​What we've experienced

One of the major concerns we've heard from our residents is that the stubborn southern Alberta wind will blow over their recycling and it will end up down the street. Curbside recycling does pose different challenges than garbage collection because the items need to be loose in the cart rather than bagged. On a windy day, this could mean a tipped cart becomes litter. 

We are pleased to report that through phase 1 of our curbside recycling program, we did not experienced any significant issues with the wind. If a cart does tip over, the lid generally remains closed, containing the material until the cart can be picked up. This has been the experience of other municipalities in the area as well. 

We have noticed, on extremely windy days, the cart set-out rate has been lower than normal. We speculate those who didn't have a full bin, chose to keep it until the next pick-up and avoid the possibility of it blowing over. This is a great option, when possible.

Resident Tips

• Make sure the lid is closed. 
  An open lid will catch the wind and tip the cart more easily. It also means any loose material on the top of your cart could fly out. 
  
• Don't over fill your cart to the point where the lid sticks up.  
  Remember to break down your cardboard into smaller pieces so it fits inside your closed bin. A propped up lid will again catch the wind and more easily tip. 
  
• If you can, keep your blue cart in on extremely windy days. 
  A half full cart is lighter and could tip more easily. It also means, you likely have enough space to continue collecting your recycling until the next pickup date. If your cart is not full, it might be safest to wait until your next pick up date. 
  
• Report problems by calling 311. 
  We want to track areas that might be more susceptible to wind gusts and can send clean up crews if a large recycling litter event occurs. 
  
• Put your cart out the morning of pickup and roll it back in as soon as possible.
  Leaving your cart on the street or in the alley for long periods of time will mean more chance of it getting knocked or blown over.
  
  

Thanks for doing your part to help make our program a success.