Composting is the art of turning food scraps, yard waste and other organic materials into nutrient-rich soil, also known as "Nutrient Recycling". 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.
Why send a resource that can grow food again to the landfill? Make Soil, Not Waste!
Not only is it important to close the loop on composting to keep the nutrients in our economy, "The decomposition of organic waste in landfills produces a gas which is composed primarily of methane, a greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. Emissions from Canadian landfills account for 20% of national methane emissions. Methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide in terms of its global warming potential. " Cited from Municipal solid waste and greenhouse gases - Canada.ca
Food Scraps Collection
Food scraps collection is now available at all depots in Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish. Additionally, food scraps collection is available through curbside collection for the communities of Squamish, Britannia Beach and Furry Creek (www.slrd.bc.ca/lovethisplace/aread for more information and collection schedule) .
Organics collected through these muncipal programs are brought to the 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.
Reduce the yuck factor by lining your bin with newspaper.
Resource: Food Bin Origami 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
The SLRD is in bear country - learn some tips about how to compost safely.
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.
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.
Yard Waste
For information on where to bring yard waste please select the community closest to you:
- Squamish
- Whistler
- Pemberton
- Lillooet
- Seasonal program available to residents of Britannia Beach & Furry Creek.
