Organics - Kitchen Scraps & Yard Trimmings

Kitchen scraps make up more than 30% of our waste. 

Recycling kitchen scraps is vital for sustainability. By doing this we can extend the life of the Hartland landfill. Plus, we create nutrient-rich compost. 

We’re one of the only municipalities to accept yard trimmings in the organics cart. We’re proud to say that each year about 8,000 tonnes of organics are converted from the landfill.

What are yard trimmings?

They consist of yard and garden waste:

  • Leaves
  • Grass clippings
  • Prunings
  • Plants
  • Branches 

What goes in my Organics Recycling Cart?

Here's what you can put in the green cart (JPG - 141 KB)

Organics accepted and not accepted items list

Beyond Kitchen Scraps

We encourage you to compost in your backyard. It is the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to dispose of food waste.

We can also take more kinds of kitchen scraps than your own compost pile.  Our recycling complements backyard composting by accepting a wider range of food waste that may not be suitable for backyard composting.

What we can take

  • Cooked food
  • Meat
  • Bones
  • Fish
  • Baked goods
  • Food-soiled paper
  • Soiled food packaging

My yard waste won’t fit into my organics cart

You have a couple of options. 

  1. Order a larger cart or an additional one. 
  2. Bring large-volume loads to the Saanich Public Works Yard.  

How can I make a newspaper liner for my kitchen container?

We have created a handy reference for you