This information applies to all automated cart services: garbage, recycling and organics
NOTE: If you are in a strata complex that does not have the automated carts, please call Emterra to discuss your collection: 250-336-8066.
For curbside automated carts - please ensure that you have followed all of the Cart Set Out Guidelines including that:
- curbside automated carts are at the curb by 8am
- lids are fully closed
- nothing on top of cart
- each cart has at least 3 feet of clearance around it and nothing overhead
- only the allowable items are inside each cart
- for details, use the Wizard tool on our main Solid Waste webpage which is also available on the Comox Curbside App (on Apple or Google Play). Look for the magnifying glass symbol called Wizard.
If your collection was done but your cart was not fully emptied then you do not have a missed collection - loosen the contents in your cart for the next collection day and always ensure the waste is not packed too tightly in the cart.
If you have followed all the Cart Set Out Guidelines and your collection was not done, please call the Town contractor, Emterra Environmental (250-336-8066) to discuss.
If there has been a significant collection service interruption, it will be posted on the Town's social media platforms:
If your collection was done but your curbside automated cart was not fully emptied then you do not have a missed collection - loosen the contents in your cart for the next collection day or you may consider taking:
- garbage to the landfill in Cumberland
- Recycling items to the Return-IT Depot in Courtenay.
If your curbside automated cart has been damaged, please call the Town Pubic Works department to discuss: 250-339-5410.
Help prevent cart damage:
- Set carts out for collection by 8 a.m. on your collection day - not the night before.
- After collection, bring carts back in as soon as possible.
It is the property owner/occupant's responsibility to follow the set out requirements listed above and to also store carts in a secure location on the private property.
If a cart is damaged, lost or stolen due to the negligence of the owner or occupant the Town may repair or replace the cart however, the owner/occupant will be required to pay a Cart Exchange Fee and reimburse the Town for repair or replacement costs.
If your curbside automated cart is missing, please look around your property and neighbourhood, if not found, call the Town Pubic Works department to discuss:
- Phone: 250-339-5410
- Email publicworks@comox.ca.
Help prevent cart damage and theft:
- Set carts out for collection by 8 a.m. on your collection day - not the night before.
- After collection, bring carts back in as soon as possible.
It is the property owner/occupant's responsibility to follow the set out requirements listed above and to also store carts in a secure location on the private property.
If a cart is damaged, lost or stolen due to the negligence of the owner or occupant the Town may repair or replace the cart however, the owner/occupant will be required to pay a Cart Exchange Fee and reimburse the Town for repair or replacement costs.
When?
Set carts out for collection no earlier than 5am and no later than 8am on your collection day - not the night before. To find your collection day, go to our main Solid Waste webpage and:
- click on your collection calendar or,
- enter your address into the Calendar tool (for mobile access, download the Comox Curbside App (on Apple or Google Play).
Where?
Click to view the Cart Set Out Guidelines.
No, only the contents of the provided automated curbside carts will be collected.
- Only acceptable waste inside each cart.
- Cart lids must be fully closed - no waste sticking out of it.
- Nothing on top of carts.
- Anything left beside carts will not be collected.
If your collection was done but your cart was not fully emptied then you do not have a missed collection - loosen the contents in your cart for the next collection day and always ensure the waste is not packed too tightly in the cart.
Should you require an increase to your service level by way of an additional cart please visit the Cart Changes webpage.
Please visit our Cart Changes webpage.
If the curbside automated carts assigned to your property are not large enough to meet your needs please review the tips and resources below then, if you still need an additional or larger cart, please visit our Cart Changes webpage.
Ensure the waste is not packed too tightly in the cart or you may find it will not fully empty into the collection truck - this is not considered a missed collection, you will need to loosen the cart contents and wait for the next scheduled collection day.
To see what items are accepted in carts use the Wizard tool on our main Solid Waste webpage. For mobile access, download the Comox Curbside App (on Apple or Google Play).
GARBAGE:
- You might be surprised at what can be diverted to your curbside recycling and organic carts or taken to a Recycling BC Depot. To search for items, use the Wizard tool on our main Solid Waste webpage - also available on the Comox Curbside App (on Apple or Google Play) - look for the magnifying glass symbol called Wizard.
- If the Wizard tool shows that an item cannot be put into the curbside recycling or organics carts, then an alternate location will be suggested - for example, take glass, foam, overwrap, bags, and flexible plastics to a Recycling BC Depot.
- Household Hazardous Waste - take to the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre on a Household Hazardous Waste drop-off day
- Take your excess garbage to the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre in Cumberland, visit their website for more information or call the Comox Valley Regional District office at 250-336-8066.
ORGANICS (food & yard waste):
- Store extra yard waste on your property and refill your organics cart over the following weeks.
- Do not bag your lawn clippings; instead, mulch your grass (and leaves) and leave it on your lawn as a natural fertilizer that provides moisture to your lawn.
- Take your excess organics to the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre in Cumberland, visit their website for more information or call the Comox Valley Regional District office at 250-336-8066.
RECYCLING:
- Stack related items together – such as yogurt containers.
- Ensure all your cardboard is flattened - cut up larger pieces so they can stack flatter.
- Crush, compact and compress items such as bulky plastic containers and tin cans.
- Do not pack down the recycling inside your cart as it may not fully empty into the collection truck.
- Store your extras and refill your recycling cart over the following collection week.
- Drop off certain items at a Recycling BC Depot, visit their website to see what is acceptable.
- You might be surprised at what can be diverted to your curbside recycling and organic carts or taken to a Recycling BC Depot. To search for items, use the Wizard tool on our main Solid Waste webpage - also available on the Comox Curbside App (on Apple or Google Play) - look for the magnifying glass symbol called Wizard.
The Comox Valley Waste Management Centre, which is managed by the Comox Valley Regional District, will be closed on all recognized statutory holidays. As a result, the Town of Comox collection day changes throughout the year as shown on the Curbside Waste Collection Guide found here or use the Calendar tool on our main Solid Waste webpage.
120 L - 24.1 inches (depth) x 18.5 inches (wide) x 37.5 inches (height with the lid)
240 L - 27 inches (depth) x 26.5 inches (wide) x 43.6 inches (height with the lid)
360 L - 33.3 inches (depth) x 29.2 inches (wide) x 43.5 inches (height with the lid)- The curbside automated carts will be owned and maintained by the contractor for the duration of the collection contract. At the end of the collection contract, cart ownership will transfer to the municipality.
- Carts stay with the property that they were assigned to in order to serve the current, and any future, occupants.
- Each cart has a unique radio (RFID) tag and serial number that corresponds with that properties' address.
- Write your address in the white square on the cart - this is helpful on a windy day.
- General cleaning and standard care of the carts will be the resident's responsibility.
- Keep the carts in a secure location on your private property - see note below.
- Damaged Cart? Please contact the Town Public Works department (phone: 250-339-5410 / email: publicworks@comox.ca) - see note below.
Help prevent cart damage and theft:
- Set carts out for collection by 8 a.m. on your collection day - not the night before.
- After collection, bring carts back in as soon as possible.
It is the property owner/occupant's responsibility to follow the set out requirements listed above and to also store carts in a secure location on the private property.
If a cart is damaged, lost or stolen due to the negligence of the owner or occupant the Town may repair or replace the cart however, the owner/occupant will be required to pay a Cart Exchange Fee and reimburse the Town for repair or replacement costs.
Curbside automated carts can be stored in the garage, backyard, outdoor storage unit, side of your home or front yard - as long as it is within your property boundary. The carts cannot be stored on a public road, sidewalk or boulevard (grassy/gravel area between the road/sidewalk and the private property line).
Help prevent cart damage and theft:
- Set carts out for collection by 8 a.m. on your collection day - not the night before.
- After collection, bring carts back in as soon as possible.
It is the property owner/occupant's responsibility to follow the set out requirements listed above and to also store carts in a secure location on the private property.
If a cart is damaged, lost or stolen due to the negligence of the owner or occupant the Town may repair or replace the cart however, the owner/occupant will be required to pay a Cart Exchange Fee and reimburse the Town for repair or replacement costs.
Hazardous waste is not acceptable inside any of the curbside automated carts.
Please take hazardous waste to the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre in Cumberland on their set Household Hazardous Waste drop-off day. To find their days/hours for accepting these items, visit the Comox Strathcona Waste Management webpage https://www.cswm.ca/hazardous-waste/household-hazardous-waste or call them 250-334-6016 to ask if your item is accepted and on what days/times.
If you are unsure if your item is "hazardous", search for it with the Wizard tool on our main Solid Waste webpage - this tool is also available on the Comox Curbside App (on Apple or Google Play). Look for the magnifying glass symbol called Wizard. Below are some of the materials that are NOT accepted in any of the curbside collection carts:
- batteries (including vehicle)
- bleach
- aerosol containers (with any contents remaining)
- compressed gas cylinders (including used propane cylinders)
- containers for: paint / motor oil / vehicle lubricants / antifreeze
- pesticides with the words: explosive / corrosive / flammable
- oil filter
- motor oil
- gas
- acids
- bear spray
- varsol paint thinner (with any contents remaining)
- nitrous oxide
The cart size and weight capacity for each curbside automated cart can be found on the top of the cart lids.
Image
CART WEIGHT LIMITS
These are based on the cart size, not on the cart type.
- 360L Cart max weight limit = 332.5 lbs
- 240L Cart max weight limit = 227.5 lbs
- 120L Cart max weight limit = 122.5 lbs
CART SIZES
Each single-family residential property has the following set of carts:
- 360 L Recycling cart with blue lid (equal to 3 standard 120L garbage containers)
- 360 L Organics (yard and food waste) with green lid (equal to 3 standard 120L garbage containers)
- 120 L Garbage cart with black lid
Properties with legal secondary suites and/or cottage houses where the owner pays two garbage fees has their own set of carts:
- 240 L Recycling cart with blue lid
- 120 L Organics (yard and food waste) cart with green lid
- 120 L Garbage cart with black lid
Duplexes - each unit has:
- 360 L Recycling cart with blue lid
- 240 L Organics (yard and food waste) cart with green lid
- 120 L Garbage cart with black lid
Triplexes - each unit has:
- 240 L Recycling cart with blue lid
- 120 L Organics (yard and food waste) cart with green lid
- 120 L Garbage cart with black lid
4-plexes - each unit has:
- 240 L Recycling cart with blue lid
- 120 L Organics (yard and food waste) cart with green lid
- 120 L Garbage cart with black lid
Serviceable Curbside Multiple Dwelling Property - each unit has:
- 240 L Recycling cart with blue lid
- 120 L Organics (yard and food waste) cart with green lid
- 120 L Garbage cart with black lid
No, as per the Town bylaw, there is nothing in place whereby a curbside automated cart can be returned, or the collection service opted out of.
- Carts must stay with the assigned property at all times.
- The Municipal Utility solid waste fees will continue to be charged regardless of the property owner/occupant choosing to use the cart collection service or not.
- If you are not using the carts for their intended purpose or have limited storage space, you may wish to use them for another purpose (if it does not damage the carts) such as to store seasonal decorations, blankets, etc. however, if you move, the carts must stay with the property for the next occupant.
- You may wish to place near the front of your property with a FREE sign in the hopes that another resident will repurpose it.
- Take to the Comox Valley Waste Management Centre (landfill) in Cumberland.
Do not place your old plastic cans or bins or totes inside your new curbside Recycle cart as they are not permitted - RecycleBC sets the guidelines for what is acceptable recycling content.
Emterra Environmental
To keep organics and recycling out of the landfill which will:
- Create the least negative impact on the environment.
- Extend the landfill's lifespan which will defer major capital expenditures.
The new automated trucks:
- Are much safer for the collection truck staff.
- Reduce service failures that can lead to collection delays.
The Town of Comox is a participant in the regional Comox Strathcona Waste Management (CSWM) service.
The CSWM service provides a range of educational programs that encourage region-wide waste reduction, including the development and production of videos.
Have you reviewed the webpages for:
- Garbage
- Organics
- Recycling
- Cart Basics
- Cart Set Out Guidelines
- When is my collection day? Enter your address into the Calendar tool on our main Solid Waste webpage.
- What goes where? Enter the item into Wizard tool on our main Solid Waste webpage.
Still have a question? Please contact Comox Public Works by email at publicworks@comox.ca or phone: 250-339-5410.
Thank you.