Services

Organics Curbside Collection

Collection Schedule

Household food waste (organics) is collected every week in the Town of Gibsons.

  • Zone 1 & 2: Mondays
  • Zone 3 & 4: Tuesdays

View the waste collection zone map (PDF)

Get the Gibsons Waste App

Download the Gibsons Waste App and never miss collection day again!

    • Find Your Collection Schedule
    • Get automatic reminders
    • Report missed collection
    • Find where things go

Did you know?

Since it began in 2018, the organics curbside collection program has reduced the amount of garbage going to the landfill by about half. That over 1,700 tonnes!

More Information

The curbside caddy (organics container) must be no more than 23 litres in volume, with a tight seal to prevent access by wildlife, rodents, raccoons, and other animals.

*Please note that the organics curbside caddies for residential properties are supplied by Salish Soils.

Lost or damaged curbside caddies (large 23 litre bin)
If your curbside caddy has been damaged, a replacement caddy will automatically be provided by AJM at no extra charge, as part of their weekly collection process. If your caddy has not been replaced and you would like to request one, please contact Salish Soils (the cost of replacement is included in the garbage utility fee collected).

Kitchen caddies (the small green bin)
These are available from Salish Soils at a cost of $10 + GST.

Contact Salish Soils at 604.885.5383 or office@salishsoils.com.
*If requesting a curbside caddy replacement, please specify when contacting Salish Soils.

Residents who have been approved to opt-out of the organics curbside collection program must renew their application each year. In order to meet the renewal requirement, you must:

  1. still reside at the same address where you were initially approved to opt out of the organic curbside collection program, and
  2. continue to home compost 100% of your organic waste, and that you use the same home composting methods described in your initial application.

Renewals

A renewal letter and form will be sent to each qualified resident by mail. If you didn’t receive them, you can download them here:

New Applications

Please fill out ‘Schedule A’ of the Bylaw and return to the Finance Department:

Please Note: Application forms received after the March 15 deadline will not be considered for the current year’s Opt-out Program. Late applications will instead be reviewed for the following year’s program.

Ravens are highly intelligent, so it’s no surprise that they’ve figure out how to unlock our curbside caddies! To keep them out, please ensure the handle is in the LOCKED position (that is, pushed all the way down in front of the bin, as shown in the photo at right).

Frequently Asked Questions


Accepted Items:

  • Fruits, vegetables, breads, etc
  • All dairy products
  • Soiled paper food packaging including pizza boxes, paper towels, paper plates
  • Meat waste, including meat and fish bones
  • Paper tea bags, coffee Grounds, and coffee filters (please ensure to remove any tags on teabags)
  • BPI certified compostable bags

Unaccepted Items:

  • Plastic tea bags
  • Tin foil
  • Biodegradable Bags
  • Plastic Bags
  • Pet Waste
  • Bread Clips
  • Meat Absorbent Pads
  • Produce Stickers
  • Plastic Coated Paper Products
  • Hard Shells from Clams or Oysters

Organics Poster – What Can (and Cannot) Go In Your Green Bin

The main reason is that the Sechelt Landfill is anticipated to reach capacity in the next 10 to 12 years. To help extend the life of the landfill, the Sunshine Coast Regional District is expected to implement a complete ban on recyclables, including all organic waste, in the next two years. While this is clearly a necessary step, we know from a recently conducted survey that a large majority of Gibsons residents are not currently positioned to eliminate 100% of food scraps from their garbage. Accordingly, Gibsons’ Town Council has decided to implement a universal weekly curbside organics collection program. This will enable all residents to easily divert their organics from the landfill AND turn it into nutrient-rich compost to replenish and feed local soil.

You do not have to use a compostable bag in your Kitchen Caddy. If you prefer, you may choose to fill the Kitchen Caddy directly (i.e. with no liner), then transfer the contents of the Kitchen Caddy to the Curbside Caddy when full. However, if you do choose to line your Kitchen Caddy, you may use a brown paper bag, newspaper or a certified compostable bag (available for purchase at your local grocery store) to do so. No other type of plastic bag should ever be used as a liner. nt Goes Here

 Collected organics will be taken to Salish Soils in Sechelt, where it will ultimately become valuable, Grade “A” organic compost.

In total, this initiative reduces the waste our community sends to the Sechelt Landfill by approximately 40%, or 515 tonnes per year, thereby helping to extend the site’s lifespan.

Additionally, because organics create methane gas and a toxic liquid known as “leachate” as they break down in landfills, converting them into nutrient-rich compost is extremely eco-friendly.

This excellent video explains why composting is SO beneficial to our planet – it’ll make you glad you’re helping out!

https://youtu.be/bqDQD8cvO5Y

It’s quite common to find your organics bin is attracting fruit flies. Here are some quick tips on how to prevent fruit flies from congregating your organics bin (and how to eliminate existing flies.)

Minimize waste volume:
Hold only one to two days’ worth of food scraps in your kitchen caddy. Less food equals fewer flies.

Freeze them: Space permitting, store food scraps for composting in the freezer. The cold temperature will kill any fruit-fly eggs.

Layer them: Place a used paper towel, brown paper bag or a bit of diatomaceous earth over the scraps to soak up moisture and keep odour at bay. Food rots more slowly when there is no liquid.

Take it outside: Wrap up scraps in pieces of newspaper, paper towels or a brown paper bag and take them directly to the outdoor green-waste bin.

Keep it clean: Use compostable bags to help keep the bins clean and organic waste sealed. Rinse empty bins with hot, soapy water between collections.

How to take care of a fruit fly infestation

If you already have a fruit fly issue, this very simple (but tried and true method) should help get rid of them in no time.

Lure them and drown them: Add three drops of dish soap to a bowl of vinegar (the best is apple cider vinegar), and leave it uncovered. The vinegar attracts the flies and the soap cuts the surface tension of the vinegar so they sink and drown.