--- title: Vernon yard waste collection and drop-off question: "Where does yard waste and brush go in Vernon?" place: Vernon, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/vernon category: Garbage, recycling and waste owner: municipal owner_body: City of Vernon sources_read: 2026-11-05 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/yard-waste/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/yard-waste.json" --- # Vernon yard waste collection and drop-off **Question:** Where does yard waste and brush go in Vernon? **Short answer:** In the City of Vernon, yard waste goes in the weekly organics cart. The City also runs spring curbside chipping, a fall leaf pick-up and a Christmas tree drop-off, paid from the organics cart charge. Residents can also take yard and garden waste free to the Greater Vernon Landfill. **Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Vernon, https://www.vernon.ca) **Cost:** Organics and yard waste cart: $25.62 a quarter, which also pays for chipping. RDNO drop-off of residential yard and garden waste is free; bulk loads (dual rear axle vehicles or larger) $43 a tonne, $10 minimum. Christmas tree drop-off is free. **How long:** Chipping, leaf pick-up and Christmas tree dates change every year; check the City pages. **Where:** - Online: Residential Organics (chipping, leaves, Christmas trees), https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics - Phone: Greater Vernon Landfill, 250-550-3785 (120 Birnie Road, 4 km south of Vernon on Highway 97) ## Key facts - **Curbside collection:** Yes. Yard waste goes in the weekly organics cart (lid closed). The City also runs a spring curbside chipping program for branches and a fall leaf pick-up in clear bags on your garbage day, plus a Christmas tree drop-off. - Source: [Residential Organics](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics) - Official wording: "Household organics (kitchen and yard waste) are collected every week and garbage is collected every second week." - Source: [Solid Waste Management Bylaw 5911, Schedule E](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/5911_Solid_Waste_Management_Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "Chipping Once per year (spring) as advertised by the City" … "Leaf Collection Twice per year (spring and fall) as advertised by the City" - Source: [Fall Leaf Pick Up](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics/spring-fall-leaf-pickup) - Official wording: "Emterra Environmental will provide curbside collection of leaves in clear plastic bags on your regular garbage collection day." - Source: [Spring Chipping, 2026 Spring Chipping](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics/spring-chipping) - Official wording: "crews collecting pruning material from residences between the end of March and mid-April" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **How to set it out:** Organics cart: lid must close; 50 kg limit (120 L) or 75 kg (240 L). Chipping: branches over 1.25 cm and under 10 cm across, butt ends to the street, not tangled or bundled, no roots or dirt, thorns piled separately, under 10 minutes to chip. Fall leaves: clear bags only, 23 kg maximum each. - Source: [Solid Waste Management Bylaw 5911, s. 3.8(d), 5.2, 6.2, 6.4; Schedule A](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/5911_Solid_Waste_Management_Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "yard trimmings and branches greater than 1.25 cm (0.5 inches) in diameter but less than 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter" … "be of a size that will take under 10 minutes to chip" … "not be tied together in bundles" … "be stacked with the butt ends facing the street or lane." … "Only transparent plastic bags may be used to set out leaves." … "Bags weighing more than 23 kg (50 lbs) will not be picked up." - Source: [Residential Organics](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics) - Official wording: "120L cart: 50 kg (110 Ibs)" … "240L cart: 75 kg (165 Ibs)" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Drop-off:** Free for residents at the RDNO Greater Vernon Landfill, 120 Birnie Road (4 km south of Vernon on Highway 97), 250-550-3785. March 1 to November 30: Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. December 1 to end of February: Monday to Friday 8:00 to 4:30, Saturday 8:30 to 4:00, closed Sunday. - Source: [Greater Vernon Landfill, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/rdno-services/solid-waste-management/diversion-disposal-facilities/greater-vernon-ddf) - Official wording: "Address: 120 Birnie Road, 4 km south of Vernon on Highway 97" … "SUMMER (March 1 - November 30)" … "Monday - Friday: 8:00am to 4:30pm" … "Saturday & Sunday: 8:30am to 4:00pm" … "WINTER (December 1 - February 28)" … "Sunday: Closed The Greater Vernon Landfill is open regular hours during all Statutory Holidays except Christmas Day and New Years Day." … "Solid Waste Office 250-550-3785" - Source: [Yard & Garden Waste Drop-off, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/yardwaste) - Official wording: "There are Free Yard & Garden Waste drop off areas at all RDNO Solid Waste Management Facilities" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Cost:** RDNO drop-off of residential yard and garden waste is free; bulk loads (dual rear axle vehicles or larger) cost $43 a tonne, $10 minimum. City chipping is paid from the organics and yard waste cart charge ($25.62 a quarter). Christmas tree drop-off is free. The $4.11 fee on the City recycling page is out of date. (Sources differ: The Residential Recycling page says yard recycling is a flat $4.11 per quarter, but the Spring Chipping page says chipping is funded by the Residential Organics and Yard Waste Collection charge, and Fees and Charges Bylaw 3909 lists no $4.11 yard recycling fee. The $4.11 figure may be out of date. Christmas tree drop-off is free (City page).) - Source: [Diversion and Disposal Fees, Regional District of North Okanagan, Weight Based Fees effective January 1, 2026](https://www.rdno.ca/wastefees) - Official wording: "| Yard and Garden Waste - Residential | tonne | $0.00 | $0.00" … "| Yard and Garden Waste - Bulk | tonne | $43.00 | $10.00" - Source: [Yard & Garden Waste Drop-off, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/yardwaste) - Official wording: "Bulk loads of Yard & Garden waste delivered in dual rear axle vehicles or larger are accepted at Greater Vernon and Lumby Landfills ONLY." - Source: [Residential Recycling (yard recycling fee), City of Vernon Yard Recycling](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-recycling) - Official wording: "The City of Vernon's Yard Recycling Program is based on a flat rate fee." … "spring chipping , Christmas tree disposal, and spring and fall leaf removal. The cost is $4.11 per quarter." - Source: [Residential solid waste cart application, Cart fees](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-solid-waste-cart-application) - Official wording: "For each organics cart, a recurring fee of $25.62 per cart will be added to your quarterly utility bill." - Source: [Spring Chipping, 2026 Spring Chipping](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics/spring-chipping) - Official wording: "This curbside chipping service is funded by the Residential Organics and Yard Waste Collection charge that is found on your quarterly utility bill." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Not accepted:** RDNO drop-off: animal feces, cardboard, noxious weeds (take separately contained), plastic, soil, rocks, fencing, fabric, netting and other non-plant material; plastic bags are not allowed. Trimmings under 20 cm across and 2 m long. Curbside cart: no animal feces, metal, glass, plastics, diapers, wood or toxic plants such as giant hogweed. - Source: [Yard & Garden Waste Drop-off, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/yardwaste) - Official wording: "Animal feces, cardboard, noxious weeds, plastic, soil, rocks, fencing, fabric, netting and other non-vegetated landscaping and gardening waste." … "trimmings and prunings (<20 centimetres diameter and 2 metres long)" - Source: [Solid Waste Management Bylaw 5911, Schedule B, Table B-2](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/5911_Solid_Waste_Management_Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "toxic plants including Devil's Club (Oplopanax Horridus), Giant Hogweed" … "personal hygiene products such as diapers, feminine hygiene products" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 - **Bylaw:** Solid Waste Management Bylaw 5911, 2023 (City curbside programs). Drop-off: Regional District of North Okanagan Municipal Solid Waste Management bylaw, fees amended by Bylaw No. 3021, 2024. - Source: [Solid Waste Management Bylaw 5911, s. 1.1](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/5911_Solid_Waste_Management_Bylaw.pdf) - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Solid Waste Management Bylaw 5911, 2023"" - Source: [Diversion and Disposal Fees, Regional District of North Okanagan, Diversion & Disposal Fees](https://www.rdno.ca/wastefees) - Official wording: "Fees for all RDNO Solid Waste Management Facilities are listed in the Municipal Solid Waste Management Amendment Bylaw No. 3021, 2024." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 ## How it works In the City of Vernon, yard waste goes in the weekly organics cart (lid closed; at most 50 kg for 120 L, 75 kg for 240 L under [Bylaw 5911]()). The City's chipping is paid from the organics and yard waste cart charge. An older City recycling page still shows a $4.11 yard recycling fee, but the chipping page and the fees bylaw do not support it. ## Steps 1. Spring branches: pile them for curbside chipping, branches over 1.25 cm and under 10 cm across, butt ends to the street, not tangled or bundled, with no roots or dirt. Pile thorns separately. Each customer gets up to 10 minutes of chipping. 2. Fall leaves: put leaves in clear bags only, 23 kg at most each, on your garbage day during the leaf pick-up week. 3. Christmas trees: take them to the drop-off at the Marshall Field parking lot (6891 Okanagan Landing Road) from late December to mid-January. Free. 4. Bigger loads: take them free to the RDNO Greater Vernon Landfill, 120 Birnie Road. March 1 to November 30: Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. December 1 to end of February: Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closed Sunday. ## Good to know - Dates change every year. Check the City's Residential Organics pages. - Landfill drop-off does not take animal feces, cardboard, soil, rocks, fencing, netting, plastic or plastic bags. Trimmings must be under 20 cm across and 2 m long. Noxious weeds must be contained separately. - The cart does not take animal feces, metal, glass, plastics, diapers, wood or toxic plants such as giant hogweed. - Remove lights, decorations and stands from Christmas trees. Artificial or flocked trees are not accepted. ## Official forms and pages - [Fall Leaf Pick Up (City of Vernon)](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics/spring-fall-leaf-pickup) - [Spring Chipping (City of Vernon)](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics/spring-chipping) - [Yard and Garden Waste Drop-off (RDNO)](https://www.rdno.ca/yardwaste) ## Related questions - [Vernon garbage collection: schedule, carts and limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/garbage-collection.md) - [Vernon backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/backyard-fire.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Yard waste collection in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/yard-waste.md) - [Coldstream](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/yard-waste.md) - [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/yard-waste.md) - [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/yard-waste.md) - [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/yard-waste.md) - [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/yard-waste.md) - [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/yard-waste.md) ## Sources - [Residential Organics, City of Vernon](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics) (read 2026-11-05) - [Fall Leaf Pick Up, City of Vernon](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics/spring-fall-leaf-pickup) (read 2026-11-05) - [Spring Chipping, City of Vernon](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-organics/spring-chipping) (read 2026-11-05) - [Solid Waste Management Bylaw 5911 (PDF), City of Vernon](https://www.vernon.ca/sites/default/files/docs/bylaws/5911_Solid_Waste_Management_Bylaw.pdf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Yard & Garden Waste Drop-off, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/yardwaste) (read 2026-11-05) - [Diversion and Disposal Fees, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/wastefees) (read 2026-11-05) - [Greater Vernon Landfill, Regional District of North Okanagan](https://www.rdno.ca/rdno-services/solid-waste-management/diversion-disposal-facilities/greater-vernon-ddf) (read 2026-11-05) - [Residential Recycling (yard recycling fee), City of Vernon](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-recycling) (read 2026-11-05) - [Residential solid waste cart application, City of Vernon](https://www.vernon.ca/homes-building/waste-management/residential-solid-waste-cart-application) (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 Vernon. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/yard-waste/_