Composting

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🎄 Extra Garbage Collection Alert!

Mark your calendars for Friday, December 27, 2024 for an extra garbage pick-up! Make sure your bin is out before 7:00 AM to get picked up.

📅 Holiday Waste Collection Schedule

Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on regular collection days this year. To accommodate, collection days have been moved to Saturday, December 28 (Recycling), and Saturday, January 4 (Garbage).

Tuesday, Dec. 24: Compost

Friday, Dec. 27: Extra Garbage Day!

Saturday, Dec. 28: Recycling

Saturday, Jan. 4: Garbage

Wednesday, Jan. 8: Recycling



The Town has contracted Loraas Disposal to come pick up everything we dispose of. Loraas provides the bins, but you, the property owner, are responsible for them. If you find your composting bin was damaged during pick up or from the general wear and tear that comes in the rough life of a dumpster, call the Town at 306-781-2355 or email us by filling in the 'Contact Us' form and we’ll arrange for you to get a new one. If your bin is damaged by the weather, roughhousing or as a casualty of driver training, it’s up to you to pay for a replacement. 

Please don’t put compost in boxes or bags beside your bin. It looks a bit, well, trashy, and Loraas won’t pick it up anyway.

The composting bin you were assigned stays with the property if you move, so don’t get attached! If you’re moving and you don’t have bins, call the Town at 306-781-2355 and we’ll make sure to get you one.

As of August 17, 2023, the Town's solid waste contractor, Loraas Disposal, has confirmed that materials collected in White City's compost bin program are collected and temporarily stored at a transfer location at the Regina Landfill, from there the final destination of these materials is Yorkton.  Over the past few years Loraas has utilized local facilities, however, due to closure of these facilities currently Yorkton provides the best solution for the compost materials.  Loraas has informed us they are always seeking compliant local facilities to send the compost materials from White City.  

Extra bins are available as per the table below and will be charged to your monthly utility bill. Just give us a call or email us by filling in the 'Contact Us' form and we’ll have maintenance deliver you another one.

ItemFee*
Extra Garbage Bin$11/month
Extra Recycling Bin$11/month
Extra Composting Bin$5/month
Restocking Fee$10/bin
Cleaning Fee$75/bin

*as per Bylaw No. 681-22, The Fee Bylaw Amendment approved on August 8, 2022

2024 Pick Up Schedule

2025 Pick Up Schedule

You can place the following organic materials in your bin:

  • Wood and tree limbs have become an issue in the composting process, so we want to be more clear on these particular items.  
    • NO construction material can be placed in the green cart - specifically, Lumber.
    • NO tree limbs larger than 1' thick or longer than 2 feet are to be placed in the green cart.
    • With the new process, a grinder is used at one of the stages and it is not able to break down large pieces of wood.

Did you know? The majority of items labelled ‘biodegradable’ are not suitable for composting.  If in doubt: stick to the list above or look for a ‘compostable’ label.

Thank you for helping make the program run effectively.

Bin Placement

If you've already got a green bin through Loraas Disposal's program, you're all set! Your agreement with Loraas will be transferred to the town-wide program at no one-time or annual cost. 


Use a Compostable Bin Liner

Approved bin liners are available at the White City Town Office for purchase - or pick up your preferred compostable bin liner. Please note that biodegradable liners are not permitted as they do not break down properly in composting.

Indoors: 
  • Collect food waste in a small container with a lid. Store it inside a cupboard, underneath your sink, or outside your backdoor. Ensure the lid is fully closed.
  • Line your container with newspaper or a paper bag, or simply wrap food in a napkin. Please do not use waxed, plastic, plastic-lined, or biodegrable bags.
  • Drain excess liquids from your food waste before placing in the container.
  • Freeze food waste until collection day.
  • Empty the contents of your container into your bin as frequently as necessary.
  • Rinse your container after emptying it into your bin.
  • Sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of your container to reduce odours and deter insects.
  • Catch fruit flies in a mason jar of vinegar covered with plastic wrap, pricked with a few holes.
Outdoors:
  • Set your cart out for every collection, even if it isn't full.
  • Store your bin outside in a shady, flat, and ventilated location.
  • Keep the lid fully closed.
  • Line your cart with newsprint, cardboard, or yard waste before adding food waste.
  • Covering food waste with yard waste will help prevent odours and insects. Keep the contents of your cart dry by alternating a layer of food waste with a layer of dried leaves, grass clippings, or dead plants.
  • Let leaves, grass, and yard waste dry out first before placing them into your cart.
  • Rinse your bin occasionally with a garden hose.
  • Sprinkle a small amount of vinegar or baking soda into your bin to reduce odour.

 

Questions?


Yard and food waste aren’t garbage – they’re a plant’s best friend! When these materials are composted, the end product (compost) can be added to lawns, flowerbeds, vegetable gardens, and house plants to add nutrients to the soil, conserve water, and reduce weeds, pests and diseases.
Composting services begins Tuesday April 6, 2021 and runs weekly on Tuesdays from April to October. Collection changes to monthly runs from November to April.
Organics are materials that break down naturally and can be turned into compost, such as yard and food waste. The Curbside Composting program, or backyard composting yourself, allows residents to separate their organics from their garbage so these materials can be composted. Almost 40-50% of a household’s waste is organic. In addition, yard waste, such as leaves, grass, and garden materials, can represent up to twice as much waste as food waste.
The material from your bin is picked up by Loraas Disposal and taken to their facility to be turned into compost in exchange for providing the service at a low cost to the town. This ensures that organic waste is diverted from the landfill. When these materials end up in the landfill they are mixed with garbage and buried in an airless environment, meaning they won’t break down. By placing items that are not garbage into the landfill our costs increase and the Regina Landfill, where we take our waste, will be filled up unnecessarily. To prevent a new landfill, or the town having to create its own landfill, we all need to do our part to put it in the right place.

Did you know? Some organic materials sent to the landfill can still be identified decades after disposal because they don’t break down properly.
No. The Curbside Composting service will be replacing the large bin at Serbu Park due to consistent contamination. Curbside Composting bins offer convenient options for residents to dispose of a wider variety of materials without having to load up multiple bags of clippings into your vehicle and transport them to the bin. Additionally, providing the more convenient Curbside Composting service to residents costs roughly the same amount to the town as the grass clipping bin on an annual basis and eliminates piles of grass clippings and debris that would accumulate by the bin.

Did you know? Due to consistent contamination of the grass clippings bin materials had to be taken to the landfill rather than composted. This resulted in a considerable dumping and landfill fees to the town.
Yes! Residents with large yards or who are diverting lots of organic materials are encouraged to contact the town to get a second bin, this does include an additional charge. You can get an extra bin from the town for $5/bin per month.
Residents may opt out of the program, however there is no rebate for opting out of the program. The composting bin provided to the resident must match the serial number originally provided to the address, be clean and in original condition with no damage. The town will pick up the bin for reuse at another residential address. Residents may request the service resume one-time at no additional cost. If a resident continually opts in and out of the program there may be administrative fees associated.  If you’re opting out of the composting bin, please consider backyard composting on your own to recycling organic materials, here is a resource to help with backyard composting.