Multi-Family Green Cart Program
Green Cart Program for Multi-family Complexes
The Green Cart program is available to residents in multi-family complexes like apartments and condominiums to provide convenient food scraps recycling. With this program, Green Cart service is available to all Richmond residents, making it easy and affordable for residents to recycle their food scraps and yard trimmings. This recycling service is particularly important now that food scraps are not permitted in the garbage as part of a Metro Vancouver food scraps disposal ban.
Under Metro Vancouver's inspection program, if food scraps are found in the garbage at the landfill, the load will be subject to surcharges.
Green Cart Program Options for Multi-Family Complexes
The City’s Green Cart program is used to collect food scraps, food-soiled paper and other organics such as yard and garden trimmings. The City’s program for multi-family complexes has been developed based on a pilot program that included input from residents along with recycling and garbage collection data.
The Multi-Family Green Cart program features:
- Green Carts delivered and set up in central collection area
- Weekly or twice-weekly collection of Green Carts
- City-provided certified liners for the Green Carts
- Monthly cleaning service for the Green Carts
- Complimentary kitchen containers for food scraps for all residents in the building
- Signage and information materials to support using Green Carts
See How to Use the Multi-Family Green Cart Program for tips and tactics relating to food scraps recycling in apartments and condominiums.
Information for Property Managers
Select Information for Property Managers for details relating to the Multi-Family Green Cart program and property manager's responsibilities.
Information for Commercial Operators is available below.
Additional Service Options
1. Garbage Carts:
- To help save space along with the convenience of City-provided garbage collection, Richmond is offering the option to sign up for Garbage Cart service. (Note: the City’s service is for Garbage Carts only – no dumpsters).
- Garbage Carts are cleaned monthly, with weekly or twice-weekly collection.
- Buildings with Garbage Cart service are also eligible for the City’s Large Item Pick Up service, which provides collection of up to four large household items per unit, per year.
2. Cardboard Recycling:
- Richmond is offering – through application - a cardboard recycling service, which involves providing a front-loading bin for cardboard in the central collection area.
- Cardboard will be collected every two weeks.
Commercial Operators
Metro Vancouver lists companies that provide organics recycling service. Most commercial operations require customized recycling services, which do not fit the parameters of the City’s Green Cart program. For details on service options available, please, select the link that's relevant to you:
Grocers
Restaurants
If commercial operators would like City collection services for organics recycling using Green Carts, please send an email to our Environmental Programs Office. While customized service options are not available, the City will work with commercial operators to provide the City’s Green Cart service if operational logistics are consistent with the City’s Green Cart service standards.
For other commercial sectors, please call Recycling Council of BC at 604-732-9253
Related Links and Resources
Green Cart Brochure for Centralized Collection ( English,
Traditional Chinese)
Metro Vancouver - Background and Implementation on Disposal Ban for Organics
Find out information about other Disposal Bans in Metro Vancouver
Blue Cart Recycling
Recycling Depot
Prohibited Materials Drop-Off