Winter tips

During snow clearing you need to change where you place your cart out on collection day.

Living in Strathcona County means living with Alberta winters. Here are some helpful Green Routine winter tips.

Give your organics cart a winter lining

Line the bottom and sides of your organics cart with newspaper. Then make sure to layer wet organics (food waste, leaves) with dry organics (newspaper, pizza boxes). This will reduce the possibility of organics freezing to the cart when the temperatures drop. Layering is even more important during the time of year when temperatures fluctuate frequently.

Don't pack it in
Don't pack contents of the cart down. Organic materials may become stuck in the cart and the truck may not be able to fully empty it.

Wrap it up!
Wrap wet or smelly organics in soiled boxes (cereal or shoe box), paper bags or newspaper to help prevent them from freezing to the cart. 

Pull don't push
When there is snow on the ground, pull your organics or waste cart, don't push. The bottom of the cart will cause snow to build up making it difficult to move. Pulling the cart won't cause snow to build up while moving the cart.

Be friendly
Get to know your neighbours. If they need help getting their cart to the curb, ask if you can do it for them.

Blustery bag days

On very windy days, your empty reusable bag you use for paper recycling may blow away. On those windy days, another option is to use a reusable container such as your old garbage can to set recyclable papers out in on your collection day. If you don't have a lid, you can place your clear plastic blue bag with your container recyclables on top of the paper to help keep the paper from blowing away.

Be sure to place the paper recyclable sticker on the container to help identify it for the recycling collectors. A sticker was delivered with your reusable bag. Extra stickers can be picked up free of charge at:

  • County Hall (2001 Sherwood Drive, Sherwood Park)
  • Millennium Place (2000 Pembina Drive, Sherwood Park)
  • Heartland Hall Contact Office (55305 Range Road 214)
  • Strathcona Public Services Yard (370 Streambank Avenue, Sherwood Park)

Changes to placement in the winter
Important to note! You only need to change how you put out your cart if street snow clearing is happening in your area.

When residential street snow clearing is in effect in your area, please place your waste or organics roll-out cart at the end of your driveway. During snow clearing, carts cannot be on the road, sidewalk or in the gutter because snow removal vehicles cannot manoeuvre around them during snow clearing.

When signs for snow removal appear in your neighbourhood, it's time to move the carts up onto your driveway. Signs will also be posted to remind residents that this cart placement change is in effect.

Again, recyclable materials must be placed a minimum of one metre away from the cart.

On all other collection days, its back to normal. Place the wheels of the cart in the gutter between the curb and the road, the same way you've been doing for the spring, summer and fall months.

If you have a sidewalk with no boulevard

If you have a sidewalk with a boulevard

If you do not have a sidewalk

Further information
780-449-5514
greenroutine@strathcona.ca

Last updated: Monday, December 05, 2011
Page ID: 2238

County Hall: 2001 Sherwood Drive, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada T8A 3W7