Sort'nGo – West Coast

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A new waste collection service has pulled up to west coast curbs! Residents of single-family homes in Tofino, Ucluelet and some nearby communities are now diverting food/yard waste from the landfill with a three-stream automated pick up service.

Residential dwellings with four or fewer units* are now receiving roadside organics, recucling and garbage pick up in Tofino, Ucluelet, Esowista and Ty-Histanis and hitac̓u.

Check out the information on this page for more about the service, tips/tricks and updates. Add your email and click on the "SUBSCRIBE" button (right-hand column) to get the latest updates sent directly to your inbox!

*Commercial/multi-family buildings are not part of the service at this time.

A new waste collection service has pulled up to west coast curbs! Residents of single-family homes in Tofino, Ucluelet and some nearby communities are now diverting food/yard waste from the landfill with a three-stream automated pick up service.

Residential dwellings with four or fewer units* are now receiving roadside organics, recucling and garbage pick up in Tofino, Ucluelet, Esowista and Ty-Histanis and hitac̓u.

Check out the information on this page for more about the service, tips/tricks and updates. Add your email and click on the "SUBSCRIBE" button (right-hand column) to get the latest updates sent directly to your inbox!

*Commercial/multi-family buildings are not part of the service at this time.

  • Commercial Organics Coming to West Coast

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    Beginning Dec. 1, 2023, the compost facility at the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District’s (ACRD) West Coast Landfill will accept organic waste from all commercial properties in the region. This includes businesses and multi-family residences.

    The expanded service offers the opportunity for commercial properties to divert food and yard/garden for reuse. It is the next step in the ACRD’s continued work towards removing organics waste form the landfill.

    “We’ve heard interest over the past year from a number of businesses interested in participating in organics diversion,” said Paulo Eichelberger, Solid Waste Manager.

    For more information:

  • Collection for Waste Composition Study Underway

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    Collection is now underway in West Coast communities for a waste composition study that will help the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District identify ways to further reduce landfill waste.

    The ACRD has contracted AET Group Inc., an environmental consulting company, to conduct the study in randomly selected neighborhoods across the West Coast. This study identifies the quantity and type of garbage, recycling, and organics collected at the curb each week, and will help to determine future messaging to residents and inform future programs.

    Here's what you need to know:

    • Resident may notice a van collecting waste separately from the regular collection trucks: AET is collecting garbage/recycling/organics on regularly scheduled collection days. The materials are being transferred to a facility for sorting and weighing by material type (e.g. paper, plastic etc.).
    • All materials collected are kept strictly confidential with specific plans in place to protect identities, etc.
    • Once the material has been sorted and weighed, it is recycled, composted, or disposed of in accordance with the ACRD’s solid waste program.

    Notification to residents did not occur prior to the study, as prior knowledge may have altered the composition of the waste streams being studied.

    Thank you for your continued participation! These studies help evaluate our ongoing waste reduction efforts with respect to the new three-stream curbside program.

    For more information, or to withdraw from this study, contact the Sort’nGo line at 250-736-7678.

  • Minimizing Wildlife Interactions

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    We know that West Coast residents take reducing wildlife interactions very seriously – which is why adding latches that deter animals from the new organics and garbage carts was a priority.

    Keep Carts Secured

    • To minimize wildlife interactions, keep hooks clasped to the lid locks on the green and black carts when not in use throughout the week. Once roadside, attach the hooks to each of the cart’s lid handles to ensure the lid will open easily while the hooks won’t dangle free and cause damage.
    • Storing carts inside is the best option. If carts must be stored outside, they will need to be properly secured so that the cart cannot be dragged away.
    • We recommend securing carts to a concrete surface, or to cinder blocks with cables or chains. Equipment can be obtained from Windsor Plywood or Slegg Lumber (chains and carabiners are also available at the Tofino/Ucluelet Co-ops).
    • Supplies are also be available to purchase at Ozzard Environmental Recycling Depots in Tofino and Ucluelet.

    Looking for more tips on minimizing wildlife interactions? Watch our short video at: bit.ly/sortngo-bear-smart

  • New Self-Haul Organics Drop-Off for Multifamily Residences

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    Residents in multifamily dwellings now have an option for diverting organics (food/yard waste) from the landfill. Anyone in a multifamily residence, such as a condo/apartment building, or is outside the scope of the Sort’nGo program for residential homes:

    You can now self-haul organics material to the West Coast landfill for a minimum $5 drop off.

    Don’t forget to stop by the recycling depot as well, to dispose of items including plastics, paper products, drink containers, and more.

  • How to Place Carts for Pick Up

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    Don’t forget as we’re rolling our Sort'nGo carts out to the roadside, how we place them for collection is important:

    • Leave 1 metre of clearance space on all sides of the cart
    • Ensure 3 metres of clearance space above the cart
    • Face your cart to the street with wheels to the curb (do not face wheels to the truck)

  • Latch it Up!

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    To minimize wildlife interactions, keep locking mechanisms on green and black carts attached to the lid locks throughout the week, when not in use. Once roadside, clasp each hook to each lid handle of the cart, which will allow the lids to open but keep the locks from swinging loose and causing damage during collection (see photo).

    These tips can also help deter pests from carts:

    • Garbage is the most reported wildlife attractant in BC, so for a smell-free garbage and compost bin freeze smelly items and only add them to your garbage or compost on the morning of collection.
    • Put out your garbage or compost cart no earlier than 5 am on the morning of collection, and NEVER the night before.
    • Bring your bin back to a secure location (inside your house is best) as soon as possible after garbage or compost has been picked up.


  • The Sort’nGo Holiday Season is Here

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    This is the season where giving and receiving leads to a lot of leftovers! Once the festivities are unwrapped and family and friends are back on the road, it's important to make sure we're sorting items into the proper carts. Help our west coast community sort for success with the holiday tips below!


    Green Carts

    Remember, no plastics! If food is in plastic bags, please empty food into the green cart and dispose of the plastic bag in the garbage or return to the depot. If you wish to line your green cart please use cardboard, newspaper or paper bags.



    Organics carts are hungry for:

    • Holiday food leftovers (i.e., roast beast and bones)
    • Kitchen greases and oils
    • Soiled tissues & paper napkins
    • Leftover Gingerbread
    • Coffee grains and paper filters (no Keurig cups)


    Blue Carts

    Remember, rinse items of food residue and leave all items loose in the cart! No nesting, stacking or bagging items (only shredded paper should be bagged).

    Recycling carts are hungry for:

    • Paper wrap (glitter wrap or plastic-covered wrap should go in the garbage)
    • Drink cartons (or take them to the recycling depot for bottle collection)
    • Foil trays and tin foil wrap
    • Greeting cards (or save these and turn them into gift card tags next year)


    Black Carts

    Remember, don’t put glass/broken glass in the trash, this can lead to injury. Please take it to the depot for safe disposal.

    Trash carts are hungry for:

    • Diapers/personal hygiene items
    • Plastic cutlery and straws
    • Baby wipes


    Take to the Depot

    Remember, bottles can be returned for refund and if items are still usable consider donating to a reuse centre!

    The Depot is hungry for:

    • Glass jars (i.e., mason jars)
    • Candy wrappers chip bags, zip-loc bags and other crinkly plastics
    • Flexible plastics (i.e., plastic bags) and other stretchy plastics (i.e., cling/bubble wrap)
    • Plastic lined envelopes
    • Foam packaging
    • String lights (if they still work consider donating to a reuse centre)


    Questions? Call the Sort'nGo hotline at: 250-736-7678 or email sortngo@acrd.bc.ca


  • Commonly Misunderstood Waste Items

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    Do you know what items often get misplaced in the Sort’nGo carts? Some commonly misunderstood items are listed below – don’t see something on this list? Ask the Waste Wizard on the FREE Sort’nGo app and find out what goes where!

    DO NOTs for Blue Recycling Carts:

    • No stretchy/crinkly plastic – soft plastics should be taken to the recycling depot
    • No food-soiled cardboard – regular cardboard is acceptable (please break it down first), but food-soiled cardboard should go in the green cart (i.e., greasy pizza boxes)
    • No bagging/stacking items — leave items loose in the blue recycling cart (the only item that should be bagged is shredded paper)


    DO NOTs for Green Organics Carts:

    • No plastic bags — even if labelled compostable, plastics don’t belong in the green cart including plastic Keurig coffee filters, produce stickers, fasteners/bands and plastic bags of food leftovers. Please discard the food remains in the green bin — just not the plastic bag!)
    • No meat trays — foam food containers and trays can’t go in the green cart and should be taken to the recycling depot
    • No waxed paper/cardboard — do not include cardboard and paper products with a wax coating (for example, ice cream containers). Paper-only products like toilet paper rolls or paper take-out containers are acceptable in green carts
    • Personal hygiene/pet waste items Diapers should be disposed of in the garbage, along with other hygiene items such as baby wipes, makeup wipes, Q-tips, cotton balls, and sanitary napkins. Pet feces is not permitted and should go in the garbage
    • No plastic liners if you wish to line the green cart please use newspaper, or paper bags NOT plastic!
    • No invasive weeds noxious weeds should be bagged and put into the garbage cart as they have seeds that will not break down during the composting process. A reference for residents can be found at www.bcinvasives.ca
  • It's Sort'nGo Time!

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    New uniform carts are on their way! Delivery to single-family homes in Tofino, Ucluelet, Port Albion and Millstream is expected to begin Nov 23 and wrap up Nov 30 (please be patient as cart delivery days are subject to change) ahead of the new Sort'nGo service launch starting the week of Dec. 5!

    Until launch of the new service, please continue to follow your current waste schedule for recycling and garbage with existing collection bins. As of December 5, you can begin using the Sort’nGo carts.

    See below for the new collection schedule, and what carts to roll out for launch week.


    Sort’nGo Collection Schedule:

    Ucluelet/Port Albion/Millstream/hitac̓u

    • Organics Pickup — weekly, Mondays
    • Recycling (Wednesdays)/Garbage (Thursdays) – alternating weeks


    Tofino/Esowista & Ty-Histanis –

    • Organics pickup — weekly, Tuesdays
    • Recycling (Wednesdays)/Garbage (Thursdays) – alternating weeks


    What Carts to Roll Out for December 5 Launch Week (and the Following Week):


    • Ucluelet/Port Albion/Millstream:
      • Monday, Dec. 5: Green Organics Cart
      • Wednesday, Dec. 7: Blue Recycling Carts
      • Monday, Dec. 12: Green Organics Carts
      • Thursday, Dec. 15: Black Recycling Carts
    • Tofino:
      • Tuesday, Dec. 6: Green Organics Cart
      • Thursday, Dec. 8: Black Garbage Carts
      • Tuesday, Dec. 13: Green Organics Carts
      • Wednesday, Dec. 14: Blue Recycling Carts


    Download the 'Sort'nGo ACRD' App:

    Get ready to be a waste sorting champion by downloading the FREE Sort’nGo app!

    Ask the Waste Wizard to search if an item should be trashed, recycled or disposed of another way. Available at the Apple Store or Google Play for mobile devices. Access the desktop version of the app at: https://api.recollect.net/r/area/ACRD

  • Sort'nGo Service for hitac̓u, Esowista & Ty-Histanis

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    PLEASE NOTE: This information is for residents of hitac̓u, Esowista & Ty-Histanis only.

    As residents in Tofino and Ucluelet are preparing for the launch of the new Sor'tnGo roadside waste collection service later this year, Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet First Nation) and ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation) will be launching their service the week of Oct. 31, 2022, ahead of the full public rollout. If you are not a resident hitac̓u, Esowista or Ty-Histanis check back here for details on your community's rollout in the coming weeks!



    hitac̓u Sort'nGo Collection Schedule - Starting the Week of Oct. 31, 2022

    Haʔumckʷi (organics) will be picked up weekly, with huuʔaḥw̓ał (recycling) and tims (garbage) picked up every other week, on alternating weeks. That means:

    • hitacu̓̓ residents will roll out the new green organics carts next Monday, Oct 31, and black garbage carts on Thursday, Nov. 3.

    • The following week of Nov 7, residents will roll out green carts for pickup on Monday, Nov 7, and blue recycling carts on Wednesday, Nov. 9.



    Esowista & Ty-Histanis Sort'nGo Collection Schedule - Starting the Week of Oct. 31, 2022

    huuʔiitap wit̓as (organics) carts will be picked up weekly, with huuʔaḥwaał (recycling) and tuums (garbage) carts picked up every other week, on alternating weeks. That means:

    • Residents will roll out their new green organics carts on Tuesday, Nov. 1, and blue recycling carts on Wednesday, Nov. 2.

    • The following week of Nov. 7, residents will roll out green carts for pickup on Tuesday, Nov. 8, and black garbage carts on Thursday, Nov. 10.


Page last updated: 22 Nov 2023, 09:28 AM