Composting & Reducing Food Waste

Composting and reducing waste

***Christmas Trees: Christmas trees will not be accepted in the community food compost bins***

Christmas trees will be accepted at the designated drop-off (20th Street & 47 Ave / St. John's Ambulance Lot) till January 18, 2021. Additional details are available here. 

Composting is an effective way to reduce the amount of garbage we send to the landfill. Organics diversion through composting can reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by more than 90% compared to sending the same waste to the landfill!

There are many ways you can reduce waste. The Regional District of North Okanagan provides additional information on:

What’s accepted in the community food compost collection bins

The City encourages residents to bring compostable food scraps, including vegetable, fruit, meat, and bone scraps, as well as used coffee and tea bags to the collection bins. The composters will not accept yard waste, commercial materials, any kind of metal, plastic, glass, Styrofoam, or pet waste. 

RDNO’s Free Yard & Garden Waste Drop-off

Residents should transport yard waste directly to the landfill yard waste collection facility. Residential yard and garden waste can be dropped off at any RDNO diversion and Disposal Facility free of charge. Find out more from the RDNO.  Find out more from the RDNO. 

Phase 2 of Pilot Community Food Composting Project
As reopening plans continue to progress throughout BC

As reopening plans continue to progress throughout BC, the City of Vernon is ready to launch phase 2 of the Pilot Community Food Composting Project.

Residents who do not have an opportunity to home-compost are encouraged to deposit their household food-waste in the compost collection bins to reduce organic waste going to the landfill. The following locations will be available to the public starting June 22 until approximately November 2020, weather permitting:

  • City Centre: along 29th Street railroad tracks across from the 33rd Avenue intersection
  • Recreation Centre: on gravel area just north of the 35th Avenue parking lot entrance
  • Operations: on 47th Avenue just east of 20th Street
  • Kin Race Track: south west corner of parking lot off of 43rd Avenue

Residents are encouraged to exercise care when using composting sites, as equipment is not sanitized. Signage will be in place to remind residents of Provincial health guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Vernon.ca Homes & Building Environment Sustainability Sustainability Composting & Reducing Food Waste