Fall piles up quickly. Leaves, pruned branches and spent plants arrive all at once, and your city has a system for most of them. Begin there. A bin is for the leftovers.
Begin with your city
Vancouver. The City says leaves and other yard trimmings can go in your green bin year round. It also schedules extra leaf collection weekends each fall for residents with green bin service. Extra leaves go in paper bags or store bought bins of up to 100 litres, set out before 7 am on the scheduled Saturday with your garbage, and you should not set out your green bin on those weekends. Plastic bags of any kind, even those labelled compostable, are not accepted. Check the City's page for this year's dates. Leaves and yard trimmings can also be dropped off for a fee at the Vancouver South Transfer Station, 377 West Kent Avenue North, or the Vancouver Landfill in Delta.
Burnaby. Yard waste is collected weekly in the green bin, and the lid must close. Accepted items include grass clippings, weeds, plants, flowers and small branches up to 4 inches in diameter. Not accepted are stumps, larger branches, and dirt, soil and sod. If you have extra, you can drop it off for free, up to 100 kg, at the Burnaby Eco-Centre, 4855 Still Creek Drive, with proof of residency. Charges apply above 100 kg.
Richmond. The City asks that leaves and trimmings go in your green cart, paper yard waste bags or store bought 80 litre green cans. Call 604-276-4010 or email garbageandrecycling@richmond.ca for green can decals.
Maple Ridge. The City's brush chipping program takes branches up to 6 inches in diameter, in piles of up to 3 cubic metres, at the roadside by the set out deadline for your area. The deadlines are posted each spring and fall.
Abbotsford. The City points residents to leaf mulching and grasscycling, and gives curbside owners six yard waste coupons each year for free drop off at Pacific Coast Renewables Corp.
Never rake leaves into the street
Vancouver says raking or blowing leaves onto the street, sidewalk or catch basins is a safety hazard that can cause flooding and is a fineable offence under its Street and Traffic By Law.
Metro Vancouver's disposal rules
Metro Vancouver lists yard trimmings among banned recyclables. Putting them in the garbage can trigger a surcharge. Do not dump yard waste in parks. Burnaby says it is illegal and subject to fines up to $2,000.
When a bin helps
If you are cutting back a hedge, removing a tree or clearing a whole property, the volume can outrun the programs above. We bring the bin, you load it, and we take it away. Ask when you book about a yard waste bin and what it can take. See our organics recycling page, our 20-yard bin page, and our posts on yard waste bin rental and windstorm cleanup.
No permit is needed for a bin on your driveway. Some cities ask for a permit when a bin sits on the street or lane, so check with yours before delivery. We will time delivery to your permit dates.
FAQ
Can leaves go in the green bin? Yes. Vancouver says leaves can go in the green bin year round, and extra leaves go in paper bags or bins up to 100 litres on extra leaf weekends.
Can I use plastic bags for leaves? No. Vancouver does not accept plastic bags of any kind, even compostable ones.
What if I have too many branches for the green bin? Burnaby accepts branches up to 4 inches in the green bin and offers free drop off at the Eco-Centre up to 100 kg. Maple Ridge has a brush chipping program.
What size bin should I ask about? Ask when you book about a yard waste bin. For a large job, the 20-yard is the common starting size.