April 22, 2025 marks the two-year anniversary for the City of Lethbridge's curbside organics collection program. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge celebrates two years of green bin collection, weekly pickups start in May

Apr 22, 2025 | 12:56 PM

It has been two years since the City of Lethbridge started picking up organic waste the same way it does garbage and recycling.

Waste & Recycling Collections Manager James Nicholls says the anniversary comes on Earth Day, April 22.

“What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by sharing some positive statistics about our curbside organics program,” says Nicholls. “We’ve had residential curbside organics collection for two years and the data is trending in the right direction. We want to thank residents for keeping up their curbside enthusiasm and finding ways to incorporate waste diversion in their daily routines.”

In the two years since the program started:

• Nearly 13 million kilograms of organic waste have been diverted from the landfill thanks to curbside green carts – an average of approximately 382 kilograms of organic waste per household.
• The City has given more than 56,000 kilograms of free Coulee Compost to residents at a number of giveaway events.
• Around 24,500 kilograms of Coulee Compost have been used in City parks, gardens, cemeteries and greenspaces.

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The City says these promising statistics will help them to achieve their goal of diverting half of all waste generated in Lethbridge by 2030.

Waste & Recycling General Manager Mandi Parker says officials are continuing to work on improving the green bin program.

“Our focus is on continuing to increase the amount of food scraps going into green carts and minimizing the number of non-organics that sometimes sneak their way in,” says Parker.

The next Coulee Compost giveaway is set to take place on Saturday, April 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. More details here.

Now that the weather is warming up, the City of Lethbridge will resume weekly organics collection starting the week of May 5.

“Collecting every week during the warmer months allows us to help divert all the yard waste we see as people start their gardening for the year. It also helps to keep the odour or ‘yuck’ factor down in the carts.”

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