Green Cart Food and Yard Waste program
We provide food and yard waste collection to single family homes.
Green carts are picked up weekly from April to October and every two weeks from November to March.
Please set your cart out on your collection day by 7 a.m.
Fill your green cart first, then use paper yard waste bags and roll tops closed. Place bags 0.5m (2 ft) to the side of the cart for pickup.
If some of your extra bags are not picked up, store them on your property until the next green cart collection.
Spring Yard Waste Tips
As you are cleaning up the yard, here are a couple of things to remember:
*Always fill your green cart first. If your green cart is full, put extra yard waste in paper yard waste bags. Roll tops of bags closed and set at least two feet to the side of your green cart for collection.
*Make sure you can easily lift the bag with one hand. Your collection driver puts paper yard waste bags in your emptied cart to be picked up by the truck.
*Dirt and sod can go straight in the green cart, but because they are heavy only fill it half full. If you can easily roll the cart, it’s okay.
*No plastic plant pots or bedding trays in the green cart. Rinse out and recycle in your blue cart instead.
Compost Giveaway runs April 14 – May 31, 2025
From your Green Cart, back to your garden! FREE, nutrient-rich compost is available for pickup (by appointment only) from April 14 to May 31 at the Shepard and Spyhill landfills.
Households may pick up compost once for the 2025 year. TIP: To avoid lineups from high landfill traffic, book your appointment on a weekday.
You can take up to 100 litres of compost per household. The compost must be shoveled into your containers or vehicle.
🌿April 14 – May 3 appointments: Available to book starting April 1.
🌿May 5 – May 17 appointments: Available to book starting April 29.
🌿May 19 – 31 appointments: Available to book starting May 13.
Book your appointment at Calgary.ca/compost.
Find your pickup schedule
Print a calendar
- Type your address in the search box
- Select Get a calendar
- You can print a calendar; or
- Add an online calendar
Sign up for free reminders
- Type your address in search box
- Select Get a reminder
- Chose type of notice
- Add your contact details
Download the Calgary Garbage Day app
Never miss a collection day by downloading the Calgary Garbage Day app onto your mobile device.
What can go in your Green cart
Using your Green cart
Customer self-service
Request cart for a new home
Report a missing or damaged cart
For more details, see Replacing Your Cart.
About Green Cart Program
Who receives a cart?
We provide green carts to single family homes up to four units, as long as they are not part of an apartment or condominium.
Can I get a replacement kitchen pail?
The City does not provide replacement pails. You can purchase kitchen pails at any big box or hardware retailer. You can also reuse any container with a lid that seals, such as an ice cream pail.
Green Cart Fee
Your monthly cart program fees are not a "per-collection" fee but cover all the components of the residential cart programs, including providing carts to Calgarians, pickup from your home, composting of material as well as education and program support.
The property tax subsidy has been removed from the Green Cart fee. To learn more, visit Residential Waste Rates.
How composting works
The Calgary Composting Facility is the largest of its kind in Canada. The facility produces high quality compost collected from the green cart program and the biosolids program.
Take an online tour of the facility and learn how composting works.
Other disposal options
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Take your residential waste to one of the City Eco Centres to recycle, reuse or dispose of oversized or large quantities of waste.
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Find a community recycling bin location near you.
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Recycle your old and unused electronics for free.
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Dispose of household hazardous waste at our drop-off locations.