Waste/Recycling/Organics(NEW) Collection Announcement!

There are incoming changes to waste, recycling, and a new organic waste programing in the Town of Thorsby. For more information, keep reading ahead!

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Garbage, Recycling, and Organic Waste Collection

Changes will occur to the standard collection services. Those changes are as follows:

Starting October 1st, 2025:

  • Recycling Services
    • This service will increase to a weekly frequency.
    • Recycling pickup will now be on Tuesdays.
  • Organic Waste Services (NEW SERVICE)
    • This service will be provided in 65-gallon green-lid bins to each residence that already receives waste and recycling services. Residents do not have to call or do any extra work to receive the bin, the bin will be delivered to you.
    • This service will occur weekly from May 01 to October 31, and bi-weekly from November 01 to April 30 in any calendar year.
    • Organic Services will be on Tuesdays.

Starting November 1st, 2025:

  • Waste (Garbage) Services
    • This service will change from a weekly frequency to bi-weekly, meaning your 65-gallon orange lid bins will only be picked up once every other week on a scheduled basis.
    • Waste pickup will still occur on Thursdays.

If you have questions or concerns, please email info@thorsby.ca with your inquiry.

Guidelines

Waste (Garbage) Collection

Waste Collection services occur bi-weekly on Thursdays. This service utilizes a 65-gallon black waste bin with orange lids.

What is not allowed to be in waste bins?
Items not allowed in the waste bins include:

  • Hazardous materials like batteries, paint, and chemicals.
  • Large, bulky items such as mattresses or pieces of furniture.
  • Electronics; vehicle parts and fluids.
  • Bulky items.
  • Flammable materials.
  • Asbestos.

Recycling Collection

Recycling collection occurs weekly on Tuesdays. All recycling should be done in blue bags only, as recycling in clear or black bags will not be collected.

What is allowed to be in recycling?

  • Newspaper/Heavy Paper: newspaper, magazines, phone books, catalogues, flyers.
  • Mixed Paper: office paper, junk mail, shredded paper, etc.
  • Boxboard: cereal boxes, pasta boxes, etc.
  • Containers: food cans, beverage containers, hard plastic #1-7, deposit items.
  • Rinsed Plastics: rinsed plastics marked with a recycling mark are permitted.
  • Corrugated Cardboard: flattened, folded, and taped together either inside or beneath the blue bag - no larger than 2ft by 3ft (60cm x 90cm). Flattened cardboard placed in another box no larger than 24" x 24" is also acceptable.

What is not allowed to be in recycling?

  • Plastic film (bags, etc) or containers  that held dangerous chemical or hydrocarbons (oil, etc).
  • No glass, batteries, styrofoam, machine parts, mixed materials (toys, etc), or construction debris (siding, etc.)
  • Lids of all kinds from containers, cans, bottles, etc, must be disposed with waste.

Organic Waste Collection

Organic Waste Collection services occur weekly from May 01 to October 31, and bi-weekly from November 01 to April 30 in any calendar year.

What is allowed to be in the organics waste bin?

  • Meat trimmings
  • Leftovers
  • Vegetable and fruit husks
  • Soiled paper napkins
  • Greasy pizza boxes
  • Dryer lint
  • Bread
  • Rice or grains
  • Dairy products
  • Egg shells
  • Bones
  • Fish
  • Small wood scraps and pieces
  • Coffee, tea & filters.
  • Grass
  • Leaves
  • Hedge pruning
  • Garden trimmings

What is not allowed to be in the organics waste bin?

  • Plastic bags
  • K-cups or coffee pods
  • Take-out drink cups
  • Butcher paper wrap
  • Microwave popcorn bags
  • Frozen food boxes
  • Glossy paper
  • Food packaging
  • Produce stickers
  • Treated wood
  • Plant pot or bedding trays
  • Diapers and sanitary products
  • Dryer sheets
  • Vacuum cleaner bags
  • Clothing or fabric
  • Styrofoam

Frequently Asked Questions

Why bi-weekly pickup for black bins?

  • With organics sorted into the green organics cart, most families will see their amount of waste decrease significantly (up to 50%).
  • The Town of Thorsby is committed to environmental responsibility by protecting and managing our environmental impact to meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It has been proven that bi-weekly waste collection helps promote the use of organic waste services and recycling due to limited waste capacity. 

Are residents being charged by the weight of their materials?

No. All residential utility customers pay the same residential utility fee.

Will my carts and blue bags be picked up on holidays?

Your collection calendars make special note of the collection days around these dates, and are adjusted accordingly.

Why is Recycling and Organic Waste on Tuesdays?

They have to be moved to Tuesdays because of street congestion, as having a black bin, blue bags, and green bin out at the same time would be too tightly packed together.

Why wasn't my cart picked up on collection day?

The most common reasons carts are not emptied are that they were left in the wrong place for pickup, waste wasn’t bagged, the waste was jammed full in the cart, the cart was not put out before 7am, or cart lids weren’t closed.

If you believe you followed the correct procedures, please call Integrity Waste Solutions at 780-437-5000.

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 truckload 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 promoting cleaner waste.

Deliberate contamination and the exact household it's coming from is traceable, so please follow guidelines properly and help support the environment.

How do I collect my household organics?

Small organic bins and food waste bags are available for internal household use at your local hardware store, or online retailers.

I found a sticker on my cart/blue bag, 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 don't want certain services?

All residential waste/recycling/organic waste pickup is mandatory.

Commercial can opt-in to all services or contract their own provider.

The Town is asking for your cooperation in the program, which will keep tonnes of material from being landfilled each year.

I'm moving, do our carts stay with us when we go?

Your carts and kitchen containers stay at the address; they do not move with you. If you are moving into an address within Thorsby that already has collection services, those carts should be there when you arrive. If you are moving to a newly constructed home within Thorsby, you can call 780-789-3935 to request new collection services at your new home.

Can we alter or put locks on our carts?

No, the carts are the property of Integrity Waste Solutions Inc., and they do not want any changes to be made to them.

Guides & Schedule