Duncan yard waste collection and drop-off

Where does yard waste and brush go?

Duncan, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

In the City of Duncan, grass clippings, leaves, non-toxic weeds and branches under 1.5 cm thick and 60 cm long go in the green organics cart, collected every week. Larger branches and other yard waste can be taken to the Bings Creek Recycling Centre, free for residential loads.

Key facts

Curbside collection	Yes. Yard waste goes in the green organics cart with food scraps, collected every week: grass clippings, leaves, non-toxic weeds, and branches under 1.5 cm thick and 60 cm long.Curbside Collection, Organics (Food and Yard Waste) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Organic matter, including co-mingled food scraps and yard waste, may be placed in the green cart for collection every week. Grass clippings - Leaves - Non-toxic weeds (e.g. no poison hemlock) - Branches less than 1.5cm in diameter and 60cm long
How to set it out	Branches must be under 1.5 cm in diameter and 60 cm long, and everything must fit inside the cart with the lid fully closed. No plastic or compostable bags or liners; paper bags are accepted.Curbside Collection, Organics; Residents’ Responsibilities · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Branches less than 1.5cm in diameter and 60cm long materials must fit inside the cart with the lid fully closed. The use of compost bags or liners (including BPI certified bags) is no longer permitted. - Cardboard - Paper bags
Drop-off	Bings Creek Recycling Centre, 3900 Drinkwater Road, Duncan: open every day 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed statutory holidays, Easter Monday, Boxing Day and Truth and Reconciliation Day. Residents can bring larger branches and other yard waste.Drop-off Depots and Recycling Centres, Cowichan Valley Regional District, Bings Creek; Curbside Collection, Organics · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Address: 3900 Drinkwater Road, Duncan Hours: Open every day 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on all Statutory Holidays, Easter Monday, Boxing Day and Truth and Reconciliation Day Residents can dispose of larger branches and other yard waste for free at the Bings Creek Recycling Centre.
Cost	Curbside collection is part of the annual curbside utility charge (green cart included). CVRD recycling-centre drop-off: free for residential loads; commercial loads $110 per tonne.Accepted Materials and Fees, Cowichan Valley Regional District; Bylaw No. 4412, Fees and Regulations for Depositing Solid Waste at Bings Creek, Peerless Road and Meade Creek Recycling Centres, consolidated January 3, 2026, Cowichan Valley Regional District, Schedule of fees; Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3212, 2020, consolidated to August 24, 2026, Schedule J (Utilities), A.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Yard Waste \| Free (residential loads) $110/tonne (commercial loads) Yard Waste Recyclable Must not include Invasive Plants No fee 1. Base Residential Unit (including garbage, recyclable materials, and co-mingled organic waste)
Not accepted	Curbside green cart: no plastic or plastic bags (including compostable bags), pet waste, construction materials, concrete, ashes, rocks, dirt, soil, or branches over 1.5 cm thick and 60 cm long. CVRD drop-off: no loose soil, rock or sod, or invasive plants (giant hogweed, knotweed, poison hemlock, spurge laurel). Clean stumps under 13 cm are yard waste per the bylaw, though the CVRD page says no stumps.Sources differ: The CVRD web page says branches under 3 inches are accepted and "NO stumps"; CVRD Bylaw No. 4412 (consolidated January 3, 2026) defines Yard Waste as including clean stumps and branches under 13 cm (5 inches) in diameter and 1 m long. The bylaw is the legal rule; the page may be stricter in practice. Loose soil is not accepted at the centres (Bylaw 4412).Curbside Collection, Organics (unacceptable); Accepted Materials and Fees, Cowichan Valley Regional District, Yard Waste; Bylaw No. 4412, Fees and Regulations for Depositing Solid Waste at Bings Creek, Peerless Road and Meade Creek Recycling Centres, consolidated January 3, 2026, Cowichan Valley Regional District, s. 2 (Yard Waste) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Plastic - Plastic Bags - Compostable or biodegradeable bags - Pet waste - Construction materials - Concrete - Ashes - Rocks, dirt, soil - Branches more than 1.5cm in diamete and 60cm long Grass, leaves, and branches less than 3″ in diameter accepted. NO rock, sod, or dirt. NO stumps. The following noxious plants are NOT ACCEPTED with yard waste: – Giant Hogweed – Knotweed – Poison Hemlock – Daphne/Spurge Laurel branches, and clean stumps less than 13 centimetres (5 inches) in diameter and 1 metre (39 inches) in length Must not include Invasive Plants No fee
Bylaw	Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 3256, 2025 (curbside); CVRD Bylaw No. 4412 (fees and regulations for depositing waste at the Bings Creek, Peerless Road and Meade Creek recycling centres)City Bylaws folder, City Bylaws folder (listing); Bylaw No. 4412, Fees and Regulations for Depositing Solid Waste at Bings Creek, Peerless Road and Meade Creek Recycling Centres, consolidated January 3, 2026, Cowichan Valley Regional District, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Curbside Collection Bylaw No. 3256, 2025 COWICHAN VALLEY REGIONAL DISTRICT Bylaw No. 4412

How it works

The City of Duncan's green organics cart takes yard waste along with food scraps, collected every week. Set the cart at the curb by 7:30 a.m. on collection day. Larger branches and other yard waste go to the Cowichan Valley Regional District's Bings Creek Recycling Centre.

Good to know

Green cart: grass clippings, leaves, non-toxic weeds, and branches under 1.5 cm thick and 60 cm long. Everything must fit with the lid fully closed. Paper bags are accepted; no plastic or compostable bags or liners.
Not accepted in the green cart: plastic, pet waste, construction materials, concrete, ashes, rocks, dirt, soil, or branches over 1.5 cm thick and 60 cm long.
Bings Creek, 3900 Drinkwater Road: open every day 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed statutory holidays, Easter Monday, Boxing Day and Truth and Reconciliation Day. Residents can bring larger branches and other yard waste.
Not accepted at the centre: loose soil, rock or sod, or invasive plants (giant hogweed, knotweed, poison hemlock, spurge laurel).
Stumps: CVRD Bylaw No. 4412 counts clean stumps and branches under 13 cm across and 1 m long as yard waste, but the CVRD web page says no stumps. Confirm with the CVRD before bringing one.
Cost: residential loads are free; commercial loads are $110 per tonne under the bylaw. The curbside charge is in the Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 3212.
Backyard burning is banned in the City.