WINNIPEG – Now that the snow is gone you can see your yard needs attention and a good spring cleaning.

This year the Winnipeg curbside yard waste collection program starts the week of April 30 for homes in yard waste collection area “A” and the week of May 7 for homes in yard waste collection area “B”.

The City also said residents can also drop off yard waste for free at the Brady, Pacific or Panet 4R Winnipeg Depots.

Yard waste will be collected at the curb once every two weeks, on the same collection day as recycling and garbage, and will continue until November.

Yard waste collection areas can be found at City of Winnipeg – Collection Days.

Here’s what you can put your yard waste in:

• Any reusable container without a lid (e.g., plastic tubs, old blue boxes, old metal or plastic garbage containers), containers should not be broken or damaged
• Cardboard boxes
• Paper yard waste bags (available at many stores)
• Yard waste in plastic bags will not be accepted because the plastic bags do not decompose and will ruin the finished compost.

The City does remind home owners not to rake any yard waste material or debris onto the street as this can plug the street drains and cause ponding problems as well as increase the risk of basement flooding.

In addition, place your yard waste containers at least an arm’s length away from their recycling and garbage carts, and to store collected yard waste away from buildings.

What does the City accept as yard waste?

Yard waste includes unlimited amounts of outside organic materials, such as grass clippings, leaves, plants, flowers, bush/shrub clippings, and small tied bundles of branches no longer than one metre or heavier than 22 kilograms.

Some of the materials not accepted in the curbside yard waste collection program include logs, stumps, rocks, dirt, sod, and litter, as these items slow down the composting process and can damage the composting equipment.

For information on yard waste collection, visit City of Winnipeg – Yard Waste Collection.