Last chance to dispose of yard waste this season

By Brian Konrad

Last day is Nov. 15

Seasonal yard waste program ending for the year

Nov 4, 2021 | 1:02 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — As autumn slowly slips away, the City of Medicine Hat is wrapping up its seasonal yard waste collection program.

The program traditionally ends by the second Friday of November, though with the collection schedule affected by Remembrance Day next week, the final collection day will be in Zone 5 on Monday, Nov. 15.

About 70 per cent of households in Medicine Hat take part in the yard waste program, contributing about 4,000 tonnes annually.

But the volume of material does slow to a trickle as November arrives.

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Solid waste superintendent Shane Briggs says the leaves and grass clippings they collect from the green carts are a key component in the city’s compost program.

“It basically goes out to our landfill into the compost facility,” says Briggs.

“It’s windrowed into the compost right off the truck and starts the process of composting,” explains Briggs.

Eventually, the material is bagged and sold at the landfill site.

It’s become popular with gardeners and landscaping companies, selling out every year.

There were 14,415 green carts in use in Medicine Hat this year.

That’s an increase of 466 over last year and continues the three to five per cent annual growth in the program.

Residents can sign up for a green cart in the spring by paying a one-time fee of $50.

If you miss the last day for pickup of the green cart this year, you can also take the material to the landfill for composting, or you can place the items in with your regular solid waste in the grey cart.