A Moment with the Mayor: Lloydminster, we have a problem, and together we can fix it

We’re at a crossroads with our organic waste and our green bins. More care must be taken when placing items in our green bins. Let me explain what has been happening and the costs of these mistakes. 

First, I want to start with a bit of good news. In Lloydminster, over 8,420 single and multi-family homes participate in the curbside collection program. Since its inception in April 2013, the organic waste program has diverted over 30,000 tonnes from the landfill. This is a magnificent feat.  

Now, to the bad news. 

During Christmas week, we found that four loads of organics were too contaminated and sent to the landfill, costing $6,930.45. On January 9, another 3.84 tonnes of contaminated organics were redirected to the landfill for an additional $1,738.85. These costs include the price to landfill a tonne of waste and the fees associated with operating the equipment.  

The solution

The organics cart is intended for organic materials such as food scraps, yard waste and paper products. However, we’ve found that many residents are placing non-organic materials such as animal carcasses (nothing more significant than turkey bones can be sent to the bin), garbage, grocery bags, recyclables, clothing and clean cardboard. So, to recap, the green bin can only have food and vegetable scraps, yard and garden debris, soiled paper products and shredded paper, nothing else. Everything else must go in the grey bin for regular waste.  

We understand that with the absence of yard waste, many residents have fewer organic materials to dispose of during the late fall and winter months – ultimately leaving unused space in the green cart. If you have excess regular garbage, you could reach out to your neighbours and see if they have some space in their bin, or you can take extra items to the landfill for disposal. 

We encourage you to recycle all cardboard and paper products, your number 1 and 2 hard plastics and metals. These items need to be placed in a blue bag and are collected on your regular garbage collection day. 

Visit Lloydminster.ca/curbside to learn more about the City of Lloydminster’s residential curbside collection program. This page includes tips on ensuring your carts and recyclables are picked up every time. It also has a comprehensive list of what items go where and helps you sort commonly misplaced items. For items such as broken furniture, hazardous waste, and smaller electronics, as a Lloydminster resident, you can dispose of these items for free, or a nominal fee, at the Lloydminster Landfill. For more information, including hours of operation, visit Lloydminster.ca/landfill.  

Thanks for your efforts to sort and ensure that our waste is placed properly so we can dispose of it in the most environmentally friendly and cost-effective ways. 

Remember, the green bin is for organic material only!  

Mayor Gerald S. Aalbers 
City of Lloydminster