Yard waste collection to start Monday

By COLLIN GALLANT on April 4, 2020.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant

Green thumbs can stop twiddling.

Yard waste collection in green carts will begin on Monday, April 6, the city’s environmental utilities department announced on Friday, marking one week before the service traditionally begins.

That is to accommodate Hatters who are beginning to get active with lawn care and to reduce the number of drop offs made at the city landfill, officials said.

“We’ve received a lot of feedback from residents that have already filled up their green bins while staying home,” said department general manager Lora Brenan. “Starting the program a week early is a small way we can help the community at this time.”

The pickup schedule for the 13,000 residences that have signed up for the program mimics the general collection schedule and zones.

In 2018, the program collected 7,600 tonnes of grass clippings, leaves, small branches and general garden material and diverted it to the city’s composting program.

Administrators also ask residents to consider the urgency of dropping off large branches or other material from spring cleaning at the landfill during calls to maintain physical distance.

“We’re urging the community to consider how essential their trip to the landfill is during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brenan. “We want to keep our staff healthy … and ensure there are no service disruptions.”

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