Waste & Recycling Services Updates

There are some updates from Waste & Recycling on upcoming events and operational changes that we wanted to share with residents. 

Green Cart Collection Moving to Weekly Schedule

Starting the week of April 24, 2023, green cart collection will return to its weekly pickup schedule. Green carts are picked up weekly from April to October.

This seasonal adjustment ensures efficient collection of food and yard waste during the warmer months, when we see an increase in volume of yard waste. There's no need to worry about changes to pick up days, or to the blue or black cart frequencies. 

Residents can visit calgary.ca/collection or download the Calgary Garbage Day app to check their schedule and sign up for free reminders.

Compost Giveaway Program

The Compost Giveaway program provides an opportunity for Calgary residents to pick up complimentary compost and use it in their gardens and yards. The program uses an appointment-based system to ensure a safe and efficient process for residents, with appointments available for booking beginning on April 10, 2023. Compost can be picked up at the Shepard and Spyhill Landfills by appointment from April 24 to June 10, 2023.

This program is a self-serve event, and residents must bring their own shovels and containers to pick up their compost. Each household is limited to 100L of compost, and only Calgary residents are eligible to participate in the program.

In the event of extreme weather conditions, landfills may close unexpectedly, and appointments may be cancelled. As such, residents are encouraged to check the website for updates and reschedule their appointments if necessary.

For more information, visit Calgary.ca/compost to learn more about the Compost Giveaway program. Residents who don’t have computer access or who need assistance with booking can call 311.

Seasonal Yard Waste

Residents can bring yard waste to a City landfill for free from April 14 to May 28, 2023.  This is useful for residential households that would like to dispose of extra material quickly or for yard waste that is too large for the green cart. Residents should note the following: 

• Loads should only have leaves, branches, plants and grass clippings.
• We do not accept sod or food scraps. Put these items in your green cart.
• Shake the soil off plants and roots.
• Any loads containing garbage or sod will be subject to regular landfill fees.
• Composting for sod is not available at City landfills. If you take sod to the landfill, you will be charged the basic sanitary rate​.
• Commercial customers with yard waste will be subject to regular landfill fees.
• Commercial loads are not accepted at Shepard.

Preferred payment methods are credit card (Visa, Mastercard and American Express), debit card or cash. For faster service, we suggest visiting the landfill on a weekday, or before 9AM on Saturdays when wait times are shorter.

For hours and locations, visit Landfill Locations and Hours.