---
title: Nanaimo yard waste collection and drop-off
question: "Where does yard waste and brush go?"
place: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/nanaimo
category: Garbage, recycling and waste
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Nanaimo
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/yard-waste/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/yard-waste.json"
---

# Nanaimo yard waste collection and drop-off

**Question:** Where does yard waste and brush go?

**Short answer:** In Nanaimo, leaves, grass and light trimmings go in the green cart, collected weekly by the City. Branches and logs are not accepted in the carts; take them to the Regional District of Nanaimo's Regional Landfill or Church Road Transfer Station, where a load up to 100 kg is $8.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Nanaimo, https://www.nanaimo.ca)  
**Cost:** Green cart: part of the solid waste collection fee ($0.69315 per dwelling unit per day). RDN drop-off: $8 flat for loads up to 100 kg, then $60 per tonne (RDN Tipping Fees page, effective April 1, 2026).  
**How long:** Green cart collected weekly; both RDN facilities are open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  
**Where:**
- In person: Regional District of Nanaimo Regional Landfill (south of the City), https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-hours-and-rates
- In person: Church Road Transfer Station (near Parksville), https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-hours-and-rates
- Phone: Zero Waste Hotline (City), 250-756-5390

## Key facts

- **Curbside collection:** Yes, in the green cart: comingled organic waste (food waste plus yard and garden waste such as leaves, grass and light trimmings) is collected weekly. Branches and logs are not accepted in the carts.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128, ss. 2, 4(1)(a), 10(1)(q)](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7128.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a mixture of both food waste and yard waste" … "Collection on a weekly basis of Comingled Organic Waste from one (1)" … "(q) Branches and Logs"
  - Source: [Green Cart - Organic Materials, web page](https://www.nanaimo.ca/city-services/recycling-compost-garbage/kitchen-waste)
  - Official wording: "Food scraps, leaves, grass and light trimmings can stick to the cart"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to set it out:** Place items loosely in the green cart; each cart no more than 35 kg (75 lb); items over 2 feet (60 cm) in any dimension are not collected. Branches and logs are not collected curbside.
  - Source: [Green Cart - Organic Materials, web page](https://www.nanaimo.ca/city-services/recycling-compost-garbage/kitchen-waste)
  - Official wording: "Place items loosely in carts."
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128, ss. 10(1)(g), 11(1)(e)](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7128.pdf)
  - Official wording: "than 35 kilograms (75 pounds) of material;" … "oversized items of any kind exceeding two (2) feet in any dimension;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Drop-off:** Regional District of Nanaimo Regional Landfill (south of the City) and Church Road Transfer Station (near Parksville) accept yard waste. Both are open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on provincial and federal statutory holidays except Easter Monday.
  - Source: [Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo, RDN page](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/solid-waste-recycling/solid-waste-disposal-facilities)
  - Official wording: "The Regional District of Nanaimo owns and operates two solid waste management facilities: the Regional Landfill and Church Road Transfer Station." … "Monday to Sunday" … "8 a.m. to 5 p.m." … "They are close for all provincial and federal Statutory Holidays, except Easter Monday."
  - Source: [Banned Items, Regional District of Nanaimo, RDN banned items](https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-banned-items)
  - Official wording: "Yard Waste | Accepted | Accepted"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cost:** Curbside: yard waste goes in the green cart, which is part of the solid waste collection fee ($0.69315 per dwelling unit per day). RDN drop-off: $8 flat rate for loads up to 100 kg, then $60 per tonne (RDN Tipping Fees page, effective April 1, 2026). (Sources differ: The RDN Tipping Fees page says $8 up to 100 kg and $60/tonne above; the RDN Solid Waste Disposal Facilities page says $8 up to 50 kg and $160/tonne at 100+ kg. Tipping Fees page followed (it is the dated April 1, 2026 listing).)
  - Source: [Hours and Tipping Fees, Regional District of Nanaimo, RDN tipping fees](https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-hours-and-rates)
  - Official wording: "Yard Waste including Invasive Plant Species | 0-100kg" … "101kg or greater | $8 flat rate $60/tonne"
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128, Schedule A](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7128.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Solid Waste Collection Fee Daily Charge"
  - Source: [Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo, RDN facilities page](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/solid-waste-recycling/solid-waste-disposal-facilities)
  - Official wording: "Garden Waste (including invasive plant species) | $8 (up to 50kg) | $160/tonne (100+kg)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Not accepted:** Not in the green cart: sawdust, wood and wood refuse; soil, sod and rocks; plastics (including compostable and biodegradable); pet waste; garbage; liquids. Branches and logs, sod and soil are also excluded by the bylaw. RDN facilities do not accept land clearing waste or clean soil.
  - Source: [Green Cart - Organic Materials, web page](https://www.nanaimo.ca/city-services/recycling-compost-garbage/kitchen-waste)
  - Official wording: "Sawdust, Wood, Wood Refuse" … "Soil, Sod, or Rocks" … "Pet Waste - Plastics - Recyclables"
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128, s. 10(1)](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7128.pdf)
  - Official wording: "(r) Sod and soil"
  - Source: [Banned Items, Regional District of Nanaimo, RDN banned items](https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-banned-items)
  - Official wording: "Land Clearing Waste | Not Accepted | Not Accepted" … "Clean Soil | Not Accepted | Not Accepted"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128 (curbside); Regional District of Nanaimo Tipping Fee and Solid Waste Disposal Regulation Bylaw No. 1784 (drop-off).
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128, s. 1](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7128.pdf)
  - Official wording: "MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE COLLECTION BYLAW 2011 NO. 7128"
  - Source: [Banned Items, Regional District of Nanaimo, RDN banned items](https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-banned-items)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw 1784: Tipping Fee and Solid Waste Disposal Regulation"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Nanaimo's green cart takes food scraps and yard waste together (leaves, grass and light trimmings). Under the [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7128.pdf), branches and logs are not accepted in the carts, so larger yard work goes to the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN).

## Steps

1. Put leaves, grass and light trimmings loose in the green cart. Each cart may hold no more than 35 kg (75 lb), and items over 2 feet (60 cm) in any dimension are not collected.
2. Take branches, logs and big loads to the RDN Regional Landfill (south of the City) or the Church Road Transfer Station (near Parksville). Both are open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed on provincial and federal statutory holidays except Easter Monday.
3. Pay the tipping fee: $8 flat for loads up to 100 kg, then $60 per tonne.

## Good to know

- Not accepted in the green cart: sawdust, wood and wood refuse, soil, sod and rocks, plastics (including compostable and biodegradable), pet waste, garbage and liquids.
- RDN facilities do not accept land clearing waste or clean soil.
- The RDN's two web pages give different drop-off rates; the Tipping Fees page, dated April 1, 2026, is used here.
- The City's pages do not describe a separate branch or bundle pickup. Call the Zero Waste Hotline with questions.

## Official forms and pages

- [Green Cart - Organic Materials](https://www.nanaimo.ca/city-services/recycling-compost-garbage/kitchen-waste)
- [Hours and Tipping Fees (RDN)](https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-hours-and-rates)

## Related questions

- [Nanaimo garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/garbage-collection.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Yard waste collection in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/yard-waste.md)
- [Lantzville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lantzville/yard-waste.md)
- [Ladysmith](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ladysmith/yard-waste.md)
- [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/yard-waste.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/yard-waste.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/yard-waste.md)
- [Lake Cowichan](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-cowichan/yard-waste.md)

## Sources

- [Green Cart - Organic Materials, City of Nanaimo](https://www.nanaimo.ca/city-services/recycling-compost-garbage/kitchen-waste) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2011 No. 7128 (PDF)](https://www.nanaimo.ca/bylaws/ViewBylaw/7128.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Hours and Tipping Fees, Regional District of Nanaimo](https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-hours-and-rates) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Banned Items, Regional District of Nanaimo](https://rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-banned-items) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Solid Waste Disposal Facilities, Regional District of Nanaimo](https://www.rdn.ca/water-waste-environment/solid-waste-recycling/solid-waste-disposal-facilities) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Nanaimo. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nanaimo/yard-waste/_