diameter
- Maximum bundle size: 1 metre (39 inches) by 0.5 metres (20 inches)
- Each property can put out up to 10 containers of green waste (containers, kraft bags, bundles or combination) weekly for curbside collection
- In a can with the Green Can decal. Yard waste must fit within the green bin - please do not over stuff
- Yard waste kraft bags are available for purchase at most retailers and City facilities
| Materials | Description |
|---|---|
Cooked or Uncooked Food | Any kind of cooked or uncooked food scraps, including meat, poultry, fish, seafood, bones, eggshells, dairy, vegetables, fruit, bread, pasta, and grains. Include all leftovers and plate scrapings. |
Food Soiled Paper | Food-soiled paper towels and food soiled pizza delivery boxes. If the paper towel has been used as a napkin or for cleaning, it should be placed in the garbage. |
| Used Paper Filters | Coffee grounds in their used paper filters, tea leaves and tea bags. |
Yard Trimmings | Yard trimmings, such as plants, flowers, grass cuttings, leaves and branches. |
| Materials | Description |
|---|---|
| Beverage cups and cartons | Paper and plastic cups can be recycled in the blue bin or the yellow bag. Because they don't break down as quickly as food scraps or yard trimmings they are not accepted in the Green Can program. |
| Feces | Biosolids are not acceptable in the Green Can; including both human and animal. |
| Liquids | Liquids can make your kraft bag tear when collectors pick them up. |
| Plastic bags and bread ties | No plastic bags labelled biodegradable or compostable. No plastic shipping envelopes and no lumber or construction wrap. These products do not break down at the same rate as organics or even at all. |
| Rocks, dirt, stumps, and sod | These products do not break down at the same rate as other food scaps and yard trimmings. Also these products can make your Green Can to heavy for collection. |
| Used tissue / kleenex | Tissues/ kleenex with bodily fluids or chemicals/ cleaning products are not accepted. |
| Lumber | Lumber or other wood waste is not accepted. |
Tips on Keeping Your Green Can Clean
Keep pests and odour to a minimum with regular emptying and cleaning of your Green Can.
- Layer it - alternate layers of food scraps with a few dry leaves or sheets of newspaper to keep the bin as dry as possible.
- Line it - put an absorbent layer in the bottom (grass clippings in summer, dry leaves in fall) or, use newspaper. Keep plastics and plastic bags (even those marked biodegradable or compostable) out of the Green Can.
- Rinse it - after pick up, rinse your Green Can with mild detergent or vinegar/water solution.
- Set it out on schedule - set the Green Can out on your regularly scheduled collection day, even when it's not full.
- Store it right - if your Green Can is stored outdoors, choose a shady location that is convenient, and just like your garbage cans, secure it from wildlife.
- Wrap the scraps - wrap your food scraps (in newspaper, paper towel, kraft bag (no plastic bags) before putting in the Green Can. This help keeps your bin clean.
Keep Food Out of Our Landfill
A recent study by Metro Vancouver found that 40% of residential waste in our garbage is food! When food and other organic materials end up in the garbage they:
- Create methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that adds to global warming. In the landfill, buried under layers of waste and without access to oxygen, food can't decompose properly.
- Make waste to energy processes less efficient because of the high moisture content. About a third of the region's waste is disposed in the waste-to-energy facility.
- Use up a lot of precious landfill space. Space is limited, and creating more landfills is undesirable. Almost 40% of what we send to the landfill in our region is compostable organics.
Fortunately, we have the ability to compost food and yard trimmings, saving our planet from the unnecessary creation of additional greenhouse gases. By choosing to compost we are also creating a valuable resource, nutrient rich topsoil useful for landscaping, and growing food in gardens.
Through the Green Can program, White Rock residents will make a positive difference for our environment.
Mini Kitchen Catcher
The City has a limited supply of mini kitchen catchers for residents. Use this mini kitchen catcher to separate food scraps from garbage in the kitchen. Empty the mini kitchen catcher into your curbside Green Can along with your yard trimmings. If you didn't receive a mini kitchen catcher contact the Operations Department at 604-541-2181 to check on availability.
Do not place mini kitchen catcher curbside for collection. They are provided for your convenience to use in the kitchen. Residents that do not receive City of White Rock collection services, should contact their service provider directly for collection inquiries.
If you are unsure if an item can be put in the Green Can try:
- Entering the item in the City's Put Waste In Its Place search
- Contacting the Engineering and Municipal Operations Department 604-541-2181