- Garbage Pick-up
- Garbage Collection Calendar
- Commercial & Multi-Family Garbage Bin Pick-Up
- Leaf & Yard Waste
- Recycling
- Transfer Station
The District of Sparwood is committed to thorough and effective waste collection and encourages residents to make waste reduction and diversion a priority.
Garbage Pick-Up
Remember, Sparwood is surrounded by wilderness and an incredible array of wildlife. No garbage out before 5:00 am on your collection day please!
Curbside Garbage Collection
All household garbage will be collected from a standard 242L bear-resistant cart which will be picked up on a weekly schedule.
A collection schedule can be found below. Each cart has a serial number which is tied to the house address and the cost of replacing a cart which is lost or damaged will be the cost of the cart, plus 15%.
When storing your garbage container, residents will need to ensure that their cart is in a secure and safe location as to prevent bears and other wildlife from removing or damaging the cart from private property. This can be done by storing the cart indoors in a secure location between collection days during bear season (April to November). In the rare case that they cannot be kept inside a building, both clips must be locked, and the cart may need to be chained to a secure anchor point such as a strong railing or post, so the bear cannot drag the cart away.
As always, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to prevent dangerous wildlife from accessing unnatural food on their property.
How to Prepare and Place the Garbage Cart for Pick-Up
- Remember to unclip your bear-resistant locks on collection day. Either clip the snaphooks to the handles on the top of the cart or use an extra carabiner to clip them together.
- Place cart at the curb so that the lid opens towards the street (the arrow on the lid should point to the street).
- Please put the cart on the street that your driveway is on. If you currently have your garbage picked up in an alley, please bring it to the street that your address is based on.
- Ensure the cart is at least 1 meter away from any obstacle (blue boxes, vehicles) and that there is 3 meters of clearance above the cart.
Winter Garbage Container Placement
What if I want a Smaller Cart?
Households that wish to request a smaller 120L garbage cart, in lieu of the larger 242L cart, may contact the District Public Works Office at 250.425.7760 or email publicworks@sparwood.ca. This is a one-time option to exchange for a smaller cart at no cost.
Garbage Collection Calendar
Commercial & Multi-Family Garbage Bin Pick-Up
On December 11, 2017, Council resolved that all commercial and multi-family users will be required to contract their garbage collection directly with the service provider of their choice. As of April 1, 2018, the District of Sparwood will only be collecting residential curbside garbage.
Leaf & Yard Waste
The District of Sparwood offers two composting sites for the public to manage their yard waste – one is located by the ball fields in Sparwood Heights, and the other is near the Fire Hall at the end of Englemann Spruce Drive. The District would like to remind anybody using these compost boxes that compost, yard waste and lawns are all organic substances, and they all factor “organically” into the District’s waste reduction program. Yard waste is not garbage and should be diverted from the Transfer Station.
Leaf Disposal Alternatives
If you do not wish to transport your loose leaves to the Yard Waste Composting Site, other disposal options include:
- Mulch leaves to use in gardens or flowerbeds;
- Compost leaves in your backyard composter;
- Grass-cycling and mulching your leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is organic yard waste?
Yard waste includes many natural things that decompose or break down to become a nutrient rich soil called “humus” or compost. Examples of organics include the grass on your lawn, tree leaves, plant roots, stems, blooms and leaves from your garden flowers, fruit or vegetable plantings.
Where is the yard waste composting site?
The District offers two composting sites, one is located by the ball fields in Sparwood Heights, and the other is near the Fire Hall at the end of Englemann Spruce Drive.
What is grass-cycling?
Grass-cycling is the natural recycling of grass by leaving clippings on the lawn when mowing. Grass clippings decompose quickly and release valuable nutrients back into the soil. Many mowers also mulch leaves. Use mulched leaves to your advantage and recycle those nutrients back into the soil.
What items are prohibited?
NO household garbage or recyclables, food waste, branches or trees.
Recycling
Take pride in our community. Reuse, Reduce, Recycle!
Green Bin Program
The Green Bins, located at the Transfer Station are part of the Recycle BC Program. Recycling that is placed in these bins, benefits more than the environment. The green bins accept everything that goes into the yellow bins, plus an additional 76 items! In addition, the RDEK gets paid per tonne of recycling collected in these bins, saving taxpayer dollars. Alternatively, the RDEK is charged for every tonne of recycling placed in the yellow bins.
To find out what is accepted in the green bins, view the Elk Valley Recycling Guide and the Recycle BC Brochure.
FAQ
Where are the District of Sparwood’s recycling centres located?
Recycling drop off locations:
Green Bins are located at the Transfer Station, found at 1001 Highway 3. Yellow Bins can be found at the Sparwood Heights Baseball Field, Englemann Spruce Drive, between Mainroad’s yard and Public Works Yard and the Silver Fox parking lot.
I am looking for somwhere to take my old fridge?
Appliances and scrap metal are not picked up at the curb with your regular garbage. You can take appliances and other scrap metal to the Transfer Station. If it is still in working condition, it can be deposited at the Reuse Centre also located at the Transfer Station.
Where can I take the old paint I have around the house that I haven’t used in years?
Household hazardous waste is not picked up at the curb with your regular garbage. It can be dropped off at the Fernie Bottle Depot/ Return-It Centre or you can find an alternate Regeneration Centre with Product Care.
What do the recycling numbers mean?
At the bottom of most plastic containers you can find a small number inside the three arrow triangle recycling symbol. This number is a reference to what type of plastic the container is made of. Each plastic is composed of a different molecule or set of molecules. Different molecules do not mix when plastics are recycled, it is like trying to recycle paper and glass together.
The recycling symbol code was designed by The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) in 1988. Since recyclers target post-consumer plastics, the recycling symbols are most commonly found on household packaging materials.
Transfer Station
The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) operates and maintains the Sparwood Transfer Station which is located at 1001 Highway 3.
Hours of Operation
Open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm , 7 days a week.
(closed Statutory Holidays)
Phone: 250.425.0203
Prohibited Items
The following items are prohibited from deposit at the Transfer Station which have alternative disposal facilities or are designated reusable, recyclable or compostable:
| Infraction | Standard Fees |
| Antifreeze and empty containers | Day Auto (Fernie) or Woz Mechanical (Hozmer), or find an alternate collection facility with the BC Used Oil Management Association |
| Broken televisions and computer monitors | Fernie Bottle Depot/Return-It Centre or find an alternate Return-It electronics collection facility |
| Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes | Fernie Bottle Depot/Return-It Centre or find an alternate Light Recycle collection facility |
| Paint and empty paint cans (including aerosol), flammable liquids, gasoline, and pesticides | Fernie Bottle Depot/Return-It Centre or find an alternate Regeneration Centre with Product Care |
| Prescription drugs, vitamins, and supplements | Return to pharmacy |
| Tires | KalTire or Mountain Mechanical or see Tire Stewardship BC |
| Used motor oil, empty containers, and oil filters | Day Auto in Fernie or Woz Mechanical in Hosmer, or find an alternate collection facility with the BC Used Oil Management Association |
Recycling at the Transfer Station
Even though the Transfer Station is designed to collect garbage from both residential vehicles and municipal garbage trucks, you can deposit your items for reuse and recycle as well! The first thing you’ll notice to the right as you enter the site, is the green bin recycle area. The green bins take all your paper, cardboard, tin/aluminum cans, and household plastics #1-#6 (except Styrofoam). Inside the shelter, you can recycle plastic bags, styrofoam and glass. There are also areas on site to leave your scrap metal, clean wood waste, yard waste, auto batteries and propane tanks.
Tires
There is an area for tires, however, unlike waste or recyclables, they are subject to a tipping fee as there are additional costs incurred for their handling and transportation. For every new tire sold, the retailer charges an Advance Disposal Fee, also known as an “eco-fee” which is submitted to Tire Stewardship BC for the operation of the (provincial) scrap tire recycling program. If you kept your old tires when you purchased your new tires and would like to keep them out of the landfill, you can drop them off (up to 4 tires), FREE OF CHARGE at Kal Tire (located at 601 and 735 Douglas Fir Drive), Mountain Mechanical (located at 743 Douglas Fir Drive) or at one of the province’s annual tire round up events.
Please visit Tire Stewardship BC’s website for more information on recycling your old tires.
Re-use Centre
There is also a Reuse Centre at the Sparwood Transfer Station, which accepts household items in good working condition. It’s free to drop items off, and free to pick items up at the Reuse Centre. Some examples of things that can be taken to the Reuse Centre include:
- Chairs
- Furniture
- Books/Toys
- Light fixtures
- Pictures
- Small dishes
Items that CANNOT be accepted in the Reuse Centre include: large appliances, scrap metal, wood, clothing, automotive parts and mattresses. Televisions should be taken to the Fernie Bottle Depot, located at 1291 Ridgemont Avenue in Fernie BC, for recycling.