Google Translate
Translation – Explanation and Caution

The electronic translation service on the City of Surrey’s web site is hosted by Google Translate. The quality of the translation may vary in some of the languages offered by Google. The goal of the basic translation is to capture the general intention of the original English material.

Google Translate is a free service and currently offers translation in over 50 languages. Unfortunately, not all the languages spoken in the City of Surrey are translated. Punjabi is one of the languages not currently offered, and to remedy the situation, the City has been in contact with Google and they have committed to making Punjabi available in the future.

The City of Surrey cannot guarantee the quality, accuracy, or completeness of any translated information. Before you act on translated information, the City encourages you to confirm any facts that are important to you and the decisions you make.

The City of Surrey offers interpretation services at all its facilities. If you have a question about the material you read on our web site, we encourage you to stop by a City facilities to discuss it. You can also contact the City at (604) 591-4011 to receive interpretation support.

The City is committed to enhancing the accessibility of its web site to all its citizens, and appreciates any feedback that it receives.

Chinese, Korean, Punjabi, Tagalog, Hindi

Proposed Organics Collection Service Program

City Proposed Organics Collection Service

The organics collection program has been identified as one of a number of key initiatives that will help us increase regional waste diversion from the current rate of 55% to the new target of 70% by the year 2015.  Learn more about the region's waste diversion goal (PDF).

Organic waste includes both kitchen and yard waste. When organic waste is landfilled, it generates methane gas that eventually escapes into the atmosphere. Methane’s green house gas (GHG) impact is 23 times higher (worse) than gas or diesel, not to mention the costs and additional GHG’s generated from transporting this type of waste to landfill.

The City has been collecting yard waste since 1998 and composting this material into nutrient rich soil. Our next goal is to separate kitchen waste from landfill. Accordingly, over the course of 2009 and 2010, the City engaged a series of waste audits to determine the percentage of residential kitchen waste that is disposed of as garbage. Consistently, it was discovered that 65% of our garbage is made up of kitchen waste. Organic material is a valuable and renewable waste source which can either be composted (as we presently doing with yard waste) or processed into zero emission fuel.                                                                                                  

Organics Collection Pilot Program

On November 1st, 2010, the City initiated a cart-based Residential Pilot Organics Collection Program in selected areas throughout Surrey. The pilot program was developed to allow the City to analyze operational effectiveness, customer concerns, waste diversion percentages and associated costs. The City intends to use the information to structure a City-wide residential organics collection program commencing July 1, 2012.

We’d love to hear from you.  If you have any questions or comments or would like to report a problem regarding the City’s proposed curbside organics collection program, please contact us via our online reporting form or email us at EngOperations@surrey.ca or phone the City’s Garbage & Recycling Hotline at 604-590-7289. 

WHERE WE ARE NOW:                       OUR 2015 TARGET:

Public Consultation Process

In June 2010, the City engaged a public consultation process with Surrey residents to discuss plans to expand the City’s residential curbside yard waste program to include kitchen waste and gauge their response and feedback. Surrey public support for this initiative was overwhelmingly positive, which was of no surprise given the current high level of participation by Surrey residents in the City’s curbside blue box and yard waste programs.

We wish to thank all of the residents who participated in our survey and to all visitors of our public consultation venues. The results were overwhelmingly positive with a strong 88% support for a curbside waste diversion project. For full results of our survey please click here to download the full Organics Collection Public Consultation and Survey Report.

More Information?

Please click on the below links for information regarding the City's proposed organics collection program.

Alternatively, you may download an Organics Collection Program fact sheet:

 We want to hear from you!

How often will my organics be collected? What Kind of collection container will I use?

Drawing of a garbage binDrawing of a 46L garbage binDrawing of organic bin and yard waste bag
  

Complete an online questionnaire regarding your preferred method to organics collection!

Online Questionnaire (please click on the link to be redirected to the questionnaire)

What will be included in the organics bins?  
What goes in?  

  • Food scraps (meats, vegetables, fats, bones, etc.)
  • Yard waste
  • Coffee grounds & filters
  • Teabags
  • Soiled paper towels & tissues

What stays out? 

  • Plastic bags, wrap or containers
  • Diapers and sanitary products
  • Animal waste

Questions?  

If you have any questions or comments or would like to report a problem regarding the City’s proposed curbside organics collection program, please contact us via our online reporting form or email us at EngOperations@surrey.ca or phone the City’s Garbage & Recycling Hotline at 604-590-7289.