Composting is the art of turning food scraps, yard waste and other organic materials into nutrient-rich soil. A healthy combination of heat, oxygen, moisture, naturally-occurring micro-organisms and food scraps will create productive soil and can reduce your garbage production by a third. The SLRD is in bear country - learn some tips about how to compost safely. 

Food Scraps for Commercial Facilities

Food scraps collection is now available at all depots in Whistler and Pemberton. Additionally, food scraps collection is available at Squamish Recycling Centre and through the Squamish residential curbside program. Organics collected through these muncipal programs are brought to the commerical composting facilities operated by either the Resort Muncipality of Whistler or Sea to Sky Soils. Print off the guide below to easily remember what is accepted for composting at these commercial operations.

Make your own food scraps bin liner

Please note the following materials are not accepted in the residential food scrap collection:

• yard waste*
• clean wood waste*
• large amounts of sawdust, wood chips and shavings*
• commercial organics.

(*The District of Squamish residential curbside program does accept yard waste. View details)

Backyard Composting

Don't have access to residential food scraps collection program? Give outdoor composting a try. Less garbage to the landfill means fewer trips to the transfer station or landfill, and money saved in tipping fees. With a little know-how it is easy, effortless and odourless.

• Backyard composting Do's and Dont's

Composting in Bear Country - keeping bears and humans safe

Throughout the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District, we share our environment with bears who always seem to find their way to food scraps that are left outdoors, so it is important to be aware of precautions to take when composting in bear country. 

Check out this short video produced by the North Shore Reycling program for some quicks tips on how to backyard compost in bear country.

Don't have a backyard? Try indoor worm composting.

Yard Waste

For information on where to bring yard waste please select the community closest to you:

• Squamish
• Whistler
• Pemberton
• Lillooet