Organic Waste Collection | Norfolk County

Every week, you can place organic waste, such as food scraps and food-soiled paper, in your green cart instead of the garbage.

Using the green cart helps divert waste from the landfill and can significantly reduce the amount of garbage your household produces. Norfolk County's waste audits found that approximately 43 to 45 percent of household waste could be composted through the organics program.

Your new collection schedule

Organic waste (green cart) and recycling will be collected every week
Garbage (grey cart) will be collected every other week (bi-weekly)
All waste must be at the road by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day

Use our collection schedule tool for the NEW collection schedule for your property.

Organics sorting guide

What goes in your green cart

Food waste

Fruits and vegetables
Bread, pasta, rice
Meat and bones
Fish and seafood
Pet food
Dairy products
Eggshells
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags
Plate scrapings, food scraps, leftovers
Spoiled and expired food
Sauces and cooking oils (small amounts)
Greases and fats (up to 1 cup of liquid)

Food-soiled paper

Napkins
Paper towels
Paper muffin liners
Paper plates
Popcorn bags, parchment paper

Other materials

Sawdust and wood chips
Hair and pet fur

Don't put these in your green cart

Diapers
Pet waste
Kitty litter
Plastic bags
Yard waste
Soil
Toilet paper
Textiles (e.g., clothing, fabric)
Hygiene products (e.g., bandages, tampons, other items with human waste)

Please dispose of these items through other waste streams, including garbage, recycling, household hazardous waste, and yard waste.

Using your kitchen container

Your kitchen container makes it easy to collect food scraps where they are created.

Keep the container in a convenient location, such as under the sink.
Collect food scraps while cooking and cleaning up meals.
Empty the contents into your green cart regularly.

TIP: Check inside your green cart to find your kitchen container.

Liners and compostable bags

Using approved liners can help reduce odours and keep material from sticking to the container. You may line your kitchen container with:

Newspaper
Certified compostable bags displaying a recognized certification logo, such as the BPI compostable symbol

Certified bags/liners must display either the BPI or BNQ logo to be accepted in Norfolk County's green cart. Look for these symbols to make sure the bags are compostable:

5 tips for using your new green organics carts

1. Know what goes in your green cart

Get to know what kinds of organic waste can go in your green cart. Review the sorting guide above to get started

2. Sort as you go

Scrape organic waste into your kitchen container while cooking meals (leave out the packaging), and leftovers when cleaning up

3. Reduce odours

Line your kitchen container with newspaper or certified compostable bags (read more above)
Empty your kitchen container regularly
Set your green cart out for collection every week, even if it is not full