Green Waste and Food WASTE
Click on one of the links below to learn more.
- Regional Organic Waste Diversion Strategy
- Home Composting Options and SCRD Guide to Backyard Composting
- Food Waste Drop-Off
- Green Waste Drop-Off Locations & Accepted Materials
- Christmas Tree Drop-off or Chipping
- Tree Chipping Services
- Grasscycling
Home Composting OPTIONS
There are many ways you can compost at home, including backyard composting, vermi- (or worm) composting or by dropping-off residential food waste for free at Salish Soils in Sechelt.
A home composter is a great way to reduce your garbage while making rich compost for your indoor and patio plants, as well as your garden. Fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds, tea bags and green waste can all go into a backyard composter.
Click here for a Backyard Composting Guide.
You can either purchase a backyard composter at local stores or build your own.
Be Bear Aware
A properly managed backyard composter doesn't have to be a bear or wildlife attractant. The SCRD's Backyard Composting Guide has tips for setting up for success and troubleshooting. You can also contact the Sunshine Coast WildSafeBC coordinator for tips and strategies to learn how to reduce human-wildlife interaction.
Check out these Composting Factsheets from the Compost Education Centre in Victoria, BC.
- Worm Composting - for fruit and vegetable scraps.
- Bokashi - an anaerobic composting process that ferments all food scraps, even meat and dairy.
- Solar Digesters - an in-ground digester that uses solar heat to break down all food scraps.
- Tumbling Composters - enclosed bins that spin to quickly break down food scraps.
The Compost Council of Canada also has great resources to learn about composting and how it can help, visit www.compost.org.
Residents can drop off food waste for free (5 gallon bucket and under) at Salish Soils in Sechelt.
Accepted food scraps:
- All food including meat, bones, grains, dairy, eggs/eggshells, cooked or frozen foods, fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grinds, tea bags
- Food soiled paper such as napkins, paper towels, paper plates, paper coffee filters
- Wooden chopsticks
- Paper-based material used to line kitchen food scraps bins (e.g. newsprint, paper bags)
- Note: Plastic bags of any type are not accepted.
Tips:
-
Keep your home kitchen food scraps bin clean using newsprint as a liner.
Watch this video demo for how. - Use these fruit fly trap recipe ideas on hot days.
Yard & Garden Green Waste DROP-OFF LOCATIONS & ACCEPTED MATERIALS
Residents can self-haul and drop off green waste at no charge. Commercial businesses are required to pay a tipping fee. Please contact locations directly for restrictions or fees.
Drop-off Locations
Elphinstone* - South Coast Residential Green Waste Drop-off Depot *residential self-haul only
Pender Harbour - Pender Harbour Transfer Station
Sechelt - Salish Soils
Accepted:
- tree and hedge prunings up to 20 cm (8") in diameter
- garden plants
- grass clippings
- pine needles and cones
- windfall fruit
Not Accepted:
- dead animals
- dirt
- logs
- sod
- stones
- stumps
- trees (except Christmas trees, which are accepted in January each year)
Invasive Species Not Accepted:
- Giant Hogweed - accepted as garbage at the Sechelt Landfill (must be secured in clear bags); garbage tipping fee applies
- Knotweeds
- Leafy Spurge
- Scotch Broom - accepted as garbage at the Sechelt Landfill (must be secured in clear bags; no flowers or seed pods); garbage tipping fee applies
For more information about invasive species, please click here.
Christmas Tree Drop off or Chipping
During the first few weeks of January you can drop off your tree or participate in a tree chipping event. This table outlines options available on the Sunshine Coast.
| Drop-off | Date/Time | Details |
|---|---|---|
|
Salish Soils 5646 Schetxwen Road, Sechelt (604) 885-5383 |
M-F 8:30am - 4:30pm Sat 10:00am - 4:00pm Closed Sunday |
Free Drop Off |
|
Pender Harbour Transfer Station 5545 Garden Bay Road (604) 883-2954 |
M, W-Sa 8:30am - 4:30pm | |
|
South Coast Residential Green Waste Facility 915 Henry Road, Gibsons (604) 886-2274 |
M-Su 8:00am - 3:50pm | |
|
Sechelt Fire Department Chipping Event 5525 Trail Avenue, Sechelt |
2021 event TBD | Drop off by Donation |
|
Elphinstone Secondary School Chipping Event 840 Gibsons Way, Gibsons |
2021 event TBD | Drop off by minimum Donation |
Tree Cutting and Chipping Services
Contact one of these local businesses directly to make arrangements for tree cutting or chipping.
| Company | Contact Information |
| Coastal View Tree Service |
604.741.7897 www.coastalviewtreeservice.com |
| Fleming Tree Experts | 604.885.8733 |
| Gibsons Tree Service |
604.886.7985 or 604.741.1302 www.gibsonstreeservice.ca |
| Peerless Tree Service | 604.886.7889 |
| Proteus Tree Service | 604.885.8894 |
| Sechelt Tree Service | 604.885.6606 |
Grasscycling
What is Grasscycling?
Grasscycling means leaving your mowed grass on the lawn, allowing it to work its way back into the soil.
Benefits of grasscycling include:
- less garbage destined for our landfills
- less time and energy collecting clippings
- a healthier lawn
Grasscycling Tips
- Keep grass clippings less than 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) for faster decomposition.
- Mow as often as needed. Unless a densely grown lawn is frequently cut, grass clippings will take longer to reach the soil and decompose.
- Mow late in the day. This will prevent the newly-cut grass from burning, and gives the clippings a chance to settle overnight.
- Mow grass when it is dry. Clippings will distribute more evenly over the lawn and break down faster.