Winter Curbside Compost Collection

During the months of January, February, and March, the city transitions from servicing compost carts weekly to monthly. Collection is scheduled for the first full week of each month. Residents will therefore have their compost cart emptied once a month on their regular service day. No bags or bundles will be collected during this time, only carts. 

In 2026, winter curbside collection of compost carts will take place throughout the following weeks:

• January 5 - 9
• February 2 - 6
• March 2 - 6

Food scraps, loose leaves, and other material can easily freeze to the inside of carts during the winter, making them unserviceable. If material is frozen to the cart when the city attempts service, it will not be serviced again until the following month's winter collection date. With that in mind, please use t​he following guidance to help mitigate this issue: 

• Place a paper lawn and leaf bag inside the cart to catch loose leaves and food scraps. Creating this barrier should help ensure your cart is fully emptied at time of collection.

• Use a couple pieces of flattened, brown cardboard to line the bottom of your compost cart before adding material. This should help prevent materials from building up at the bottom of your cart.

• Collect loose materials in a paper bag before placing into the cart. Paper grocery and lunch bags work great for food scraps, while lawn and leaf bags are useful for leaves and other yard material.

• Avoid having any extra liquid in the cart.

  • If rainwater or snow collects in the cart, try to empty it before adding any material.

  • Drain as much liquid as possible from food scraps.

  • Wrap wet or messy items (e.g. coffee grounds, fruit peels) in paper towel or napkins to contain some moisture.

Please refer to the images below for visual examples of some of these tips.