Residential Yard Waste sites were busy during opening weekend

Both of Swift Current’s Residential Yard Waste sites were busy during the first weekend of spring cleaning around the city.

The Residential Yard Waste Program was launched on Tuesday, April 21, and city residents can now drop off grass clippings, branches and other organic yard waste on a six day a week basis.

Free disposal sites are in operation at the former St. Joseph’s School site, along with the Innovation Credit Union iplex parking lot, while the city landfill is also accepting loads of residential yard waste for free.

Mitch Minken, Swift Current’s General Manager of Infrastructure and Operations, said this popular annual program is operating on a modified basis this year as a result of physical distancing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Attendants at each site will strictly be monitors, and people will be required to do their own material dumping.

“We’ve worked hard to develop a system that’s going to be safe for everyone, where it’ll be single vehicle, or two vehicle drop offs depending on how the site is set up. And everybody else will stay in their vehicle until it’s their turn. There’ll be people there to monitor and control that, so we feel that it’s a good, safe way for people to get out and get some exercise in their back yard.”

Minken said that they are preparing for higher volumes of material over the first couple of weeks of the service.

“We’re anticipating that everybody is at home and has time to clean their yards this year so we expect the volume’s going to be pretty great particularly in this cleanup mode here.”

He also asks that users be patient at the sites because of the increased number of people expected to be dropping off yard waste.

“First and foremost be patient as you come to the site. It’s going to take a little longer to drop than maybe it has in the past.”

He reminded residential users that the sites are not in a position to accept bio-degradable bags, so anything in a bag has to be dumped out into specified area, while branches must be under 20 centimetres (eight inches) in thickness.

Suitable material from the yard waste sites are utilized in the City of Swift Current’s compost program, which the city will be expanding this year. The City will not be providing this compost material directly to retail customers, but will be providing it to some landscaping contractors who will be able to provide it to their clients. Additional the compost will be used in some city parks and for other applications.

“We’re looking forward to that really producing some results now.” Minken said of the compost program

Hours of Operation at Southside/northside Yard Waste Sites:

Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Friday afternoons from noon to 4 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed on Sundays during statutory holiday weekends.

Free residential yard waste disposal hours at City Landfill:

Monday through Saturday – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last loads in by 4:45 p.m.). System of disposal • Separate bays for ease of disposal, at ground level;

• Staggered entry while remaining in your vehicle, to maintain physical distancing regulations;

• Individual access to ensure user and staff safety;

• Option for those with mobility issues, to remain in vehicle while staff unloads bags.

Arriving prepared and emptying contents:

1. Separate wood/ branches from organic yard waste before you leave your home. Come prepared to empty any bags you may have used to transport your yard waste.

ACCEPTABLE ORGANICS:

• Weeds, soil, plant matter, flowers, leaves & grass clippings, woodchips, fibre plant containers, brown paper yard bags, and thin sticks < 1/4” diameter or less, are allowed in yard waste bay.

No plastic bags, no biodegradable bags, no pots, nor non-compostable materials, and no animal waste.

ACCEPTABLE WOOD TRIMMINGS:

• Branches - thickness between ¼ and eight-inch diameter or less.

• Please transport oversized branches to the landfill; please note that charges will apply.