Why should residents use their organics container?

When it comes to food scraps if it is approved within the Calgary Green Cart Program, BluPlanet Recycling strongly encourages all to use your organics container. By actively using your organics container, this will reduce the amount of waste from entering our local landfills and as a result, our organic waste will become a soil byproduct. At BluPlanet Recycling, we are proud to divert 3,500 000 kg of organic waste from entering our landfill each year.  

Why is this important? When food and yard waste enter our local landfills, this material is not provided with the correct conditions in order for it to be broken down. As a result, your food waste can contribute to the production of methane gas and leachate within your local landfill. Compost requires heat, oxygen, pressure, proper rotation and monitoring, to produce a sufficient soil byproduct that can be reused to help grow more food for our communities.  

How do I start composting at home or at work?  

To get started, there are just a few things you will need such as a kitchen catcher, outdoor composting container, and certified compostable bags.

Where can I purchase organic bags and carts? 

#1 - Compostable containers can be created as a DIY project or, they can be purchased at Canadian Tire, Walmart, or another distributer of home disposal services. Price of compost containers can vary depending on your preference.  

#2 - Certified compostable bags/liners are easy to find! These bags are commonly located at a local grocery store, Canadian Tire, or retail pharmacy (i.e. Shoppers Drug Mart, Rexall, etc.).  

#3 – An outdoor green cart can be purchased at a local retailer such as Canadian Tire or Walmart however, it is encouraged to directly discuss options with your waste hauler. If your waste hauler is BluPlanet Recycling, please email info@bprecycling for more information.  

What is accepted in my organics cart?

If you use BluPlanet Recycling as your organics collection hauler, please refer to the information documents below.

What are some common mistakes when composting?

Common mistakes that are commonly found within the organics container include: 

• Plastic bags - it is important to only use certified compostable bags when disposing of your organic waste 
  
• Biodegradable products - biodegradable and PLA plastics are not accepted within the Green Cart Program as these items take longer to degrade within the composting processing facility 
  
• Stickers - don’t forget to remove the stickers from your produce prior to disposing within the organics container  

Please visit the search tool provided by the City of Calgary called, What Goes Where, to help sort your unknown or unique items.  

Tips and Tricks 

As we all know, food can become smelly when rotten or left out of the fridge. If you are concerned about odours or maintaining cleanliness when using your composting container, here are some tips and tricks.  

1. Empty & rinse your container frequently to prevent buildup of old food crumbs and liquid. 
   
2. When you have finished drinking your morning coffee, add a layer of coffee grounds to mask any food odours. 
   
3. Freeze your food waste - if you are not accumulating enough food waste to empty the container on a regular basis, we have a tip for you! Place your container or bag directly in the freezer to prevent the food from rotting; and once it is full, it is ready for disposal.
   

Need assistance with your organics cart in Calgary?   

For additional assistance or to add a composting container to your business or residential complex, please email info@bprecycling.ca and a Customer Service Specialist will be available to assist you.