Frequently Asked Questions

Garbage

For occasional extra garbage, please use the Tag-a-Bag program and place an additional standard large-sized garbage bag on top of the cart or group bags 1 metre away from the cart.

Please ensure each bag of garbage displays a City-issued tag and does not exceed 50 lbs. Tags are available for purchase at City Hall and local community centres. Please do not overfill your carts.

If you’re finding you have extra garbage regularly, and you have utilized every opportunity to recycle all your recyclable materials, you may wish to consider upsizing your cart. Please contact Engineering Operations at 604-526-4691 for more information or to upsize, see Cart Upsize Form. Note, additional charges apply.

Yard and Food Scraps

Please fill your yard and food scraps cart first, then place any extra yard trimmings in draft brown paper bags (no more than 50 lbs per bag) next to your collection cart. Our drivers will dump the cart and continue to reload the cart with all extra draft paper bags.

Large volumes of yard trimmings can also be taken directly to the United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre (995 United Boulevard) for free drop-off (proof of residency required).

Recycling

For occasional additional recycling, the City urges residents to take extra materials to an appropriate recycling facility. 

The Queensborough Landing Return-It Depot (Unit A - Boyne Street) and the United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre (995 United Blvd, Coquitlam) offer free residential drop-off for recycling materials accepted in the City's curbside recycling program. Both locations, among many other private recycling facilities, also accept other recyclable items that are not accepted in the curbside collection program.

To find out where to recycle materials at a location nearest you, please contact the Recycling Council of BC's recycling hotline at 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) or visit their website at www.rcbc.ca.

If your household contains a secondary suite and one single-stream recycling cart is not enough for your needs, please contact Engineering Operations at 604-526-4691 to obtain an extra cart at no additional charge.

You may place your carts out on their respective collection week, regardless if full.

Non-refundable glass containers (with lids removed!) can be recycled in the new curbside glass collection program using the 27L grey bin distributed to single family residences in July 2022. Learn more here. 

Multi-family dwellings will be included in the glass collection program in the coming months. Stay tuned for more information!

Refundable glass beverage containers can be returned at any Encorp Return-It Depot for deposit refund or placed in the grey bin for collection. Please visit return-it.ca for bottle depot locations within the city.

Please visit the Recycle BC website for more information.

Please leave your carts out until the end of collection day (7:00 pm) BEFORE calling Engineering Operations to report a missed or tagged collection cart. 

There is no guarantee your carts will be collected if you call more than 48 hours after your regularly scheduled collection day.

Common reasons carts are missed may include:

NOT PLACED OUT ON TIME 
Collection hours are 7:00 am - 7:00 pm.

BROUGHT IN TOO EARLY 
Crews may not have completed their route and may be delayed for unforeseen reasons.  Collection hours are 7:00 am - 7:00 pm.

PLACEMENT OF CARTS
Carts must be spaced 1m apart and 1m away from walls, fences, overhangs, or vehicles.

WRONG CART OUT
Collection alternates week to week.  Please refer to Collection Schedule.

STATUTORY HOLIDAYS
Statutory holidays may affect collection days.  Please refer to Collection Schedule.

CONTAMINANTS
Carts containing unacceptable items will be marked with a tag.  Please be sure to remove contaminants from your cart. For detailed information on what to place in each cart see Garbage, Recycling or Greens & Food Scraps.

How do I report missed collection?

Please fill out the missed collection form here.

 

If you have questions about why you received a tag or what are acceptable materials for your cart, please contact Engineering Operations at 604-526-4691.

Here are some ways to prevent odours or conflicts with wildlife:

• Keep the lid closed at all times.
• Sprinkle baking soda in your cart.
• Keep the cart in a shady area out of direct sunlight.
• Wash your cart out regularly with a mild non-toxic detergent.

Please report the details of the damage on this form, and we'll either repair the cart or replace it.

If you are aware of construction or filming in your area where road access may be impacted, please place your carts out by 6:30 am. 

During snow events, please wipe cart lids clear of snow so that our drivers can see the colour of the lids.

If construction, filming, or snow does disrupt your regular collection service, please leave your carts out and we'll endeavor to return the following day; during inclement weather, please check our website for updates.

Please fill out the delivery request form here.