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About Green Recycling

How to Use the Multi-Family Green Cart Program

Food Scraps not Permitted in Garbage Starting January 2015
Starting in 2015, food scraps will not be allowed in the garbage. Instead, they must be recycled or composted. For more information about the disposal ban, please see Food Scraps Disposal Ban page or our PDF Document frequently asked questions.

What to Recycle in the Green Cart
Here are some examples of what can be recycled in the Green Cart. See a more detailed list below:

What Goes in Your Green Cart

 Accepted Not Accepted 
  • Fruits & vegetables
  • Potatoes
  • Corn cobs & husks
  • Eggs
  • Dairy Products (e.g. cheese)
  • Bread
  • Pasta
  • Rice & noodles
  • Food soiled paper or pizza or bakery boxes
  • Paper towels, napkins & plates
  • Coffee grounds, filters
  • Tea bags
  • Food scrapings from plates/dishes
  • Meat & poultry
  • Fish, shellfish & bones
  • Plants
  • Leaves & grass clippings
  • Fat & grease solids (no liquids)
  • Small amounts of cooking oil that can be wiped up and absorbed with paper towel or newspaper**
    **Larger amounts of used cooking oil, such as oil from fryers, are not accepted in the Green Cart but can be dropped off in sealed containers at the Richmond Recycling Depot.
  • Plastic bags*
  • Compostable or biodegradable plastic bags
  • Liquids, including vegetable oil*
  • Pet feces or kitty litter
  • Styrofoam materials such as coffee cups, meat trays, plates or take-out containers*
  • Large amounts of liquids including cooking oil from fryers*

* Accepted for drop-off recycling at Richmond Recycling Depot


Important reminder
Compostable and biodegradable plastic bags are not accepted as they leave behind flecks of plastic.  This plastic is a contaminate that can compromise the quality of the finished compost.
How to Recycle Food Scraps
It's easy and convenient, just follow four simple steps.
  1. Line kitchen container provided by the City with newspaper or paper bag liner.
  2. Collect food scraps in the kitchen container.
  3. Empty food scraps from the kitchen container into the Green Cart, which is located with your Blue Carts and/or garbage receptacles. 
  4. Close the Green Cart lid. 

To help keep your Green Carts clean, the City's contractor will use pre-approved liners in the carts, which will be removed and handled separately at the composting facility.

Food Scraps Recycling Tips
  • Sprinkle the kitchen container with baking soda to reduce odours.
  • Wrap food scraps in small amounts of newspaper or used paper towels before adding to your kitchen container.
  • Consider freezing food scraps until you're ready to empty your recycling into the Green Cart.
  • Keep your kitchen container clean by lining it with a few sheets of newspaper, a paper bag liner or a paper towel, or simply rinse the container regularly.
Helpful Links and Resources
PDF Document Green Cart Brochure for Centralized Collection
PDF Document Instruction to fold newspaper liner for kitchen container
Video instruction to fold newspaper liner for kitchen container
Recycling Depot
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