Compost and Organics

The City of Cornwall has a weekly curbside organics pick-up program to help you dispose of food and organic waste for composting. Please ensure that you place your green bin at the curb on your regular collection day. Make sure that you place all your compostable materials inside your green bin. We do not collect any bags left outside the bin.

Green bins

If you have not received your green bin or to request an additional or larger bin, please call us at 613-937-1777 to request one. Availability may depend on our current inventory. You can also find bins at local hardware stores that come in a variety of sizes. We accept any large bin that is green and has a lifting bar and baffle at the front.

Your filled green bin can have a maximum weight of 22 kilograms (50 pounds) to ensure it can be safely handled.

Please note

You can use certified compostable bags (e.g., ASTM D6400-certified) or line your bin with newspaper. Please do not use regular plastic bags in your green bin.

Multi-residential properties may have shared green bins. Please contact your property manager for guidelines specific to your building.

Accepted materials

Learn about the materials we accept as part of the organics pick-up program.

You can dispose of food waste including:

  • Animal greases and vegetable lard

  • Beans

  • Bread

  • Cake and candy

  • Cereal and grains

  • Coffee filters, grounds, tea and tea bags

  • Condiments

  • Cooking oils (solidified)

  • Corn cobs, husks, and popcorn

  • Couscous

  • Dairy products (milks, cheeses and sour creams)

  • Eggs and eggshells

  • Fruits and vegetables

  • Leftovers and plate scrapings

  • Liquids (soups, sauces, juices and coffees)

  • Meat, poultry and scraps

  • Nuts, pits, nut shells and butters

  • Oatmeal and oats

  • Pasta

  • Pizza

  • Rice

  • Seafood and shellfish

  • Sugar and spices

You can dispose of yard waste including:

  • Compostable cutlery

  • Dried flowers

  • Flowers, plants and weeds

  • Hedge trimmings

  • Leaves and grass clippings

  • Pumpkins

  • Straw and hay

  • Twigs (12mm x 1.5m)

  • Untreated wood scraps (> 75mm)

  • Wooden popsicle sticks

You can also dispose of:

  • Animal foods

  • Animal wastes

  • Compostable plastics

  • Cotton balls

  • Diapers and sanitary products

  • Food-soiled paper and cardboard

  • Newspaper and paper

  • Paper towels, tissues and paper napkins

  • Sugar, flour and potato paper bags

  • Tissue paper

Please do not include the following in your green bin:

  • Animal furs and feathers

  • Ashes

  • Biohazard materials

  • Bricks, stones and asphalt

  • Construction materials

  • Dangerous domestic products (used oils, batteries and paint cleaning products)

  • Dead animals (roadkills)

  • Hairs

  • Recyclables (glasses, metals and styrofoams)

  • Soiled litters

  • Textiles and fabrics

  • Wood greater than 12mm x 1.5m

Please note

You should mark your address and unit number on your green bin with a permanent marker. If you don’t follow the mandatory diversion and clear bag collection policy, may result in waste not being collected during regular collection

Frequently asked questions

Check out our frequently asked questions for composting your organics. If you still have a question, you can call us at 613-937-1777.

You can keep your green bin clean by

  • Lining your bin with compostable bags or newspaper, which helps contain messes and makes cleaning easier

  • Wrapping meat and fish in newspaper or paper towels, then freezing them until collection day to prevent odors and pests

  • Layering food waste with yard trimmings or cardboard to absorb liquids and reduce smells

  • Cleaning and rinsing your bin with water and mild detergent or vinegar every few weeks to keep it fresh

  • Sprinkling baking soda, adding citrus peels or using coffee grounds to reduce unpleasant smells

  • Sprinkling a layer of baking soda at the bottom of your bin to neutralize odors

  • Storing your bin in a shaded, ventilated area to minimize heat and odors

  • Ensuring the lid is tightly closed to keep animals out

Yes, you can put diapers and sanitary products in your green bin. They can go in either your green bin or your regular garbage.

Yes, you can use paper leaf bags or garbage cans for yard waste. This collection happens weekly all year.

You can only put biodegradable kitty litter that is not clay-based in your green bin. Any non-biodegradable litter should go in your regular garbage.

No, you cannot put coffee pods or K-Cups in your green bin. Coffee grounds can go in the bin, but you must put the cup itself in your recycling or garbage according to its material.

No, dryer sheets are not compostable and must go in your garbage.

Yes, you can put greasy pizza boxes in your green bin. If they are clean, they should go in your recycling. Even if the bottom of the box is dirty, you can still recycle the top of the box.

Contact Us

City of Cornwall
360 Pitt Street
Cornwall, ON, K6J 3P9
Telephone: 613-930-2787

Sign up to our News Feed

Stay up to date on the city's activities, events, programs and operations by subscribing to news feed.

Sign Up Today!