Green Cart Collection

Green Cart collection in CBRM follows a weekly collection schedule. Residents living at properties eligible for curbside collection are permitted to place one green cart curbside each week.

What Goes in the Green Cart

The following items can be placed in the green cart for curbside collection:

All Food Waste & Table Scraps

Meat, shellfish, fish, poultry,eggs, bones & table scraps
Nuts & nut shells
Mayonnaise, salad dressings, jams, sauces, syrups & peanut butter
All dairy products
Vegetables and fruit*
Bread & baked goods*
Grains, pasta & rice*
Lards & fats
Coffee grinds, filters, tea leaves & tea bags*

Soiled or wet paper from food residue & beverages

Paper towels & napkins*
Baking soda & baking powder boxes*
Paper plates and paper cups*
Sugar & flour bags*

Other Material

Dryer lint
Pet hair
Popsicle sticks

* These items may also be placed inside a Backyard Composter

The following items DO NOT get placed in your green cart:

NO Needles, Lancets or Syringes
NO plastic materials or plastic bags
No garbage or blue bags
NO metal or tin
NO styrofoam
NO glass
NO diapers
NO pet waste
NO Kitty Litter
NO coffee cups
NO milk containers
NO sods, rocks or soil
NO ashes
NO logs or tree trunks

To ensure your green cart is emptied each week please:

Do not place Garbage Bags inside your green cart for curbside collection.
Do not place Blue Bags inside your green cart for curbside collection.
Do not have leaf and yard waste debris sticking out at the top of your green cart. The lid of the green cart must be closed.
Do not place Needles, Lancets, Syringes, Auto Injectors or Infusion Sets inside your green cart.
Do not place Pet Waste including Kitty Litter inside your green cart.
Do not place Ashes inside your green cart.
Make sure the serial number located at the front of your green cart faces the road when placing curbside for collection.
Make sure only organic waste (Food waste, small amounts of leaf & yard waste and soiled paper products) have been placed inside your green cart for disposal.
Regularly check your green cart for damage.

Reporting a Damaged Green Cart

It is important to regularly inspect your green cart for damage. If you notice holes, openings, cracks, missing vents or wheels, cracked lifts or lid damage, please contact the Solid Waste Department to report the damage. Phoneline educators will record your information and add your civic address to the department’s Green Cart Assessment List. To contact the hotline, phone (902) 567-1337. Educators are available to respond to inquiries 8:30am to 4pm Monday to Friday.

holes at bottom of green cart

Rodent Proof Green Cart

Holes, cracks, or missing vents in your green cart is an easy way for rodents to get inside your green cart. Regularly inspect these containers for damage.

Green Cart

Place your green cart out for curbside collection each week even if you only have a small amount of food waste stored inside your cart for disposal.
Rodents are attracted to food. Placing your cart out for collection every week for emptying reduces the length of time food is left inside the cart decomposing.
Avoid storing your green cart near structures such as stairs or wood piles. These structures provide an easy way for rodents to gain access to the green cart.
Regularly inspect your green cart. Look around vents and near wheels for holes, bite marks, and/or scrapes.

****** If you notice your green cart is damaged such as holes or openings near the bottom of your green cart, vents are missing, or there are small openings, please contact the waste management hotline at (902)567-1337 to report green cart damage. ******

Secure your Green Cart

Make sure your green cart is always secure when not in use. Keep cart standing upright and make sure the lid remains closed when not in use.
Inspect your green cart regularly. Check near the wheels and vents to make sure there are no new holes or cracks. Check to make sure vents do not contain small openings or have gone missing.

Green Cart Maintenance

Regularly rinse out your green cart following collection to reduce odors.
Line your green carts with newsprint or boxboard to reduce the chance of food waste sticking or freezing inside the cart. It is normal for some wet or moist food waste to remain inside green cart following collection.

Using Your Green Cart During the Cold Seasons

The green cart you have been provided by CBRM is designed to store your food waste until collection day. During the colder months of the year, residents are encouraged to continue using their carts. Please note, it is common for your materials to stick or freeze to your cart and appear it has not been emptied on your collection day.

Green cart tips for the colder months:

Wrap moist food waste in used paper towel, napkins or sheets of newsprint before placing inside your mini kitchen bin.

Place moist or liquid food waste inside an empty cereal or cracker box before placing inside your green cart.

Rub or spray the inside of your green cart with cooking oil or cooking spray following each collection day.

If possible, soak up excess liquid from food waste with used paper towel, napkins, sheets of newsprint or other used paper products before placing inside your green cart.

During the colder months, you may choose to place your green cart out for collection less frequently.

Do not place ASHES in your green cart. COLD ashes must be double bagged and placed in your clear garbage bag.

Please make sure the placement of your green cart, at the end of your driveway, does not interfer with vehicular or pedestrian traffic and/or during any snow removal activities that could be taking place in your neighbourhood.

Make sure your green cart is visible and accessible to the collector on your collection day. A green cart buried in a snow bank, frozen to the ground or laying inside a ditch will not be emptied by the collector.

Keep the lid of your green cart closed when not adding materials to the cart.

Please remove green cart from the curb following your area's weekly collection.

Using Your Green Cart During Warm Seasons

The green cart you have been provided by the CBRM is designed to store your food waste until your curbside collection day. During the warmer months of the year, residents are encouraged to place their green cart curbside for collection each week. This can help reduce odours and other nuisances caused by warmer temperatures.

Suggestions for minimizing odours during the warmer seasons:

Place your green cart curbside for collection each week even if the green cart is not full.

Rinse or hose down your green cart frequently during the warmer seasons. The liquid can be drained directly on your lawn as it will add important nutrients to your lawn.

A mild soap, detergent or baking soda can be used when you clean your green cart.

Following collection each week, line the bottom of your green cart with sheets of newsprint, soiled paper products or the bottom of a soiled pizza box before you start to use your cart again.

Sprinkle baking soda or spray vinegar inside your green cart to reduce odours.

Store your green cart in a shady, well ventilated area that is out of the direct sunlight.

Keep the lid of your green cart closed when not in use.

Wrap food waste in used paper towel, napkins or sheets of newsprint so it is not exposed. You can also store food waste inside a cereal box, sugar or flour bag before disposing it inside your green cart.

Empty the contents of your mini kitchen bin into your larger green cart frequently.

Freeze food waste until your collection day to help reduce odours.

If you plan to clean out your fridge or freezer, choose a day that is close to your curbside collection day.

IMPORTANT Green Cart Collection Reminder:

Garbage or Blue Bags must not be placed inside a green cart for collection. Green Carts containing garbage or blue bags will be tagged and left unemptied by the collector.

Residents who have questions about Green Cart Collection are encouraged to contact the Waste Management Hotline at (902) 567-1337. Educators are available to respond to inquiries from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday to Friday.