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Organics Cart Information
What is considered organic?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 Organic Cart.
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Acceptable Items
Below is a list of acceptable items that can be disposed of in your organic cart.
| All Food Scraps |
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| Yard Waste |
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| Paper Products |
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| Food-Soiled Paper Products |
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| Pet Waste |
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Not Permitted
Below are the items that cannot be disposed of in your organic cart.
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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 780-929-4306.
- The carts can hold the equivalent of 3-4 big bags of material.
- If you would like to rent an additional waste or green cart, please email waste@beaumont.ab.ca. There is a one-time rental fee of $62.88 and a monthly fee of $9.18 for additional carts. Please note that renters must be homeowners and the availability of additional carts vary based on provider supply.
Approved Bags for Organics Carts
The only approved bags are paper bags or see-through 100% compostable 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
- It is recommended to line the bottom of your green organics cart with newspaper, paper towel or an approved 100% compostable bag to ensure items don't stick to the bottom.
- If desired, you may also place organic waste in paper bags and dispose of the paper bags in your organic cart.
- 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.
- To help reduce odours, wrap meat and seafood in newspaper.
- 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.
Why is my organic cart being inspected?
Although the majority of residents excel at proper sorting, there are still cases where plastics, aluminum cans, Styrofoam, or glass find their way into the green cart. Unfortunately, this leads to the contamination of entire truckloads of organic waste, which must then be landfilled at a greater expense instead of being transformed into valuable compost. To ensure residents receive support in smart sorting practices and to prevent contamination of organics trucks, green cart inspections are being conducted. This helps safeguard the composting process and ensures that the load is repurposed effectively rather than being landfilled.
Who is inspecting my organic cart?
The City of Beaumont has partnered with GFL Environmental Inc. to conduct the organic cart audits. If you notice inspections being done by individuals in bright green shirts, rest assured that that is the GFL team hard at work!
What are they looking for?
As our friends at GFL Environmental Inc. inspect our organic carts citywide, they are looking to ensure the proper disposal of items so that our residents have the best chance at creating rich, compost!
How can I prepare for the organic cart audit?
It’s great to think ahead! The best way to prepare for the organic cart audit is to ensure you are familiar with the best practices for sorting your organic waste. Knowing which items are acceptable and which items are not permitted will help ensure your organic cart can pass inspection and be turned into valuable compost!
How come my organic cart wasn't collected?
Green cart inspections happen regularly, and if your cart wasn’t collected, it likely means that an inspection found your cart to be contaminated—meaning that it contained non-compostable waste or recyclable material, which can contaminate an entire truckload of organics, resulting in all of it being landfilled rather than repurposed into valuable compost.
How do I know what I can and cannot put in my organic cart?
Each and every citizen has a part to play in ensuring proper waste disposal and we appreciate your dedication to keeping our waste systems clean and properly sorted! To learn more about how what is considered acceptable and not acceptable items for your organic cart, please see below:
Acceptable | Not Acceptable |
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For a detailed list of acceptable and not acceptable items, please see the "Sort Organics Correctly" tab.
Is there a fine if my organic cart does not comply?
While there are no fines for non-compliant organic carts, residents risk not having their organic waste collected. Instead, contaminated organic waste must be disposed of in a waste cart and sent to a landfill rather than being used to produce valuable compost.
Let’s say I do everything right and my organic waste does get turned into valuable compost, where does it get used?
Once your organic waste is transformed into valuable compost, it can be used as a soil amendment in various applications. It enhances soil quality, provides nutrients to plants, improves water retention, and promotes beneficial microbial activity. Compost finds use in home gardens, farms, reclamation projects, and commercial landscaping, supporting sustainable practices and healthier soils.