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The carts are coming, the carts are coming!

Starting this September, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District ( ACRD ) and City of Port Alberni are launching a new 3-stream roadside cart collection service. Similar to garbage, recycling and organics will now be collected in wheeled carts and picked up at the roadside. The City’s garbage trucks will pick up two carts each week, utilizing the unique split compartments that will increase collection efficiency.
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Starting this September, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) and City of Port Alberni are launching a new 3-stream roadside cart collection service.

Starting this September, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD) and City of Port Alberni are launching a new 3-stream roadside cart collection service. Similar to garbage, recycling and organics will now be collected in wheeled carts and picked up at the roadside. The City’s garbage trucks will pick up two carts each week, utilizing the unique split compartments that will increase collection efficiency.

The ACRD and the City of Port Alberni have partnered with a local supplier, Rollins Machinery, who will supply and distribute the new recycling and organics collection carts. Rollins Machinery is an island-based company that specializes in sourcing quality collection cart solutions for various local BC based municipalities.

The new standardized recycling and organics carts will be delivered to your home. Beginning late August, crews will be deploying the two new carts, along with program material and a “kitchen buddy” to help with food collection indoors. Over 6,500 single-family households will receive new carts over the course of a few weeks, prior to the collection starting the week of September 13th.

What goes in the blue cart?

The new blue recycling carts have a capacity of 240L. Similar to the blue box, all items must be rinsed and free of residue to ensure no contamination. All acceptable recycling material will remain the same as the blue box system. Items such as Styrofoam, overwrap and crinkly plastics will continue to be disposed of at the Recycle BC depots. Material must fit inside the cart as any overflow may result in your cart not being collected. This will improve neighborhood aesthetics by keeping material contained, with no more recycling material escaping and littering the streets on a windy day!

Recycling will continue to be picked up every two weeks. If you want to keep your blue recycling bin you may do so but if you want to get rid of it, you will be able to drop off the bin at the 3rd Avenue Recycling Depot, where it will be repurposed.

The old blue bins are being replaced with blue carts, but all acceptable recycling material will remain the same. (Photo: Moira Le Patourel)
The old blue bins are being replaced with blue carts, but all acceptable recycling material will remain the same. (Photo: Moira Le Patourel)

What goes in the green cart?

The organic carts also have a capacity of 240L and will be picked up weekly. All food waste (dairy, meat, bones, fat, and grease), yard and garden waste (grass clippings, leaves, small branches), soiled paper products such as paper towel, Kleenex and greasy pizza boxes will also be accepted in the organic cart. The organics carts are equipped with bear resistant clips as recommended by WildSafe BC.

Just remember to line your cart or kitchen buddy with paper-based liners, cardboard or paper towel. Plastic bags, including compostable or biodegradable are NOT accepted in the green carts!

Where can I find more information?

Visit www.letsconnectacrd.ca/organics for more information about the Organics Collection Service and to ask questions. Questions about sorting? Download the free Sort’nGo app from your mobile app store for Andriod and Apple phones. You can also check out the Facebook Page “Alberni Valley Waste Reduction Education” at facebook.com/ACRD.recycles which has weekly tips and updates for the valley. If you are a community group or a local business, you can contact the ACRD to arrange for an educational presentation for the upcoming service.