Frequently Asked Questions

Garbage tote sizes are changed once a year. The exchange of your garbage tote will occur in February or March of the following year and your solid waste utility fees will be updated for that calendar year.

You can request a larger or smaller tote by emailing: or in person at Municipal Hall.

If your tote was damaged by wildlife please contact GFL Environmental for a free repair or replacement at [email protected] or 604-892-5604.

There is a $50 fee for each change to your curbside collection services. 

The annual Solid Waste Utility fee vary based on which garbage tote size you choose. The fee include one organics and one recycling tote.

If you have recently moved and the existing garbage tote isn’t large enough for your needs, the District can provide you with a mid-year size increase.

Please visit Municipal Hall to arrange for this size increase as well as to pay the resulting difference in your solid waste utility fees.

Please ensure you bring a copy of your BC Land Title.

No, it is not possible for individual residences to opt out of any portion of the District's solid waste services.

The solid waste fees reflect the cost of all solid waste services provided by the District including collection and processing of materials, staff time, and communications; there is no opportunity to break down the fees into their component parts.

Whole townhouse complexes do have the option of receiving service directly from a commercial provider. Please contact the District if you would like to receive more information about this option. 

Home owners with secondary suites can choose to cancel their garbage service for the secondary suite only.  The tenants in secondary suites would then use the main (single family home) garbage/recycling/organics totes for their secondary suite. 

Solid waste utility bills are determined by the amount of garbage you produce.

If you increase the size of your garbage tote, you will have a higher solid waste utility bill.

If you decrease the size of your garbage tote, your solid waste utility bill will also decrease. 

Recycling, when it occasionally overloads your tote, can always be taken directly to a recycling depot.

If you have more organic or yard waste:

• stockpile it until you can fit it in your tote at a later date
• use a backyard composter
• leave grass clippings on the lawn
• take it to the Squamish Landfill Public Depot for a small fee
• ask your neighbours if they have any extra space. 

Due to our current residential contract with GFL Environmental and for inventory reasons, residents can only exchange their current garbage totes annually through the District of Squamish’s tote exchange process. 

All residents in Squamish are required to separate garbage, recycling and organic material and dispose of them through appropriate means.

If you prefer to use alternative ways of managing your organic material, for example by composting at home or dropping it off at a Recycle Depot, you can choose not to use your organics tote, however your Solid Waste Utility fee will remain the same.

If your collection has been missed, please call 604-892-5604 or email [email protected] to report it.

We’re here to help you sort your materials with ease. There are several tools to help residents know what goes where. Information is updated on an ongoing basis to keep up with the ever-changing recycling guidelines.

Check out these resources for the latest waste sorting information:

• What Goes Where Guide: a 4-page guide contains useful tips and information to help residents better sort materials and divert more waste from the Squamish Landfill. Download the guide and place it near your household bins for quick reference.
• Waste Wizard: The Waste Wizard look-up tool is an easy way to search for how to sort an item that you’re unsure of. Simply enter the name of the material for recycling or disposal options, and if it’s not there, let us know and we’ll be sure to add it.
  You can access the tool on our website or by downloading the free Squamish Curbside Collection app on Android or Apple. 
• Other Flexible Packaging: Flexible Plastics is a new category of recyclable packaging types that includes zipper-lock pouches, net bags, and bags for food items such as frozen berries, coffee and chips. You can find a list of accepted materials here.

Need help remembering your collection day? Enter your address in the curbside collection calendar, and sign up for weekly reminders via email, app or phone. You can also print your own calendar, or sync your collection schedule with your personal electronic calendar

Any packaged product container is accepted in our curbside recycling program, including most household containers for food, soap, cleaning products, and so on. There is no need to refer to a resin identification code as an indicator of whether or not a product is recyclable. 

It's important to note that plastic items which are not considered packaging are not accepted in the recycling program. Examples of these items are plastic toys and Tupperware.

If you are unsure about whether a particular item is accepted in the recycling program, simply enter the item in our Waste Wizard materials look-up tool for a list of disposal or recycling options. 

Film plastics, such as shopping bags and bread bags, can get caught up in other materials during the collection process thus making them difficult to separate. These materials can also get caught up in the processing equipment and therefore cause damage.

Some local retailers, such as London Drugs, accept materials such as grocery bags and soft plastics for recycling. For a list options, look up plastic bags and overwrap in the Waste Wizard.

Glass can easily break during recycling collection which causes a hazard for collection staff. Broken glass can also contaminate an entire load of recyclables during the curbside collection process

Most municipalities who offer glass collection offer it as a separate collection process. The District of Squamish has explored options of offering residential glass collection and it was deemed to be too expensive to offer at the time. Staff continue to explore options.

Glass that is collected at the Queensway Recycle Centre and the Squamish Landfill is used as road aggregate at the landfill. It makes an excellent road base on top of garbage.

As with all recyclables, glass must also be rinsed because it is stored in an area that is not fenced and could be accessed by wildlife

The District of Squamish curbside recycling collection is managed by Recycle BC, which is overseen by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. BC is a leader in residential recycling because the Recycle BC program uses rigorous audits and pre-approved end markets. The District of Squamish residential (blue tote/curbside pickup) recycling program is executed as follows:

• The District of Squamish provides residential curbside collection through the blue tote program in partnership with Recycle BC and through a contract relationship with Green for Life Squamish (GFL).
• The District is a partner in the Recycle BC program. Recycle BC manages residential recycling on behalf of municipalities for the majority of the province and is responsible for the processing of the recycling. The Recycle BC program is regulated by the BC Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy, is audited by a third party, and produces annual reports detailing its activities.
• Recycle BC contracts GFL Squamish to collect residential curbside recycling and deliver it to Recycle BC pre-approved processing facilities. Currently, our residential plastic recycled products are recycled by Merlin Plastics.
• GFL Squamish also maintains the recycle depots on Queensway and at the landfill, and collects items from residents that are unable to be collected through the co-mingled curbside pickup (such as glass, soft plastics, styrofoam and flexible plastics); these are also sent to Recycle BC approved processors.
• Multi-family buildings and commercial businesses in Squamish maintain contracts with their own service providers to collect, haul and process their recycling.

All of the items that you drop-off to be recycled are managed under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs. When you bring your item (smoke alarm, light bulbs, batteries, bottles, small appliances, electronics, etc.) to a depot, you are ensuring that the producer of that product is taking responsibility to have it responsibly recycled. Following is a list of the EPR programs in Squamish:

• Product Care: Leftover paint (including empty cans), household hazardous waste, lights, and smoke/CO alarms

• ElectroRecycle: Small Appliances, power tools, exercise equipment

• Call2Recycle and Canadian Battery Association: Batteries

• Return-It: Beverage containers with a deposit

• Electronic Products Recycling Association: Electronics, Toys with batteries/plugs  

• BC Used Oil Management Association: Lubricating oil, oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze and antifreeze containers

• Tire Stewardship BC: Tires

• Recycle BC: Residential packaging and printed paper, includes soft plastics, flexible packaging, glass and styrofoam

• Health Products Stewardship Association: Leftover medicine and medical sharps

• Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable: Major household appliances

• Outdoor Power Equipment: Electric outdoor power equipment

• BC Brewers’ Recycled Container Collection Council: Refillable glass beer and cider bottles, metal beverage alcohol cans and their associated secondary packaging (cases, cartons, can rings, etc.).

Recycle My Cell: Cell phones and wireless devices

This helps minimize contamination from food residue spoiling the recyclability of materials and also reduces pests and smells.

If there is too much contamination in a load of recycling, it becomes more difficult to separate the items that cannot be recycled from the ones that can, so all the items get sent to the landfill.

Please always empty containers and give them a quick rinse in leftover dishwater before adding them to recycling.

Squamish residents sometimes put materials in their recycling tote that cannot be accepted in the curbside recycling system because they cannot be processed in that way. Most commonly this happens by accident or because people don’t know, which is why we try to increase awareness.

The most frequently seen materials are textiles and fabric, books, scrap metal, glass, soft plastics, and electronics. Look up items on our Waste Wizard to find out how to dispose of them. If you are really unsure and cannot find the answer, it is better to discard the material in the garbage.

The District of Squamish provides residential curbside organics collection for single-family houses, duplexes and some townhouses through a contract with GFL Environmental.

Organics collection is offered weekly from the end of April to the end of October.

Townhouse and apartment complexes that receive commercial waste collection should contact their collection provider to discuss options for organics collection.

Keep the organic bin in a cool space. Make sure your garbage room is wildlife proof by keeping doors secured and bin lids down and locked at all times. Consider adding a seal to the bottom of your door.

The organics tote is outfitted with a locking system and reinforced lid. The tote should be properly locked with both locks at all times, except on collection day.

Follow these tips and best practices to help minimize odour:

• Wrapping your food scraps in newspaper or paper bags helps to reduce odours and keep your organics tote and kitchen catcher clean. 
• If possible, keep meat, fish and bones in your freezer or fridge until collection day.
• Cover and layer food scraps with yard waste or newspaper in your organics tote whenever possible. 
• When your organics tote is emptied, put a layer of newspaper in the bottom before you put food waste in it, or use a large yard waste bag to line your organics tote if desired.
• Allow grass clippings and leaves to dry before placing them in the tote.
• Sometimes maggots (fly larva) grow in organic material. To reduce this problem make sure that both your kitchen catcher and organics totes are tightly closed at all times so that flies cannot lay eggs in your organic material. If you do see maggots in your tote, they can be destroyed by putting salt or vinegar directly on them.  
• Rinse your kitchen catcher and tote regularly. You can use a mild detergent or vinegar/water solution for this purpose or put it through the dishwasher.

If your tote has been damaged by wildlife or the locking mechanism is not working, contact GFL Environmental for a free repair at 604.892.5604 or [email protected].

Maggots come from fly eggs. Flies lay their eggs hundreds at a time and the eggs can begin to hatch after just eight hours. The maggots eat non-stop so flies lay the eggs where there is a sufficient amount of food. This is why it’s common to see them in old or rotting food.

Prevention

Preventing maggots is much easier than getting rid of them. The most effective way to avoid getting maggots is to prevent flies from accessing your food waste, in particular meat scraps and plate scrapings. This can be achieved by one or more of the following:

• Storing meat scraps in the freezer until collection day;
• Tightly wrapping meat scraps and plate scrapings in newspaper before placing in the tote, and then covering with yard waste in the tote;
• Using weather stripping around the lip of the tote to tighten the seal and prevent flies from accessing the tote. Note that the lack of air flow may increase odor issues when the tote is opened.

 Additional measures that can help:

• Rinse your tote out regularly and keep it clean. Pay particular attention to the lip and underside of the tote where flies may land and lay their eggs;
• Store the tote away from direct sunlight whenever possible;
• Keep the tote lid closed and locked. If broken, please email GFL Environmental  to arrange for a repair;
• Don’t leave food waste on your countertops or out in the open for too long. The smell will attract flies, and the flies may lay eggs;
• Transfer waste food into your kitchen catcher as soon as you can and keep the lid tightly closed when not in use;
• Clean out your kitchen catcher regularly with a mild detergent or vinegar/water solution.

Getting rid of maggots

• Maggots can sometimes be killed by putting salt, vinegar or lime directly on them;
• After pick-up day, maggots can also be killed in your tote with boiling water;
• Please do not apply chemicals to totes that contain organic material for collection.

Excess leaves and grass clippings that won't fit in your organics tote, can be brought to the Squamish Landfill. Please note charges will apply (see squamish.ca/landfill for details).

Plastic bags are not permitted in organics totes. This applies to all types of plastic bags including biodegradable and compostable bags.

Paper bags, newspaper, or specially designed paper kitchen catcher liners (e.g. Bag to Earth) are an acceptable alternative.

Municipalities that have allowed compostable plastic bags in their organics programs report higher levels of contamination from all types of plastic, and the non-compostable plastics are much harder for the compost facility to identify and sort out.

• Backyard composting is an effective way to manage much of your yard waste.
• Yard waste can be dropped off at the Squamish Landfill public depot for a fee. Small residential loads often come in at the $5 minimum charge.
• If you have a large property, you can stockpile your yard waste through the growing season and slowly put it out for collection over the winter.
• Connect with your neighbours as they may have spare room in their organics tote.

Backyard burning is not permitted. 

Organics is collected before recycling or garbage to provide bears and other animals less time to access unlocked organics totes. This helps reduce conflicts between bears and waste, and keep bears safe.

During the spring and summer when organics is collected weekly, the organics is collected every week between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m, your recycling or garbage tote will be serviced in the afternoon window. In the fall and winter with organics collected every other week, it will still be serviced before your recycling tote.

Single-use items generally refer to plastic products that are considered disposable and only used once before they are recycled or thrown away, including:

• plastic bags
• straws
• utensils
• take-out containers
• take out cups
• Styrofoam containers and more.

Since early 2020, there has been an increase in other types of single-use Items such as face masks and surgical gloves.

The District of Squamish Single-Use Items Bylaw supports Council’s climate action priorities by significantly reducing the use of single-use items across the spectrum.

While some single-use items are necessary for certain situations, such as masks or disposable gloves, other single-use items can easily be eliminated or changed to a different material with little impact on users. The District of Squamish is aiming to reduce and regulate the latter.

Plastic bendable straws are an important accessibility tool for people with disabilities and therefore businesses who sell beverages will still be required to provide straws for those who request them. 

An Accessible Straw is a plastic, bendable straw required for health, medical or disability reasons.

Some single-use plastics are marketed as recyclable or compostable, but they either cannot be recycled (such as straws), or result in contaminating organics loads (such as lids, bags, or containers).

Biodegradable and compostable plastics pose significant problems for recycling and composting facilities due to their chemical composition. The bylaw therefore prohibits “biodegradable” or “compostable” plastic bags and straws as these items cannot be composted or recycled. 

Businesses are required to ask a customer if they would like a straw. Only then can they provide a paper straw. The exemption is if a customer requires an Accessible Straw. 

Yes, this bylaw applies to all businesses in Squamish who wish to provide checkout bags.

What are the non-checkout bag exemptions of this bylaw?

• Bags will still be allowed to package the following:
• Loose bulk items (such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grain or candy);
• Loose small hardware items such as nails and bolts;
• Frozen foods such meat, poultry or fish, whether pre-packaged or not;
• Flowers or potted plants;
• Prepared foods or bakery goods that are not pre-packaged;
• Prescription drugs received from a pharmacy;
• Clothing after professional laundering or dry cleaning.

It is estimated that the production of paper bags generates three times the environmental and greenhouse gas than the production of plastic bags due to the way in which they are manufactured and transported. In addition, paper can produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas, when breaking down.

Research suggests that banning single-use plastic bags could lead to increased use of other types of bags, such as paper bags, and therefore the bylaw aims to reduce the use of all checkout bags.

Only if you need one! If you already use reusable bags, that’s great. We encourage you to continue bringing them with you when you go shopping and reusing them over time. We also encourage the reuse of old plastic and paper bags.

The following bag-types can be provided to a customer. Note that they both must be accompanied by a fee.

• “Recycled Paper Bag” means a paper checkout bag that contains at least 40% recycled paper content, and has a reference printed on the outside of the bag to the applicable amount of recycled content with the word “recyclable”
• “Reusable Bag” means a bag with handles that is for the purpose of transporting goods from a business and that is designed and manufactured to be capable of at least 100 multiple-time uses, and primarily made of washable fabric.

The customer must be charged a fee of not less than, as applicable:

• $0.75 per Recycled Paper Bag; or
• $2.75 per Reusable Bag.

The business is to keep all fees related to check-out bags.

Yes, a business may provide or sell plastic bags or paper plastic check-out bag if the business reasonably deems the following:

• the customer’s disability or medical reasons; or
• financial hardship upon the customer

A Small Paper Bag is a Paper Bag that is less than 300 square cm when flat.