Waste, Recycling and Organics Collection

Curbside Organic Collection

The City’s new curbside organics program launched on September 23 with weekly collection of organics now underway. This new service is the first step towards the City’s goal of redirecting all organics from the landfill, which will extend the lifespan of our landfill, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and the compost produced will reduce the need to import topsoil into the valley for City projects.

On your neighborhood’s designated collection day, simply place your cart in the same spot as garbage or recycling and it will be collected.  

Until December, your curbside garbage collection service will remain the same. Once you’ve gotten comfortable using your organics cart, garbage collection will change to every other week, just like recycling.

Program Rollout:

August – September 2024: Curbside Organics education program to begin, and support users in the transition.

Residents will receive delivery of curbside organics cart, kitchen catcher bin, collection schedule and information package.

September 2024:

Changes to Collection Area Boundaries: The Alpine Trails and Parkland Terrace neighbourhoods will be part of Area 1 starting with the first organics collection on September 23rd.

First Curbside Organics Collections: Curbside organics collection begins September 23^rd for Area 2 and September 24^th for Area 1.

December 2024:

Garbage collection:  Will move to every other week, starting December 5th for Area 1. Area 2 will have their first bi-weekly collection on December 12th.

Important Resources

Organics Guidebook

2024 Collection Calendar 

Cart and Bin Information:

With this program, homes that currently receive curbside garbage and recycling collection will each receive two containers –

• a small kitchen bin (approximately 7-liters in size), and
• a 120-liter bear-resistant curbside cart.

The kitchen bin would typically be stored next to your sink on the counter or underneath the sink to capture food waste. It may be lined with newspaper or a paper bag for ease of emptying and cleanliness and has a lid that closes to help eliminate odour.

The curbside organics cart is an equivalent size and shape to the curbside garbage carts currently used, with a key improvement. The new organics cart is bear-resistant, rather than animal-resistant. Bear-resistant carts are certified to withstand a bear for one hour. These carts, used in combination with being stored in a secure area will limit conflicts with wildlife.

Acceptable & Prohibited Items 

The curbside organics collection program allows for a wide range of kitchen waste to be collected, such as dairy products, fruit & vegetables, fish & shellfish, and coffee filters, to food-soiled paper from takeaway meals. It also includes yard trimmings such as grass, leaves and smaller twigs and sticks. All the eligible items are picked up weekly by the same truck.

Accepted Items 

Prohibited Items 

Have questions? We're here to help! Visit our Q & A section on Let's Talk, or submit your own question for more information via operations@fernie.ca 

We remind residents that in accordance with Bylaw No. 1845, waste, organics, and recycling must be stored in an inaccessible place between collection days and until 5 AM on the day of collection.  Please ensure carts are placed at the curb by 7 AM on the day of collection to ensure pick-up.

Recyling Curbside Collection

July of 2023, the City of Fernie partnered with Recycle BC to reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfill. This partnership allows for more items to go in your recycling bin, including gable top containers for items like milk or molasses, frozen dessert boxes, paper cups for hot or cold beverages and their lids, tinfoil and tetra packs for soups or broths.

One big change with the transition is the end of recycling plastic bags like grocery bags or bread bags in your cart. Bagging your recycling is also no longer acceptable. Items that are inside a plastic bag cannot be recycled properly. The sorting machines at the recycling facility cannot sort the materials and for safety reasons, staff cannot open these bags. Items should be loose in the curbside cart.  All plastic bags and plastic overwrap (like the packing around flats of soda or paper towels) can still be recycled at the Fernie Transfer Station. 

Your recycling will still be collected every other week, just like before. 

The full list of what CAN and CANNOT be placed in your cart with this transition can be found here:

• Recycling Transition CANs and CANNOTs
• What Can I Recycle?
• What Goes Where

Wildlife Management 

Fernie is Wildlife Country. It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that wildlife and people stay at a safe distance from each other. One person’s bad habits can create problems for a whole neighborhood.

Cart Management 

Curbside carts attract bears and other animals, and can lead to human-wildlife conflict, usually when carts are stored in accessible places like side or back yards, or in carports.

The City of Fernie provides three different carts for curbside collection. The new organics carts are 120-L and bear-resistant. Bear-resistant carts are certified to withstand a bear for one hour. The garbage carts are also 120-L and are animal-resistant. These garbage carts are not bear-resistant, though they are designed to keep smaller animals from accessing garbage. Finally, the recycling cart is 240-L, and is not resistant to any animal. It’s important that you store and manage your carts properly so as not to attract bears or other wildlife.

Securing Carts from Bears

• Store your carts in an inaccessible place, like a closed, locked garage or shed. Carts will hold a residual smell even if empty.
• Place the cart out every collection day, even if it isn't full.  
• Keep your bins clean:
  • Consider placing organics in a paper bag or wrap in newspaper before putting them in cart to help keep it clean.  
  • Layering food waste with yard/garden waste helps keep odours down and prevents organics from sticking to the inside of the cart.  
  • Sprinkling in a small amount of baking soda, garden lime, or vinegar can also help reduce odours in your organics cart and kitchen catcher bin
  • Regularly rinse your curbside collection carts with the hose and occasionally wash them with soap, bleach, or baking soda and vinegar to keep bugs away and reduce odours.
  • Commercial bin cleaning services are also available in the valley to keep carts clean and limit odours.
• Put meat, bones, fish, dairy, oils, fats and fruit in your curbside organics cart – never in your backyard compost bin.
• Minimize odours by freezing meat and other smelly food scraps, and don't put them in the organics cart until collection day.
• Place carts at the roadside only after 5 AM on the morning they are collected – never the night before.

Report a Missed Collection

If collection of your garbage, organics or recycling is missed, please contact GFL Environmental Inc., 1-800-662-5744

Replace or Repair your Carts

If you have an issue with a missing or damaged cart, please contact City Hall, 250-423-6817

Bear Resistant Dumpsters

If you miss garbage day, or do not have a garage to store garbage securely between collection days, the City of Fernie is happy to offer bear resistant dumpsters, available for public use 24/7.

These dumpsters can be found at:

Max Turyk Centre: 44 Mt. Washburn Street, located in the Mountview neighbourhood known as the “airport.”

Fernie Aquatic Centre: 250 Pine Avenue, located in the parking lot closest to the Outdoor Rink.

City Hall: 501 3^rd Avenue, centrally located in the City’s downtown core of the Maintown neighbourhood.

The dumpsters for public use can be identified by a “keep wildlife wild” sticker. If a bin is full please go to another bin or the transfer station. Do not leave garbage beside full dumpsters. It creates an animal attractant and is in contravention of our Waste Regulation Bylaw

Fernie Transfer Station

The Transfer Station is located on Highway 3 at Brenner Road across from Home Hardware, open Mon-Fri (9 am - 5 pm) and Sat-Sun (10 am - 4 pm) and closed Family Day, Thanksgiving Day, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

RDEK Yellow Bin Program

Public recycle bins for plastics #1 - #6, paper, cardboard, tin and aluminum cans (no glass or wood products please) are located at:

• City Hall
• Fernie Aquatic Centre
• Fernie Memorial Arena

Wood, glass and yard waste bins are available at the Transfer Station located on Highway 3 at Brenner Road, across from the Home Hardware, open Mon-Fri (9 am - 5 pm) and Sat-Sun (10 am - 4 pm) and closed on Statutory Holidays.

Other Waste and Recycling

Bring your used household batteries and cell phones to City Hall or the Fernie Aquatic Centre for recycling. Bottles, electronics, small appliances, power tools, and sealed paint containers can be recycled at the Fernie Bottle Depot at 1291 Ridgemont Avenue

Downtown Waste Bins

The historic downtown area is serviced with pedestrian waste bins provided for you by general tax revenue.  Waste is collected downtown by the City public works staff.  If you notice that a bin is full please complete a Request for Service Form online or contact City Hall at 250-423-6817. 

Parks and Trails Bear Proof Waste Bins

City parks and trails are serviced with bear proof waste bins provided to users through general tax revenue.  Waste is collected from the parks and trails bins by City public works staff.  If you notice that a bin is full please complete a Request for Service Form online or contact City Hall at 250-423-6817.  

Note that in the winter months the level of service for parks and trails bins is reduced to areas that receive winter maintenance. 

Rules and Regulations 

Remember we are a Wild Safe Community! Waste Regulation Bylaw No. 1845 prohibits the accumulation of wildlife attractants, the storage of waste outdoors, and the placing of waste out for collection prior to 5:00 a.m. on your collection day!

If you would like to report violation please complete a Request for Service Form online. 

Useful Resources

• Recycling in the Elk Valley
• BearSmart BC Homeowner Tips
• Electronic Recycling Association 
• Wildsafe BC
• Waste and Diversion in the East Kootenay, Part I: Recycling

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