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City of Castlegar to Close Yard Waste Facility

The City of Castlegar’s yard waste facility at 2101 6th Avenue will permanently close as of March 31, 2025.

Council made the decision to close the facility due to the success of the City’s Residential Curbside Collection program, which provides residents with a convenient weekly solution for disposing of food scraps and yard waste. The closure date aligns with the utility billing cycle, ensuring a seamless transition for residents.

Background on the Curbside Collection Program

In August 2023, the City of Castlegar expanded its existing Residential Curbside Collection program by adding organics collection to the services already provided for garbage and recycling. This enhancement was introduced to improve waste diversion, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and extend the lifespan of the landfill.

By including organics collection, the program has achieved significant results, with 61% of household waste now being diverted from the landfill. Of this, 47% is diverted through organics collection and 14% through recycling. These outcomes demonstrate the community’s strong commitment to sustainable waste management practices.

Council Decision and Rationale

When the program launched, after much discussion, Council opted to keep the yard waste facility open for an additional year to evaluate its use alongside the curbside organics collection program. After a review of operational costs and staffing requirements, Council determined the closure of the facility was the best course of action due to the following factors:

  • Duplication of Services: The curbside organics collection program has successfully diverted yard waste, eliminating the need for a separate facility.
  • Operational Savings: Closing the facility will result in significant cost savings and free up valuable staff and equipment resources for other essential City services.

“Decisions like this are never easy, but Council carefully considered the success of the curbside collection program and the duplication of costs to the taxpayer,” said Mayor Maria McFaddin. “This transition ensures that households continue to have access to convenient and effective waste management services while responsibly managing public funds.”

“Closing the yard waste facility will enable the City to reduce costs and redirect staff time to other essential services that benefit the community while maintaining a convenient weekly curbside option for yard waste,” said Chris Hallam, Director of Municipal Services.

Visit castlegar.ca/curbside to learn more.

 

Options for Managing Yard Waste

Residents with larger amounts of yard waste have options:

Weekly Curbside Collection: Use the City-supplied, green-lidded organics cart for yard waste, including:

  • Flowers, grass clippings, plants, leaves, and weeds
  • Plant, tree, or hedge prunings less than 2 inches in diameter and no more than 12 inches in length
  • Brush and small branches

Ootischenia Landfill: Yard waste is accepted year-round for a fee and is free during May and October. Visit rdck.ca/OotischeniaLandfill for details.

Leave Your Leaves: Fall leaves can benefit your yard and the environment:

  • Mulch your lawn by mowing over leaves to create natural nutrients.
  • Use leaves as mulch for garden beds and around trees.
  • Leave some leaves on the ground to support beneficial insects like butterflies and bees.

 



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