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

# Powell River yard waste collection and drop-off

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

**Short answer:** In the City of Powell River, yard waste goes in the green organics cart with food scraps, collected weekly. Extra yard waste goes to the qathet Regional District Resource Recovery Centre at 4924 Marine Avenue, where yard waste is $225 per tonne in 2026 with a $5.75 minimum.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Powell River, https://powellriver.ca)  
**Cost:** Green cart: part of the annual solid waste fee ($245.35 in 2026). Resource Recovery Centre: yard waste $225 per tonne in 2026 ($230 from January 1, 2027), $5.75 minimum; commingled food and yard waste $250 per tonne.  
**How long:** Green cart emptied weekly. Resource Recovery Centre open Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed statutory holidays.  
**Where:**
- In person: Resource Recovery Centre, 4924 Marine Avenue, Powell River, BC V8A 0W2 (Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Resource Recovery Centre scale house, 604-413-6861
- Phone: City Operational Services, 604-485-8657

## Key facts

- **Curbside collection:** Yes. Yard waste goes in the green organics cart with food scraps, collected weekly. Accepted: leaves, grass clippings, cones, flowers and small branches.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, ss. 2(b), 2(n)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "Yard waste such as leaves, grass" … "clippings, cones, flowers, and small branches are acceptable however" … "weekly collection of Organics, and"
  - Source: [Organics Collection](https://powellriver.ca/pages/organics-compost-collection)
  - Official wording: "Weekly collections ensure your organic waste is promptly processed."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to set it out:** Branches no larger than 1 inch in diameter, in the closed green cart weighing no more than 35 kg (75 lb). Organics from the cart are put out between 5:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on collection day.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, ss. 2(n), 5.3](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "species or any branches/limbs larger than 1" in diameter are prohibited." … "no more than 35 kg (75 pounds) in weight;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Drop-off:** qathet Regional District Resource Recovery Centre, 4924 Marine Avenue, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed statutory holidays. Yard waste is accepted at the Transfer Station.
  - Source: [Resource Recovery Centre, qathet Regional District, Hours; Location](https://qathet.ca/services/waste-management/resource-recovery-centre/)
  - Official wording: "The Resource Recovery Centre is open Monday to Saturday, 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Closed statutory holidays." … "The site address is 4924 Marine Avenue, Powell River, B.C."
  - Source: [Organics, qathet Regional District](https://qathet.ca/services/waste-management/organics/)
  - Official wording: "Yard Waste*, and Commingled Food & Yard Waste* are accepted at the Resource Recovery Centre Transfer Station"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Cost:** Curbside yard waste in the green cart is part of the annual solid waste fee ($245.35 in 2026). At the Resource Recovery Centre, yard waste is $225 per tonne in 2026 ($230 from January 1, 2027) with a $5.75 minimum fee; commingled food and yard waste is $250 per tonne.
  - Source: [Bylaw 602, 2025, Schedule C, Tipping Fees, Sch. C](https://www.qathet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Schedule-C-Tipping-Fees.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Yard Waste $ 225.00 $ 225.00 $ 230.00" … "Yard Waste $ 5.75 $ 5.75 $ 5.90" … "Commingled Food & Yard"
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, Sch. A](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "Recycling 40.16 40.66 41.16 41.66 42.16 Total $245.35 $253.18 $261.73 $268.34 $275.73 2. The annual charge will be billed on property tax notices. The annual payment will be due"
  - Source: [Organics, qathet Regional District, Resource Recovery Centre mixed food and yard waste](https://qathet.ca/services/waste-management/organics/)
  - Official wording: "| $225 | $5.75 | Commingled Food & Yard Waste | $250 | $6.25 *Invasive plants and branches over 2 inches in diameter cannot be included in Yard Waste or Commingled Food & Yard Waste."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Not accepted:** Invasive species, and branches or limbs larger than 1 inch (curbside cart); branches over 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter and invasive plants cannot be included in yard waste at the Resource Recovery Centre. Carts with invasive species (blackberry, knotweed, ivy, broom), biodegradable plastics, pet waste or biohazard waste are not collected.
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, s. 2(n)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "species or any branches/limbs larger than 1" in diameter are prohibited."
  - Source: [Resource Recovery Centre, qathet Regional District, Organics](https://qathet.ca/services/waste-management/resource-recovery-centre/)
  - Official wording: "Note: Invasive plants and branches over 5cm in diameter cannot be included in Yard Waste or Commingled Food & Yard Waste."
  - Source: [Organics Collection](https://powellriver.ca/pages/organics-compost-collection)
  - Official wording: "contaminated and will not be collected if it contains invasive species (blackberry, knotweed, ivy, broom, etc.)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw No. 2784, 2025 (curbside); qathet Regional District Solid Waste Regulation and Tipping Fee Bylaw No. 602, 2025 (drop-off fees)
  - Source: [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025, s. 1](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325)
  - Official wording: "Municipal Solid Waste Collection"
  - Source: [Bylaw 602, 2025, Schedule C, Tipping Fees, heading](https://www.qathet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Schedule-C-Tipping-Fees.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw 602, 2025 Schedule C - Tipping Fees September 1, January 1, January 1, January 1, January 1,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Yard waste goes in the 120 litre green organics cart with food scraps, collected weekly under the [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784](<https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325>). Accepted: leaves, grass clippings, cones, flowers and small branches. Only the City's green cart is collected; no bundles or paper bags are mentioned. Cart service is part of the annual solid waste fee ($245.35 in 2026).

## Steps

1. Cut branches to no larger than 1 inch in diameter.
2. Put them in the closed green cart, weighing no more than 35 kg (75 lb).
3. Put the cart out between 5:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on collection day.
4. For extra yard waste, take it to the qathet Regional District Resource Recovery Centre, 4924 Marine Avenue, Monday to Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed statutory holidays). Yard waste is accepted at the Transfer Station. Phone 604-413-6861.

## Good to know

- Drop-off fees (qathet Bylaw 602, 2025): yard waste is $225 per tonne in 2026 ($230 from January 1, 2027), with a $5.75 minimum fee; commingled food and yard waste is $250 per tonne.
- Not accepted in the cart: invasive species (blackberry, knotweed, ivy, broom), biodegradable plastics, pet waste or biohazard waste. Carts with these are not collected.
- At the Resource Recovery Centre, invasive plants and branches over 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter cannot be included in yard waste. The qathet organics page says 2 inches and the centre page says 5 cm; confirm if your branches are near that size.
- The City page suggests carrying extra yard waste in a reusable, clean container.
- Food waste under 10 kg is free at the recycling depots.

## Official forms and pages

- [Tipping fee schedule (PDF)](https://www.qathet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Schedule-C-Tipping-Fees.pdf)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Yard waste collection in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/yard-waste.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/yard-waste.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/yard-waste.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/yard-waste.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/yard-waste.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/yard-waste.md)
- [Parksville](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/parksville/yard-waste.md)

## Sources

- [Organics Collection, City of Powell River](https://powellriver.ca/pages/organics-compost-collection) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Solid Waste Collection Bylaw 2784, 2025 (PDF)](https://powellriver.civicweb.net/document/325) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Organics, qathet Regional District](https://qathet.ca/services/waste-management/organics/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Resource Recovery Centre, qathet Regional District](https://qathet.ca/services/waste-management/resource-recovery-centre/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw 602, 2025, Schedule C, Tipping Fees (PDF)](https://www.qathet.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Schedule-C-Tipping-Fees.pdf) (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 Powell River. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/yard-waste/_