Food scraps go in the green bin

Did you know...?

  • A third of our black carts are packed with food scraps. Separating your food scraps and putting them in your green bin can make a big difference!
  • Don’t food scraps just turn to soil in the landfill? Nope! When food and yard waste is buried in the landfill, it doesn’t break down or turn into soil or anything useful. It does create harmful emissions like methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) and leachate (a toxic liquid that needs to be treated)

We are all winners when we put food scraps into the green bin

By doing so, we turn the scraps into nutrient-rich compost for use by farmers, gardeners and landscapers. We also conserve resources and safeguard vital (and expensive) landfill space for future generations of Calgarians.

Playbook to win for using the green bin

Ready to make your green bin a winner?

Equip yourself right

Gear up with a kitchen pail

You can purchase compost bins at hardware and big box stores like Canadian Tire, London Drugs, Lowes and Home Depot. You can also reuse any container with a lid like an ice cream bucket.

Line your kitchen pail for optimal performance

Know the game plan

What's allowed in your green cart

Score with yes items

Avoid fumbling with no items

 

Let’s amp up your sorting game with some tips and tricks!

Coaches Tips

Tactics to keep things clean.

Lid lock down

Always keep the lid closed on your kitchen pail and green cart. Don't let unwanted players get in the game.

Two-minute drill

Empty your kitchen pail into the green cart every 2-3 days. Don't let odors turn you into a locker room legend! 

Green bin blitz

Never miss a collection day. Sign up for Collection Day reminders or the MyGarbage Day app for collection day reminders and helpful tips. Consistency is key to winning the waste game!

Get training session tips on using your green cart

Foul play alert!

Avoid these common mistakes found in the green bin.

Tricky traps

Those plastics labelled “compostable" may sound like contenders, but they take too long to break down in our processes and will foul the entire compost batch! Place these items in the black bin. 

Same goes for "Biodegradable" and "oxo-gradable" plastics which might seem like all-stars, but they're imposters that sabotage the quality of the final product. These too go in the black bin. 

If you are unsure check our rule book 

Elevate your performance

Putting our unavoidable food scraps in the green bin will help to win the game. But let’s aim to be a star player by reducing our food waste altogether. 

We can think differently and work on ways to reduce our food waste in the first place to become true champions. 

  • Make a meal plan and shopping list.
  • Shop in your fridge, freezer and cupboards first.
  • Learn how to store food to keep them fresh longer.

Get in on the Right Bin for the Win! Get your schedule & program info here.

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