Garbage, Recycling & Organics

Three carts, three streams, one truck. Here's how to do it right.

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Collection schedule

Castlegar's curbside collection runs on a three-stream system. Each home gets three carts.

Organics (green lid, 240 litres), collected weekly. Food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings, and garden waste.
Recycling, collected bi-weekly. Separated into two categories: containers and mixed paper.
Garbage (dark grey lid, 120 litres), collected bi-weekly. Anything that does not belong in the other two streams.

Recycling and garbage alternate weeks. Check your collection calendar or sign up for reminders to know which week is which.

How to set out your carts

The collection truck uses a mechanical arm to grab and tip each cart. That means cart placement matters.

Set the carts so they face out toward the street, with the wheels against the curb.
Space carts 1 metre away from each other, 2 metres from cars, and leave 3 metres of clear space above the closed lid.
Place carts out between 4:00 am and 7:00 am on collection day. Not the night before.
Unclip the wildlife clips on your organics and garbage carts so the arm can lift them.

Two close-up photos of green organics carts. The left photo shows the snap-hook wildlife clip locked across the lid. The right photo shows the same clip unhooked and fastened to the side handle on collection day. — Unclip the lid on collection morning.
Fasten the snap-hook over the lid or to the side handle so it doesn’t damage the cart when the truck lifts it.

Diagram showing required cart placement. Cart wheels face the road with the lid unlocked. Carts sit 1 metre apart from each other, 2 metres from any parked car, with 3 metres of clear space above the lid for the truck arm. — 1 metre apart, 2 from cars, 3 above the lid.
Wheels to the curb, lid facing out, no overhanging branches. The truck arm needs the clearance.

Heads up

Don't put carts out the night before

Carts left out overnight are an open invitation to bears, especially in fall. Putting them out in the morning is the single biggest thing you can do to reduce wildlife conflicts in your neighbourhood.

Organics cart (green lid)

The 240-litre organics cart takes all your food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings, and garden waste. Roughly 40% of an average household's garbage is organic material that belongs in this cart instead.

Recycling

Recycling is split into two categories: containers (cans, bottles, plastic tubs) and mixed paper. Bi-weekly pickup alternates with garbage. Specific accepted-items lists are published on the City's curbside program page on castlegar.ca.

Garbage cart (dark grey lid)

The 120-litre garbage cart is sized to encourage diverting organics and recycling. Most household waste contains an average of 40% organic material. If you are filling the garbage cart faster than it can hold, the issue is usually that organics are ending up in there by mistake.

Missed pickup or replacement cart

If your cart was missed or is damaged, call Civic Works at 250-365-5979 or email civicworks@castlegar.ca. Have your address ready.

Common questions

When does my cart go out?

Between 4:00 am and 7:00 am on collection day, not the night before. Wildlife is the reason.

How are carts spaced?

One metre from each other, two metres from cars, and three metres of clear sky above the closed lid. The truck's arm needs room to operate.

What goes in the organics cart?

Food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard waste, and garden trimmings. About 40% of a typical household's garbage actually belongs in here.

When is recycling picked up?

Every other week. It alternates with garbage. Check your calendar or set a reminder so you don't miss it.

My cart was missed. What do I do?

Call Civic Works at 250-365-5979 with your address. They will look into it and arrange pickup.

My cart is damaged or broken. Who replaces it?

The City. Call Civic Works at 250-365-5979 to arrange a replacement.

What happens if I miss collection day?

Your next collection happens on schedule. Don't leave overflow bagged on the curb, hold it for the next pickup or take it to the regional transfer station.

What to do next

Report a missed pickup

Or a damaged cart, broken lid, etc.

Bear Smart Castlegar

Why we put carts out in the morning, not the night before.

Utility rates

What curbside collection costs.

RDCK transfer station info

Hours, location, and accepted items at the regional facility.

Still need help?

Talk to Civic Works

Phone: 250-365-5979
Email: civicworks@castlegar.ca
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm
In person: City Hall, 460 Columbia Avenue, Castlegar, BC

Submit a request online

Faster than calling for non-urgent issues. We respond within one business day.

Loading, about as long as a coffee at the Lion’s Head.

Collection schedule

Castlegar's curbside collection runs on a three-stream system. Each home gets three carts.

Organics (green lid, 240 litres), collected weekly. Food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings, and garden waste.

Recycling, collected bi-weekly. Separated into two categories: containers and mixed paper.

Garbage (dark grey lid, 120 litres), collected bi-weekly. Anything that does not belong in the other two streams.

Recycling and garbage alternate weeks. Check your collection calendar or sign up for reminders to know which week is which.

How to set out your carts

The collection truck uses a mechanical arm to grab and tip each cart. That means cart placement matters.

Set the carts so they face out toward the street, with the wheels against the curb.

Space carts 1 metre away from each other, 2 metres from cars, and leave 3 metres of clear space above the closed lid.

Place carts out between 4:00 am and 7:00 am on collection day. Not the night before.

Unclip the wildlife clips on your organics and garbage carts so the arm can lift them.

Common questions

When does my cart go out?

Between 4:00 am and 7:00 am on collection day, not the night before. Wildlife is the reason.

How are carts spaced?

One metre from each other, two metres from cars, and three metres of clear sky above the closed lid. The truck's arm needs room to operate.

What goes in the organics cart?

Food scraps, food-soiled paper, yard waste, and garden trimmings. About 40% of a typical household's garbage actually belongs in here.

When is recycling picked up?

Every other week. It alternates with garbage. Check your calendar or set a reminder so you don't miss it.

My cart was missed. What do I do?

Call Civic Works at 250-365-5979 with your address. They will look into it and arrange pickup.

My cart is damaged or broken. Who replaces it?

The City. Call Civic Works at 250-365-5979 to arrange a replacement.

What happens if I miss collection day?

Your next collection happens on schedule. Don't leave overflow bagged on the curb, hold it for the next pickup or take it to the regional transfer station.