Carts

Please note that only the property owner is authorized to submit a cart exchange request. If you are renting, please follow up with your landlord to have them contact the City with the request.

Carts are available in the 120L, 240L, and 360L size for recycling, compost and garbage collection. View the Cart Costs section for more information on how cart size may impact your annual solid waste user fees.

To request a cart exchange, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca and provide the following information:

• Name, address, and telephone number
• Serial number(s) of cart(s) being exchanged
• Size of cart(s) being requested

If you are exchanging more than one cart, please ensure all your requests are submitted at the same time. Carts can only be exchanged once in a 12-month period for any property.

Please note that only the property owner is authorized to request a second compost cart. If you are renting, please follow up with your landlord to have them contact the City with the request.

Before requesting a second compost cart we recommend first upsizing your existing compost cart to the largest size (360 Litres). If you find you still have more yard waste than what will fit in the cart, then a second compost cart can be requested that can be either 240 Litres or 360 Litres in size. View the Cart Costs section for more information on how cart size and number will impact your annual solid waste user fees. Second carts are not available for recycling or garbage, per the Solid Waste Management Bylaw.

To request a second compost cart, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca and provide the following information:

• Name, address, and telephone number
• Size of cart(s) being requested

If you are submitting more than one request, please ensure all your requests are submitted at the same time. Carts can only be exchanged once in a 12-month period for any property.

There are approximately 250 homes in the 'Bear-Resistant Cart Area' located in the Upper Straiton area on Sumas Mountain. Use of bear-resistant carts for the curbside collection of recycling, compostables and garbage is mandatory in the bear-resistant cart area. Use of bear-resistant carts outside of this area is optional, and can be requested for any waste stream.

Property owners can request to exchange their standard 240 Litre cart for a 240 Litre bear-resistant cart for any waste stream.  Refer to the Cart Costs section for more information on applicable fees for the use of any bear-resistant cart.

View Bear-Resistant Cart Brochure

It is important to note the carts are “bear-resistant” and not “bear-proof”. Please use bear smart practices with all waste carts. More information on managing wildlife attractants can be accessed on the Wildlife and Waste page.

To request a bear-resistant cart, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca and provide the following information:

• Name, address, and telephone number
• Serial number(s) of any 240 Litre cart(s) being exchanged

If you are exchanging more than one cart, please ensure all your requests are submitted at the same time. Carts can only be exchanged once in a 12-month period for any property.

Your cart may need repair or replacement if:

• The lid is missing including the hinges;
• The lid does not fully cover your recycling, compost or garbage;
• The body of the cart is cracked; or
• The wheels are missing or broken so the cart won’t stand upright.

We will not replace carts because they are dirty or scratched.

If a cart requires replacement or has been stolen, a cart replacement fee ranging from $121- $213 may be charged:

To request a cart repair or replacement, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca.

Newly Constructed Homes

If you are moving into a newly constructed home, you will need to contact us (604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca) to arrange for the delivery of waste carts to your new home.  Requests should be made 2 weeks prior to moving in to ensure carts can be delivered before your first scheduled curbside collection day.  Please note that carts cannot be delivered until you have been issued Final Occupancy from the Building Department.  We will do our best to accommodate cart size requests but please note carts delivered to your property will be based on cart inventory at the time of your request.

Refer to the Cart Costs section for more information on how cart size, type and number may impact your annual solid waste user fees.

Resale Home

If you are moving into a resale home, please use the carts that are already at your new property.  If you find the cart(s) at your new home aren’t suitable for your household’s needs, or there are no carts at your new home when you move in, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca. Refer to the Cart Costs section for more information on how cart size, type and number may impact your annual solid waste user fees.

Rented Property

If you are a tenant moving into a rental property, please use the carts that are already at your new home.  If you find the cart(s) at your new home aren’t suitable for your household’s needs, please contact your landlord, property owner or property management company.  Only the property owner is permitted to request a cart exchange. Refer to the Cart Costs section for more information on how cart size, type and number may impact the annual solid waste user fees.

If there are no carts at your new property when you move in, please ask your property owner to contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca. 

Please note that only carts provided by the City of Abbotsford are compatible with the automated collection vehicles. Carts from other municipalities, regional districts or retailers are not compatible with the City trucks and will not be collected. All material must be placed in the cart with the lid completely closed. Overflowing carts and material placed outside of the carts will not be collected. 

Carts for recycling, compost and garbage are available in a 120 Litre, 240 Litre and 360 Litre size. Recycling carts are blue, compost carts are green, and garbage carts are dark grey. Bear-resistant carts are available for any waste stream in the 240 Litre size only. View the Bear-Resistant Carts Brochure for more information on the bear-resistant carts.

Find Size of Existing Carts

Refer to the cart serial number to determine the size of your existing cart.  The serial number is a 12-digit code located on the side of each cart that will identify what size of cart you have. Use the below table to identify the size of each cart.

When considering changing your cart size, there are two types of costs to keep in mind. The first is the cart administration fee that covers that costs of processing your request, delivering your new cart(s), and removing your old cart(s). The second is the annual solid waste user fee that is based on the size of each cart used and is related to the collection and processing costs for each waste stream.

Cart Administration Fee

Cart exchange requests are charged an administration fee of $80 per visit. The administration fee must be paid in full before the exchange request will be processed. The administration fee can be paid in person to the cashiers located on the first floor at City Hall (32315 South Fraser Way, Abbotsford). Solid waste user fees will also apply for any cart that is used. 

The cart administration fee does not apply to newly constructed homes. Requests submitted for existing homes that have changed owners have 90 days from ownership change to submit a request without incurring the cart administration fee. Requests submitted after the 90 days will be charged the cart administration fee.

Solid Waste User Fees

The curbside collection program offers user-pay options to increase or decrease service levels with associated fees, meaning that households who generate more waste pay more while households that generate less waste pay less. This approach ensures equitable service is provided to all households in the curbside collection program. It is important to highlight that the fees remain low when compared with other municipal program fee structures. The solid waste user fees are included with annual property taxes. The various cart combination options and fees are summarized in the below tables.

Invoices or credits for any cart exchanges completed on or after April 30, 2024 will receive a pro-rated invoice or credit for the annual solid waste user fees based on the delivery date of the larger or smaller cart(s). Invoices or credits will be issued through the mail to property owners in November 2024.

Example Cart Exchange Costs

360L Recycling Cart + 240 L Compost Cart + 240 L Garbage Cart = $340 per year
For this example, you will not receive an adjustment invoice in November 2024 as there is no change in cost from what would have been billed on your 2024 property taxes. The cart administration fee of $80 would still apply.

240 L Recycling Cart + 240 L Compost Cart + 360 L Garbage Cart = $395 per year
For this example, you will receive an adjustment invoice in November 2024 for the additional $55 that would be prorated based on the date of cart delivery. The cart administration fee of $80 would also apply.

360L Recycling Cart + 360L Compost Cart + 360 L Garbage Cart = $415 per year
For this example, you will receive an adjustment invoice in November 2024 for the additional $75 that would be prorated based on the date of cart delivery. The cart administration fee of $80 would also apply.

Overweight carts create micro cracks in the plastic that develop into larger cracks and will decrease the life of the cart. Make sure you carts do not exceed the weight limit!

Putting your carts out the right way on collection day ensures your carts can be collected safely and on schedule. The placement of carts is very important because the automated truck’s mechanical arm needs sufficient room to pick up and empty the cart. All material must be placed in the cart with the lid completely closed. Overflowing carts and material placed outside of the carts will not be collected. 

Follow these guidelines for placing your cart at the curb:

• Place wheels against the curb and the arrows on the lid pointing to the street;
• Do not block the sidewalks, roadway or bike lanes;
• Leave 1 m (3 ft) of space on all sides of your carts;
• Leave 3 m (10 ft) of clearance above your carts;
• Ensure lids are closed on all your carts; and
• Keep carts away from obstructions like parked cars, poles and utility boxes.

Curbside Cart Placement Examples

Refer to the Curbside Cart Placement document or the below illustrations for examples of how to place your carts at the curb in common situations around Abbotsford.

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If you are still unsure of how to place your carts out for collection, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca.

Please store your carts in a secure location within your property boundary. They should be stored where you keep your recycling, compostables and garbage – in the garage, backyard, outdoor storage unit, covered porch or balcony, side of your home or front yard. Please do not store your carts on the road or within a road allowance. It is important to note that only empty carts should be left out unsecured to avoid creating wildlife attractants. Carts containing waste should be stored inside a garage or other secure storage area. 

Some residents might choose to store the empty carts at the end of their driveway (on their property) chained to a fence or a tree, or inside a secure enclosure. On collection day, the carts would need to be unlocked and moved to the edge of the road. This approach is similar to how you brought material to the curb for the old manual collection program, except that when you bring material to the curb under the new program you put it into carts rather than leaving the bags or containers at the curb. Please note that recycling will need to be placed loose into the cart. Blue bags are not accepted in the new cart program.  

If you are considering using a shed to store your carts on your property near your collection location, please contact the Planning and Development Services department (604-864-5510 or planning-info@abbotsford.ca) to ensure that the location meets property line setback requirements. A shed may help alleviate both storage and wildlife concerns. There are many different versions of sheds available for purchase from local home and garden retailers both instore and online.

There are also special hitches available on the market that can be attached to your vehicle to help transport the carts to the road. We do not have these available for purchase but have information on local retailers that may carry them. If you would like more information on these, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca.

• Place carts at the curb by 7:00 am on your scheduled collection day. Do not place carts at the curb overnight.
• Place only accepted material in the carts. If you are unsure about an item, use the Waste Wizard feature in the Abbotsford Curbside Collection App or on the City’s website.
• Place material loosely in the cart. Forcing items in or packing it too tight makes it hard for collection vehicles to empty the cart.
• Garbage can be placed in the cart bagged or unbagged. Recycling needs to be placed directly into the cart without bags.
• Close the lid before rolling the cart to the curb.
• Ensure your cart can be seen easily from the street and is accessible at the curb.
• Regularly clean your carts with soap and water or vinegar. Ensure wash water is drained onto natural ground or flushed down the toilet.
• Sprinkle baking soda, vanilla extract, tea tree oil or lavender to help absorb or mask any odours.

View our Curbside Collection Guide (available in English or Punjabi) for more tips on using and maintaining your carts.

Please note that all curbside material must be fully contained in a cart with a closed lid. Overflowing carts or other loose or bagged material will not be collected. View our Excess Waste page for ideas on how to many extra waste that does not fit inside your carts.

Do NOT place old curbside containers in your blue recycling cart. Containers are not accepted in curbside recycling. Blue carts containing old containers will not be collected.

There are a number of creative and environmentally friendly ways to repurpose the old containers and keep them out of the landfill:

• Repurpose as a rain barrel or backyard composter;
• Use for extra storage or yard waste, tools, animal feed, potting soil or mulch;
• Collect your recycling depot items for efficient drop off (e.g., film plastics, glass, electronics, refundable beverage containers, etc.);
• Construct a planter for root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes;
• Create a pet waste composter;
• Repurpose as an outdoor shelter for small farm animals or pets; or
• Use to transport bulk soil or compost.

Or consider listing the item in your local newspaper, or on Facebook, Craigslist, Freecycle or Kijiji or another on-line listing service. If you are unable to find a way to reuse your old containers, then they can be dropped off for disposal at a local transfer station for a charge.

There are a number of videos and other resources available to help you become familiar with the requirements of the curbside collection program:

• Meet Your Recycling Cart Video
• Meet Your Compost Cart Video
• Meet Your Garbage Cart Video
• Curbside Collection Cart Placement Video
• Curbside Cart Collection Guide - English
• Curbside Cart Collection Guide - Punjabi 
• Curbside Cart Placement Examples
• Bear-Resistant Carts Brochure
• Virtual Touch a Truck Event Video (automated collect trucks shown at 12:10 in video)
• Waste Wizard (also available for smart phones through the Abbotsford Curbside Collection App)

You can request a change to the carts you are using one time in any 12-month period.  If you are exchanging more than one cart, ensure all requests are submitted together at the same time. For example, if you made changes to your carts in July 2022, you will not be able to request an exchange for any of your carts until August 2023. View our Cart Requests section for more information. 

No.  The different sizes and types of carts that are now available for request will allow households to customize the size of each cart to best suit their needs.  You can pick what size of cart works best for you for each waste stream.

Thank you for your recycling efforts!  We recommend ensuring that boxes are flattened and plastic containers are compacted before placing loose in your blue recycling cart.  This is an important step in maximizing the space in your cart.  If you find you still have more recycling than what will fit in your blue cart then it can be dropped off for free at a participating recycling depot.  Visit the Excess Waste page for more tips on how to maximize the amount of material that can fit in your carts.  Second recycling carts are not able to be provided, per the Solid Waste Management Bylaw.  

Thank you for your composting efforts!  You could consider grasscycling, leaf mulching or backyard composting as an alternative option to curbside collection, or use one of your yard waste coupons to drop off the yard waste for free at the composting facility. More information on these option can be found in our Excess Waste page.  Otherwise, you can request a second compost cart that can be either 240 Litre or 360 Litre in size.  Please note that additional fees will apply for second compost carts.  Visit the Cart Costs section for more information on how cart size and number may affect your solid waste user fees.

Are you certain that everything you are placing in your garbage cart is truly garbage?  Many items can be recycled or composted, or dropped off for free at a recycling depot or other drop off location.  Use our Waste Wizard to search options for recycling or disposing of hundreds of items.  Visit our Excess Waste page for more tips on how to manage extra waste.  Second garbage carts are not able to be provided, per the Solid Waste Management Bylaw. 

All cart exchange requests must be submitted by the property owner.  Please contact your landlord for assistance.

No. Your annual solid waste user fee is not affected by the size of your recycling cart. Cart administration fees will apply. See the Cart Costs section for more information.

Yes. User-pay options to increase or decrease service levels and associated fees have been implemented, meaning that households that generate more waste pay more while households that generate less waste pay less. For example, a household that has one 240 Litre cart for all three waste streams will pay an annual solid waste user fee of $275 in 2022. Whereas a household that uses one 360 Litre garbage cart in place of the 240 Litre garbage cart would pay a total of $330 in 2022. Refer to the Cart Costs section for more information on cart combinations and associated costs.

Yes, if you downsize your garbage cart to a 120 Litre size you will see some cost savings. Downsizing your recycling cart or compost cart will not affect your annual solid waste user fees. Refer to the Cart Costs section for more information on cart combinations and associated costs.

Property owners can request a second compost cart that is either 240 Litre or 360 Litre in size.  Second carts for recycling or garbage collection are not available, per the Solid Waste Management Bylaw.  Visit the Cart Costs section for more information on how your solid waste user fill will be impacted by requesting a second compost cart.

No. The Suite Registration Fee and the annual Infrastructure Fee paid for registered secondary suites under the City’s Building Bylaw does not include additional curbside collection services for the suite. This has not changed under the new automated collection program.  We recommend that tenants work with their landlord or property manager to determine how to allocate waste allowances among the suites.  Larger carts can be requested. Visit the Cart Requests section for more information.

Yes.  A second curbside collection service can be requested for a secondary detached dwelling on the property. If you would like to add a second curbside collection service for your coach house, garden suite or second detached home, or confirm services for these dwellings, please contact the City at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca.

No. Each cart is equipped with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to provide GPS location coordinates to the assigned address so it is important that the carts stay with the assigned property. When moving to a new home, leave your carts at your old home and use the carts that are already at your new home. Visit the Moved or Moving Soon section for more information.

No. Reusable containers are more environmentally friendly and create less waste, reducing the amount of material going to landfill or needing to be recycled. They also take the onus off the resident to purchase the bags in order to participate in the curbside recycling program. There are post-collection health and safety impacts as these bags need to be manually opened at the recycling facility in order to access the recyclable material. Plastic bags, when included in the sorting line, also negatively impact the recycling process by getting tangled in the sorting equipment, requiring a shut-down of the sorting line in order to clean the equipment. For these reasons, Recycle BC requires the City to phase out the use of single use blue bags for the collection of curbside recycling. All recycling is required to be placed loosely and unbagged in the recycling cart.

Blue bags are NOT accepted in curbside recycling.

Yes, but bagging garbage is not required. Bagged or unbagged garbage can be placed in the grey garbage cart. All types of garbage bags will continue to be accepted.

All material must be contained inside the cart with the lid fully closed.

No. In order to maintain efficient and safe work flows, the drivers of the collection trucks are unable to exit the vehicle at every stop. All garbage and recycling needs to be fully contained inside a cart with the lid completely closed. Overflowing carts and material placed outside of the carts will not be collected. Visit the Excess Waste page for ideas on how to manage excess waste.

No. In order to maintain efficient and safe work flows, the drivers of the collection trucks are unable to exit the vehicle at every stop. All yard waste needs to be fully contained inside a cart with the lid completely closed. Overflowing carts and material placed outside of the carts will not be collected. Visit the Excess Waste page for ideas on how to manage excess waste.

There are approximately 250 homes in the 'Bear-Resistant Cart Area' located in the Upper Straiton area on Sumas Mountain. Use of bear-resistant carts for the curbside collection of recycling, compostables and garbage is mandatory in the bear-resistant cart area. Use of bear-resistant carts outside of this area is optional, and can be requested for any waste stream.

If you are unsure whether your property is included in the Bear-Resistant Cart Area, please contact us at 604-864-5640 or carts@abbotsford.ca. Refer to the Cart Costs section for information on applicable fees for the use of any bear-resistant cart.

Yes.  Property owners can request to exchange their standard 240 Litre cart for a 240 Litre bear-resistant cart for any waste stream.  Refer to the Cart Costs section and our brochure for more information on applicable fees for the use of any bear-resistant cart.

It is important to note the carts are “bear-resistant” and not “bear-proof”. Please use bear smart practices with all waste carts. More information on managing wildlife attractants can be accessed on the Wildlife and Waste page.

Yes. Under the automated collection program, collection staff are not be able to leave the collection truck at each collection point. This means that any bear-resistant carts placed at the curb need to have the clips unclipped for collection. The clips should be secured by residents at the end of the collection day to prevent bears and other wildlife from accessing the carts. Carts that do not have the clips unclipped will not be collected. View our brochure for more information on the bear-resistant carts.

No. Bear-resistant carts are only available in the 240 Litre size. Please view the Bear-Resistant Cart brochure for more information on the bear-resistant carts.