Poll

Stop Burning Yard and Garden Waste - The City Has Better Options!

City of Castlegar
By City of Castlegar
March 25th, 2020

The City of Castlegar reminds residents that open burning of yard and garden waste is prohibited within the City.

With people at home, and the weather warming up, residents are cleaning up their yards. The City of Castlegar’s Open Burning Bylaw does not allow the burning of yard waste, garbage, construction or demolition material. The City can issue $500 fines for burning yard waste.

The health and safety of our staff is a top priority and we are currently minimizing interaction and practicing social distancing as a result of COVID-19. This week, we received numerous complaints involving yard clean-up burning which meant staff had to visit properties for education and enforcement purposes.

We’ve got options!

The City provides two options for grass, lawn and hedge clippings, flowers, weeds, leaves, vegetable stalks, shrubs, and branches less than 75 mm in diameter:

Option 1 – Curbside yard waste pick-u

  •  April 14 in North Castlegar and April 15 in South Castlegar
  • May 19 in North Castlegar and May 20 in South Castlegar

Directions: Compostable bags must be tied up. It is recommended that you double bag to ensure waste is contained. Garbage carts or other containers may be used as long as they are identified as containing yard waste and weigh no more than 20 kg per container. There is a limit of 2 containers per household but there is no limit on the amount of compostable bags. Non-compostable bags will not be accepted.

Tree prunings must be bundled with compostable twine. Individual bundles can be no longer than 1 metre in length and 0.5 metre in diameter. Maximum allowable branch diameter is 75 mm.

Free compostable (100% biodegradable) yard waste bags are available for pick-up from City Hall (460 Columbia Ave.) and Civic Works (4500 Minto Rd.) Please be respectful and only take 1 bundle of bags per household. For more information visit the City’s website at castlegar.ca or call 250.367.7227.

Option 2 – Drop-off

If you cannot wait for the curbside collection, please drop-off at the City’s yard waste composting facility at the north end of the Castlegar & District Community Complex at 2101 6th Ave. Bags of any kind cannot be left at this facility so please remove yard waste from bags when dumping. *Please ensure you practice social distancing and maintain at least 2 metres from others.

Open Burning Bylaw

Consideration may be granted for the fire smarting of difficult-to-access properties; however, site visits and permits are required in these instances.

The Open Burning Bylaw does not apply to campfires on private property. Campfires must be:

  • Contained and no larger than 1 metre wide x 1 metre long x 1 metre high;
  • Burning only clean, dry campfire wood (no demolition, construction, garbage, yard, garden, grass, leaves); and
  • A safe distance away from structures, fences, overhangs including trees as well as City easements or utility right of ways.

For more information on the City’s Open Burning Bylaw visit the City’s webpage here.

The City of Castlegar is a service centre in the West Kootenay. The diversified and growing economy is focused on the forestry, energy and mining sectors in the valley, and commercial services in the City. Quality of life features backcountry adventure and an increasingly dynamic urban culture, including the Millennium Park & Ponds and Sculpture Walk.

 

Categories: General

Comments

0°C Broken Clouds

Other News Stories

Opinion