Lifting an old lawn produces a surprising heap. A strip of sod looks light, but it is heavy and packed with soil, and the rules for it are different from the rules for ordinary yard waste. A little planning stops the job from stalling halfway.
Sod is not city green bin material
The rules are aligned across these cities. Burnaby's green bin guide lists dirt, soil and sod as unacceptable yard and green waste. The City of Vancouver's yard waste page says sod and soil are not accepted at its yard waste drop off. Richmond's Recycling Depot lists sod, soil and dirt among items it does not accept. Burnaby's Eco-Centre also lists soil or sod among items it does not take in its green waste area.
What Metro Vancouver says
Metro Vancouver's disposal ban manual lists inert fill, including soil, sod, gravel, concrete and asphalt, as banned in quantities over 0.5 cubic metres per load. The manual treats yard trimmings as a banned recyclable. Metro's C&D toolkit lists sod and landclearing debris among yard trimmings, and says these materials can be recycled at private facilities.
There is one exception worth learning about. Metro Vancouver's United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre, 995 United Boulevard in Coquitlam, accepts sod, including grass sod containing European chafer beetle, up to 25% by volume of a yard trimmings load. Fees apply, at $139 per tonne with a $10 minimum for small loads. That is a limit on the sod, so a lawn replacement of any size needs another route.
Check for beetle restrictions
Burnaby's Eco-Centre page says the Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulates the movement of rooted plants and soil from the Japanese beetle regulated area in Burnaby, and that the Eco-Centre is the only approved drop off for green waste leaving that area. If your yard is near the Government Road area, check Burnaby's page and the CFIA before you move any sod or soil.
Plan the pile
- Lift only what you need. A sod cutter sets the thickness. Thinner sod means less weight.
- Keep it dry if you can. Wet sod weighs a lot more.
- Reuse before you haul. Sod can sometimes be placed upside down in a garden bed, or offered to a neighbour. Ask first.
- Keep sod separate from other waste.
Where a bin fits
Soil goes in its own 10 or 12-yard bin and never in a larger one. It is never mixed with junk. Sod can go into one of our green waste bins, but sod usually carries plenty of soil, so tell us how much soil is on it when you book and we will tell you which bin fits. See our dirt page and our organics recycling page, and our post on dirt and soil disposal.
We handle delivery and haul away, and you handle the loading. You do not need a permit for a bin on your driveway. If the bin has to sit on the street or lane, some cities need a permit, so confirm with your City first. We will line delivery up with any permit dates.
FAQ
Can I put old sod in my green bin? Burnaby's guide says no. It lists dirt, soil and sod as unacceptable in the green bin.
Does Metro Vancouver take sod? United Boulevard accepts sod up to 25% by volume of a yard trimmings load, for a fee. Check other centres before you go.
Can sod and soil go in one bin? Soil goes in its own 10 or 12-yard bin. Sod can go in a green waste bin, but it is usually full of soil, so tell us how much soil is on it when you book.
Do I need a permit for a bin? Some cities need a permit if the bin sits on the street or lane. A bin on your driveway does not.