Organics Recycling
	Organics Recycling
	Subsidized Backyard Composters
	Christmas Tree Recycling Program
	Christmas Tree Recycling Program FAQ
	Leaf & Pumpkin Composting Program
	Leaf & Pumpkin Composting Program FAQ
	Grasscycling
	What is Composting?
	Composting FAQ

Organics Recycling

Organics in Our Landfills

Biodegrading organics, like vegetative food (peelings, coffee grounds, etc.) and yard materials  (grass clippings, leaves, etc.) generate greenhouse gases when they're buried in a landfill where there is no oxygen.

Too much organic material in the landfill means more greenhouse gas in the air. Vegetative organics currently make up a staggering 41 per cent of the residential garbage now going into our landfills. This means our landfills are the largest single point source of greenhouse gases in the area.

The City has many annual initiatives designed to divert vegetative organics from landfills. For example:

• Last year the Leaf and Pumpkin Composting Program collected 2.5 million kilograms of material for composting. That's enough to fill eight Olympic-sized swimming pools.
• 34,000 Christmas trees were collected last year in the annual Christmas Tree Mulching Program. The resulting mulch is available free to residents.
• The City has subsidized the sale of about 60,000 backyard composters, to encourage Calgarians to recycle their own organics.
• The City educates residents about grasscycling. This form of recycling helps keep lawns healthy by acting as a fertilizer and preventing moisture loss.