Green Can and Yard Trimmings

What is the Green Can program?

The Green Can program is the weekly curbside collection of food waste and yard trimmings. It replaces Delta's bi-weekly (once every two weeks) collection of yard trimmings.

Who can participate?

If you currently receive curbside yard trimmings collection, you can participate in the Green Can program.

Where do I get a Green Can?

Make any can a Green Can by placing a new Green Can sticker on a lidded container. You can use a spare garbage can or yard trimmings container with a tight-fitting lid. Stickers are available for free from Municipal Hall or any recreation centre.

What do I do with extra yard trimmings?

If your Green Can is full, you can continue to use your existing yard trimmings containers or Kraft paper bags for extra yard trimmings material. Just be sure your food waste is in your lidded Green Can.

Can I put food waste in my Green Can without yard trimmings?

Yes! Visit our website to learn how to make newspaper liners to 'wrap your scraps'.

When will my Green Can be picked up?

Your Green Can, as well as any additional yard trimmings material, is collected weekly on the same day your garbage and recycling is collected.

What about odours and pests?

Placing food waste in your Green Can is similar to placing it in your garbage can - you're using a lidded container and the material is picked up every week. Check out our Green Can Tips on keeping your Green Can clean.

Should I continue composting?

YES! Home composting is the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way of recycling fruits and vegetables. If you compost, use your Green Can for other food items such as meat, bones, and food-soiled paper.

What about garburators?

Garburators put a costly strain on our waste water system. It takes more water and energy to use a garburator than it takes to recycle food waste.

What can I use to line my kitchen container or Green Can?

Liners are not required but may help keep your Green Can clean and reduce odours. You can use newspaper or paper bags to line your bins, or purchase paper liners from local retailers. Plastic bags, even those labeled biodegradable or compostable, are not accepted.

How are bones and meat composted?

The compost facility generates much higher temperatures compared to what you would experience in a backyard composter. The high temperatures allow organic material to break down quicker and more completely. That is why you can add all types of food waste in your Green Can, including bones, which you would not normally add to your backyard composter.

Do you recommend I put all of my food items in the Green Can or is it still better to compost fruit and vegetables at home?

Yes! The most environmentally friendly method is to compost your fruit and veggies at home and use the Green Can for items that don't go in your home compost such as bones and dairy products.

Can we put dryer lint in the Green Can? How about hair (human and/or cat) from hairbrushes?

Delta does not accept lint or hair in the Green Can program. Please use your Green Can for yard trimmings, food waste and food soiled paper only.

Are paper muffin liners accepted in the Green Can? What if the muffin liners are 100% recycled paper, with no wax and meant to be composted?

Wax or plastic coated food soiled paper products are not accepted in the Green Can. This includes most muffin and cupcake liners/wrappers. If muffin liners don't have wax coating, however, they are accepted in the Green Can program. A good test to see if paper has a wax or plastic coating is to run the paper under water. If it holds water, the paper is coated with wax or plastic.

I know Delta is selling kitchen containers as part of the Green Can program. What do I use for my Green Can? Can we use a smaller can?

You can make any can a Green Can! Green Can stickers were delivered to all participating households at the beginning of April. Extra stickers are available for no charge from any Delta Recreation Centre or from Municipal Hall. Place the sticker on an existing lidded yard trimmings container or garbage can and start recycling your food together with your yard waste. If you don't have an existing container, we recommend you purchase a can with a tight fitting lid to place out on the curb for weekly collection.

If you don't have a lot of food waste or yard trimmings, you can use a smaller can for your Green Can. Please do not place your kitchen container at the curb for collection. Check with your local hardware stores for smaller cans that are designed to be used outside. Just be sure your Green Can is easily identifiable and able to be collected by our contractor.

Can we line our curbside Green Can with brown yard bags?

Absolutely. You can use brown Kraft paper bags to line your Green Can and your kitchen container. You can also place a few sheets of newspaper at the bottom of your Green Can to help keep it clean. If you are feeling crafty, you can create your own kitchen container liner out of newspapers with our step-by-step guide. View our Green Can tips to get the most out of your Green Can!

Now that the Green Can program is in place, is the plan to eventually reduce the weekly pick up of regular garbage to a less frequent schedule?

Delta will re-assess weekly garbage collection sometime in the near future once the Green Can program is established and being used throughout the community.

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