Garden composters

COVID-19: recycling and disposal facilities

Free compost event in May cancelled

Our free compost event in May is cancelled to discourage non-essential travel and help reduce the spread of COVID-19. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Ensuring health, safety, and continued operations

  • Visit our facilities ONLY if absolutely necessary; if you are unwell stay home
  • If you visit our facilities, wash your hands before and after your visit and keep 2 m (6 ft) away from staff and other guests
  • Defer spring cleaning to help prevent overloading residential waste collection and depot facilities  
  • Follow disposal guidelines for garbage and organic waste
  • Store bulky and recyclable items at home until the pandemic is over

Changes at our facilities

  • Access is restricted to respect physical distancing so expect delays
  • Walk-ins not permitted (vehicles only)
  • Suspended/cancelled:  
    • Landfill open house
    • Landfill tours
  • We are accepting new drywall again at the Vancouver South Transfer Station and Vancouver Landfill
  • Compost is available for sale at the Vancouver Landfill
    • You must bring your own shovel and use one of the stations set up for self collection
    • Staff can help load customers who have trucks and trailers

Backyard composting is a cost effective and environmentally friendly way for you to produce nutrient-rich soil for your yard and garden, even if you already use your Green Bin. You can recycle:

  • Garden and yard trimmings
  • Uncooked food scraps, like vegetable and fruit peelings
  • Egg shells
  • Coffee grounds and tea bags
  • Leaves

 Avoid odours and attracting rodents and pests. Fish, meat, dairy, and grain products, grease, oil, and cooked foods like pasta and rice decompose too slowly in a backyard composter. Put these items in your Green Bin for collection.

Buy a composter

Backyard composters are available for Vancouver residents to purchase at the Compost Demonstration Garden at 2150 Maple St in Vancouver. 

Please call 604-736-2250 to reserve a composter and schedule a pickup time. 

Cost: $35 including taxes
Cash payment only at the time of pickup. 

Limit of 2 composters per household. 

Effective May 1, 2021, we will no longer be selling backyard composters or rain barrels at the Vancouver South Transfer Station.

Learn how to compost

Watch a video about composting your food scraps and yard waste in your backyard produced by City Farmer and the City at the Vancouver Compost Demonstration Garden.

Start composting in 10 easy steps, get tips, and solve common problems:

Read the brochure "Here's the Dirt: Backyard Composting" by Metro Vancouver  (750 KB)

What about fish, meat, bones, dairy products, cooked foods, grain products, grease, and oils? Put these food scraps in your City Green Bin for recycling because they decompose too slowly in backyard composters, cause odour problems, and attract pests.

Learn what goes in the green bin

Have questions about yard trimmings or composting?

Contact the Regional Compost Hotline, or visit the Compost Demonstration Garden:

Address
2150 Maple Street
Vancouver BC

Phone: 604-736-2250

The hotline and garden are run by City Farmer, a non-profit organization, on behalf of the City and Metro Vancouver.

Order a worm composter

Apartment worm composters

Don't have a yard for a composter? Order a worm composting bin, perfect for producing fertilizer to use for your house plants.