---
title: Vancouver yard waste collection and drop-off
question: "Where does yard waste and brush go in Vancouver?"
place: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/vancouver
category: Garbage, recycling and waste
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Vancouver
sources_read: 2026-11-09
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/yard-waste/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/yard-waste.json"
---

# Vancouver yard waste collection and drop-off

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

**Short answer:** Vancouver accepts excess yard waste for composting at the transfer station or landfill for a fee. Check the receiving facility’s size limits and charges before taking branches, roots or stumps.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Vancouver, https://vancouver.ca)  
**Cost:** A disposal fee applies. Check the selected facility’s rates.  
**Where:**
- Phone: City Hall, 311

## Key facts

- **Curbside collection:** The City collects yard trimmings with food scraps and food-soiled paper in the green bin. Set it out by 7 a.m. on the collection day.
  - Source: [Set out garbage, recycling, and green waste | City of Vancouver, Setting out bins and green-bin materials](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/set-out-garbage-recycling-green-waste.aspx)
  - Official wording: "On collection day, give your bins some space. To make sure your bins are collected, follow these guidelines: 1. Set the bins out by 7am. 2. Make sure to close the lid. Don't let the bins overflow so much that the lid can't close properly. 3. Place the bins so the arrows on the lids point toward the centre of the lane or the street. 4. Space your green bin and garbage so there is a least 1 m (3 feet) of space on all sides, and 3.5 m (11.5 feet) of clearance above. Your recycling boxes and bags should be placed 1 m from your garbage or green bin and in such a way that collection crews can access them." … "### Green bin – food scraps and yard waste Compostable and organic materials like food waste, food scraps, food soiled paper, and yard trimmings belong in the green bin."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **How to set it out:** Put yard trimmings in the green bin. Close the lid, point the arrows toward the lane or street, and leave 1 m clear around the cart and 3.5 m above it.
  - Source: [Set out garbage, recycling, and green waste | City of Vancouver, Setting out bins and green-bin materials](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/set-out-garbage-recycling-green-waste.aspx)
  - Official wording: "On collection day, give your bins some space. To make sure your bins are collected, follow these guidelines: 1. Set the bins out by 7am. 2. Make sure to close the lid. Don't let the bins overflow so much that the lid can't close properly. 3. Place the bins so the arrows on the lids point toward the centre of the lane or the street. 4. Space your green bin and garbage so there is a least 1 m (3 feet) of space on all sides, and 3.5 m (11.5 feet) of clearance above. Your recycling boxes and bags should be placed 1 m from your garbage or green bin and in such a way that collection crews can access them. 5. Bring the bins back onto your property after they are emptied." … "### Green bin – food scraps and yard waste Compostable and organic materials like food waste, food scraps, food soiled paper, and yard trimmings belong in the green bin."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Drop-off:** Vancouver accepts excess yard waste for composting at the transfer station or landfill for a fee.
  - Source: [Yard waste and clean wood waste composting, Image: City of Vancouver logoYard waste and clean wood waste composting](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/how-to-dispose-of-yard-and-wood-waste.aspx)
  - Official wording: "Bring excess yard waste and wood to the transfer station or landfill for composting for a fee. Check the location webpage for fees and maximum size."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Cost:** A disposal fee applies. Check the selected facility’s rates.
  - Source: [Yard waste and clean wood waste composting, Image: City of Vancouver logoYard waste and clean wood waste composting](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/how-to-dispose-of-yard-and-wood-waste.aspx)
  - Official wording: "Bring excess yard waste and wood to the transfer station or landfill for composting for a fee. Check the location webpage for fees and maximum size."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09
- **Not accepted:** Not confirmed. Checked Yard waste and clean wood waste composting, Solid Waste By-law No. 8417; not found there.
- **Bylaw:** Vancouver Solid Waste By-law No. 8417.
  - Source: [Solid Waste By-law No. 8417, Cover and Part II, green carts and leaf bags](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/8417c.pdf)
  - Official wording: "CITY OF VANCOUVER BRITISH COLUMBIA SOLID WASTE BY-LAW NO. 8417 This By-law is printed under and by authority of the Council of the City of Vancouver (Consolidated for convenience only" … ""garbage bag" means a plastic bag supplied by the owner or occupier of property for the deposit of garbage, "garbage cart" means a wheeled container supplied by the city for the deposit of garbage, "green cart" means a wheeled container supplied by the city for the deposit of sourceseparated organic waste, "green cart service" means the collection of source-separated organic waste by the city, "house" means any single family dwelling, non-strata duplex or converted single family dwelling but does not include any other category of residential property, "leaf bag" means a biodegradable paper bag supplied by the owner or occupier of property for the deposit of leaves,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-09

## How it works

Sort the load before choosing a disposal option. Leaves and grass, woody branches, soil and mixed rubbish can be handled differently even when they all come from the same garden cleanup. The City collects yard trimmings with food scraps and food-soiled paper in the green bin. Set it out by 7 a.m. on the collection day.

## Steps

1. Check the accepted materials in [Yard waste and clean wood waste composting](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/how-to-dispose-of-yard-and-wood-waste.aspx). Make a list of what you have, including the approximate size of branches and whether the material is bagged. Check the accepted materials for the cart, collection event or drop-off site you plan to use.
2. Read the preparation instructions before tying bundles or loading a vehicle. Confirm site hours and any charge for your kind of load before making a trip.

## Good to know

- Put yard trimmings in the green bin. Close the lid, point the arrows toward the lane or street, and leave 1 m clear around the cart and 3.5 m above it.
- A disposal fee applies. Check the selected facility’s rates.
- If the load includes a material outside the published list, describe it to the operator before mixing it with accepted yard waste.
- For a question about the material, branch size and whether the load is loose or bagged, call City Hall at 311.
- Read the applicable provisions in [Solid Waste By-law No. 8417 (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/8417c.pdf).

## Related questions

- [Vancouver backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/backyard-fire.md)
- [Vancouver fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/fireworks.md)
- [Vancouver garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/garbage-collection.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Yard waste collection in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/yard-waste.md)
- [Richmond](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/yard-waste.md)
- [Burnaby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/yard-waste.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/yard-waste.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/yard-waste.md)
- [New Westminster](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-westminster/yard-waste.md)
- [Delta](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/yard-waste.md)

## Sources

- [Yard waste and clean wood waste composting](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/how-to-dispose-of-yard-and-wood-waste.aspx) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Solid Waste By-law No. 8417 (PDF)](https://bylaws.vancouver.ca/8417c.pdf) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Vancouver municipal office contact information](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/contact-the-city-of-vancouver.aspx) (read 2026-11-09)
- [Set out garbage, recycling, and green waste | City of Vancouver](https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/set-out-garbage-recycling-green-waste.aspx) (read 2026-11-09)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 6 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Vancouver. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vancouver/yard-waste/_