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Organics Cart Information
Organics are classified as food waste, yard waste, approved paper products (including food-soiled paper products) and pet waste. These get categorized as items that are made of natural materials and can be broken down into compost. A good general rule of thumb is if the material came from something that was once living, it probably goes in your Organics Cart.
Did you know that if you place an item in the organic cart that is not permitted, it contaminates the whole truck load and costs more? Please familiarize yourself with the resources below to become a super sorter, helping us make sure that the correct items go into the correct carts.
Acceptable Items:
- All Food Scraps
- Egg shells and dairy
- Meat, fish, shellfish and bones
- Jams, sauces and cooking oil
- Fruits and vegetables
- Pastries, cookies, cakes and muffins
- Bread, noodles, rice, beans and grains
- Nuts, seeds, chips, popcorn and candy
- Yard Waste
- Leaves, twigs, branches, plants and weeds
- Paper Products
- Shredded paper and cardboard
- Food-soiled Paper Products
- Paper plates, pizza boxes, tissues, napkins, paper towel and compostable cutlery
- Pet Waste
- Only permitted when placed in compostable bags
Not Permitted:
- NO food in packaging - separate food scraps from containers before composting.
- NO plastic bags of any kind.
- NO plant pots or bedding trays - always separate plants and soil from the container before composting.
- NO diapers or wipes - even if they say compostable on the label. They are still not permitted.
- NO foam, plastics, coffee cups, stickers or labels.
- NO garbage in the organic bin.
Facts About Your Carts
- The carts are the property of the City of Beaumont. They stay with the home where they are delivered and should never leave that address.
- Carts should not be modified in any way, including adding a lock.
- Replace damaged or stolen carts by calling 780-929-4300.
- The carts can hold the equivalent of 3-4 big bags of material.
Approved Bags for Organics Carts
The only approved bags are see-through 100% compostable bags and paper bags, marked by the manufacturer with both the U.S. and Canadian compostable logos. You can purchase 100% compostable bags in Beaumont at:
- No Frills (Glad Compostable Bags)
- Home Hardware (Nature Compostable Organics Bin Liners)
- Sobeys (Glad Compostable Bags)
- Rexall (Glad Compostable Bags)
- Shoppers Drug Mart (Glad Compostable Bags, Bio-life Compostable Mini Kitchen Bags)
Preparing Material for Your Green Organics Cart
- Line the bottom of the green organics cart with newspaper, paper towel or an approved 100% compostable bag to ensure items don't stick to the bottom.
- Layer wet items with dry ones.
- If possible, wait until the day before collection day to clear your fridge of food you're disposing of.
- Wrap meat and seafood in newspaper to help reduce odours.
- Cart contents must not exceed 220 lbs.
Keeping Your Organics Cart Clean to Help Reduce Odours
- Keep the cart lid closed.
- Wrap material in newspaper or use approved compostable bags.
- Alternate layers of ‘brown' material (leaves, shredded paper, cardboard, sawdust, etc.) and ‘green' material (meat, dairy, garden waste, etc.).
- Store your organics cart out of the direct sun, in a cool, well-ventilated area year round.
- Add a small amount of baking soda.
- Rinse the cart weekly or every second week with a water and vinegar mix or a diluted bleach solution.