Program FAQs
Jump to: General Waste | Organics Collection | Waste Collection | Recycling
General Waste FAQs
Are residents being charged by the weight of our materials?
No. All residential utility customers pay the same residential utility fee.
Why is there a $2/bag fee for extra waste bags after the first one at the Eco Station?
This fee reflects the cost to process the extra bags and reflects the civic commitment to reduce the amount of waste that has to be landfilled.
Why don’t you charge for recycling that is dropped off?
Recyclables are sold, which generates some revenue. As well, recyclables are not landfilled. The material is made into new products.
Will my carts be picked up on holidays?
Curbside collection continues on your scheduled day for all statutory holidays except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Your collection calendars make special note of the collection days around these dates.
Why weren’t my carts picked up on collection day?
The most common reasons for carts not being emptied is that they were left in the wrong place for pickup, waste wasn’t bagged or cart lids weren’t closed. If you believe you followed correct procedures, call the Eco-smart Hotline at 780-980-7107.
Why is correct sorting so important?
When the wrong material for the cart (or blue bag) is included, the incorrect material “contaminates” the entire blue bag and in the case of organics, the entire truck load that it gets dumped into. Contaminated loads are considered waste and must be landfilled. This wastes material that could otherwise be made into useful products – and does not support our goal of achieving 65% waste diversion. Periodic inspections of organics carts may occur at the curbside to ensure contamination does not occur. Download the Recycle Coach app onto your mobile device to help you sort your waste and receive collection reminders.
I found a sticker on my cart. What does it mean?
Stickers identify what you need to do differently next collection day so the system can be as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
What happens if I choose to use only one cart?
Leduc residents identified waste diversion as a priority for our community. The city is asking for your cooperation in the program, which will keep tonnes of material each year out from being landfilled – and save money by deferring the costs of developing a new landfill over a longer time period.
Can I exchange my large carts for smaller ones for our 2-person household?
Not at this time.
I’m moving into a new home in a few months. Do our carts and kitchen container move with us if we move? How do I get my carts?
Your carts and kitchen container stay at the address, they do not move with you. If you are moving to a newly-constructed home, you will need to call the City’s Utility Department to apply for a utility account, which will arrange to have your carts delivered to your new home. If you’re moving into an older home, the previous homeowner should have left the carts at that address. If that did not happen, call the Eco-smart Hotline at 780-980-7107.
Can we put locks on the carts?
No. The carts are the property of the City of Leduc and the municipality does not want any changes made to them.
Can I label our carts so I can identify them?
Yes. You are encouraged to mark your address in the designated space on the cart.
Is there a weight restriction on the carts?
Yes. The maximum allowable weight is 90 kg (200 lbs).
Can the carts and kitchen container be replaced if they are damaged or stolen?
A radio tag embedded in the carts helps the city manage cart inventory, verifies the correct address for misplaced carts and records the replacement history of individual carts. The carts also have individual serial numbers, which helps locate them when necessary. Carts will be replaced if they are stolen or damaged by the collection truck while being emptied. Call the Eco-smart Hotline at 780-980-7107 to report the problem.
How should I maintain the carts?
The carts are durable and can be stored inside or outside. Store the carts out of the direct sun, in a cool, well-ventilated area year round.
Where should I dump the water after I’ve rinsed out the cart?
If you’ve used only natural water – with no added chemicals – pouring the water down the gutter is fine. If you’ve used chemicals such as diluted bleach or powdered lime, pour the water into a pail and drain it into a floor or sink drain.
Organics Collection (Green Cart) FAQs
How are green carts collected and inspected?
When your organic waste is tipped into the collector truck, the AI camera on the truck will scan the items that are dropped and identify the household based on the RFID chip in the cart. The AI will then highlight the items considered to be contaminates (e.g. black bags, hard plastics, clothing, etc.) and flag the item for review. The image will show the contaminate(s) highlighted against blurred out organic contents to maximize privacy. This image will then be put onto a postcard and sent to the home that the cart was collected from to help identify and educate on what to sort.
What is the benefit of using artificial intelligence (AI) technology?
The use of AI technology streamlines and enhances the services of the cart inspection program. Instead of inspecting green carts periodically, carts are now inspected during each collection. The benefit of the increase in frequency helps us to identify the small minority of residents who have been improperly sorting and educate them on how they can sort better and the impact of their actions.
How accurate is the AI program?
The AI program is very accurate, with the ability to identify the difference between black and white garbage bags as well as clear compost bags. Each image with flagged items will be reviewed by a city staff member to ensure accuracy and consistency before a postcard is sent.
What information are you collecting?
The information being collected is pictures of the contamination inside of the organics truck with the surround items blurred out and the address it corresponds to from the RFID tag in the cart.
Where is my information stored?
Information is stored on Prairie Robotics database, located in Canada, which is shared with City of Leduc employees specific to the project.
How much time do I have between receiving a postcard and adjusting my sorting?
Once you receive your postcard, you’ll have till the next organic waste collection period to adapt. During the winter season, collection of organic waste is on a bi-weekly schedule and weekly come summer. Every resident should strive to do their best to sort correctly every week, sorting information is available online or download the Recycle Coach app to help you identify items to sort.
What if the program detects something I didn’t throw into my cart?
The program will align the contaminated cart to the address it is in front of. If someone has thrown something in your cart, we recommend keeping your cart safely on your property, and only putting out the cart on collection days at the appropriate time. The City of Leduc will apply a reasonable doubt to determine where the contamination came from.
- To deter others from placing waste into your carts, actions taken can include:
- Rolling out your carts on the morning of collection day
- Writing your address on your own cart to ensure you don’t mix it up with a neighbours
- Place your cart directly in front of your house and not to the side of the driveway where the carts won’t have a chance to get mixed up with the wrong house.
Can I be excluded from this program?
No, all residents must participate. Waste diversion requires a collective effort to reach our goals to minimize the environmental impacts and bring down costs.
Where can I find more information about what can go into black and green carts?
City of Leduc website offers the most up to date information of what is accepted in your waste carts. The Recycle Coach app is also available for download and you can search for any item to be dispose of properly
Where do the organics go once they are collected?
Collection trucks unload the material at the Waste Management Facility where it is consolidated with other organic waste and then transferred to a commercial composting facility.
What happens if I put the wrong material into a cart?
When you put waste into the organics cart – significant amounts of waste contaminate the whole load, which would then need to be landfilled. Loads from Leduc are reviewed at the transfer station to ensure they are not contaminated and then forwarded for composting. When you put organics, hazardous waste, e-waste or recyclables into the waste cart.
- You will fill up your cart more quickly
- You will be landfilling more material than necessary
- You are wasting the materials in recyclables which could be made into new products
- You are allowing chemicals and other hazardous materials into the landfill
Periodic inspections of the waste stream may occur at the curbside to ensure hazardous material is not included in your cart. Download the Recycle Coach app onto your mobile device to help you sort your waste and receive collection reminders.
Will I be fined for putting waste in the organics cart?
Potentially yes. Putting waste in the organics cart contravenes the waste bylaw and can lead to fines. Organic carts will be inspected periodically at the curbside and contaminated carts will be tagged indicating the infraction may not be collected. Customers that persist in contaminating their organics cart with waste will be fined under the Waste Bylaw.
Is it better to put grass clippings in the organics cart or grasscycle them?
Grasscycling is preferable since you are enriching your own lawn and reducing the amount of organic material that must be collected and processed. However, grass clippings in the organics cart are composted and put to good use.
How do I dispose of glass?
Clear glass can be recycled at the Eco Station. All other glass must be reused or put it in the waste cart.
Can I dispose of my organic waste in my garburator instead of using the cart?
Using a garburator puts more solids into the sanitary pipes, which leads to increased clogs and blockages. This in turn means more service calls and added costs for the city and homeowners. Using your organics cart ensures the material is composted and put to good use.
What if I use a backyard composter?
That’s great! The City’s aim is to keep organic material from being landfilled – and composting either in your back yard or at a compost facility meets this objective and results in reusable compost.
Waste Collection (Black Carts) FAQs
What options do I have if my waste won't fit in the cart?
With organics sorted into the green organics cart, most families will see their amount of waste decrease significantly. However, if your waste doesn’t fit in the cart with the lid closed tight, you can take extra waste bags to the Eco Station for $2/bag or to the Waste Management Facility where there is no charge for Resident Card holders.
Can we buy an extra waste cart?
You can rent an additional cart for $13.12 / month for a period of 6 months. The fee will be added to your utility bill. Certain terms of service are in place for residents arranging for a second waste cart. Call the Eco-smart Hotline at 780-980-7107 for details.
Recycling FAQs
Is there a limit on the number of blue bags allowed?
No. You can put out as many as you need.
Can I use clear bags instead of the blue bags?
No. The collection team is specifically looking for the blue bags, which are made of recycled material.
Why are recyclables collected in blue bags rather than a cart?
Collecting recyclables in blue bags has a number of advantages for residents and the city. First, you can put out as many blue bags as you need should you have lots of recyclables. Second, adding a third cart would create storage challenges for many residents. Finally, blue bags allow collection crews to easily see that the materials in the bag are all allowable recyclables – and not other material that would “contaminate” the recyclables. If recyclables are contaminated, they are considered waste and must be landfilled.
Why can't we recycle plastic bags?
Plastic bags get caught up in the equipment that processes recyclable material, causing breakdowns to the equipment and potential safety hazards for workers. You can use plastic bags to bag your waste (all waste must be bagged before placing it in the black waste cart). Alternately, get into the habit of carrying reusable shopping and grocery bags with you.
Quicklinks
>> Recycle Coach
>> Curbside Collection & Recycling FAQ
>> Leduc Curbside Brochure
Contact
Phone: 780-980-7107
Email: ecosmart@leduc.ca