Special collections of yard waste, brush, and Christmas Trees coincide with your regular collection day on designated special collection weeks. Please see our waste collection schedule for more information.
Yard Waste Collection
Yard Waste is collected during the designated weeks, as indicated by the leaf symbol shown in the Collection Schedule. No collection limit.
Accepted yard waste includes:
- Leaves
- Grass or Sod with dirt removed
- Weeds
- Hay or Straw
- Unpainted pumpkins (candles and embellishments must be removed). Pumpkins set out as yard waste collection are not required to be bagged. (Note: painted and embellished pumpkins are collected with garbage).
- House Plants (without trunks)
Set Out Requirements
Yard waste can only be set on the boulevard for collection after 6 p.m. the night before collection day or before 7 a.m. the morning of your designated waste collection day.
Yard waste can be set out in paper bags ( no plastic bags) or a container with drainage holes, and marked with an “X” on two sides. Yard waste set out for curbside collection must not exceed 22 kg (48Ibs).
Yard waste set out prior to your designated collection day, or placed on the road or gutter, contravenes The City of Sarnia’s Waste By-Law 62 of 2006. Contraventions of this By-Law can result in fines set by the court.
Mixed yard waste with brush, brush in paper bags, tree trunks, root balls, soil / dirt, sand, mulch, clay, stumps, stump grindings, stones/rocks, black walnuts, pinecones, acorns, ferns, and pet feces are not collected during yard waste collection.
(Using a mulching lawnmower blade cuts grass pieces smaller, returning moisture and nutrients to the soil, and reducing the need to collect clippings).
Brush Collection
Brush must be separated from yard waste. Brush is collected during designated weeks, as indicated by the tree branch symbol shown in the Collection Schedule. Collection limit of 10 bundles or rigid containers (No Paper Bags). Brush dimensions must not exceed 10 cm (4 inches) in diameter and 1 m (4 feet) in length.
Accepted brush includes:
- Branches (maximum: up to 10 cm [4 inches] in diameter and up to 1 m [4 feet] in length)
- Twigs
- Hedges (root balls removed)
- Shrubs (root balls removed)
- Rose bushes (root balls removed)
- Vines (root balls removed)
- Sticks
- Corn Stalks
- Pinecones (must be in a brush container or a container on its own)
Set Out Requirements
- Brush can only be set on the boulevard for collection after 6:00 pm the night before or before 7 a.m. the morning of your designated brush collection day.
- Brush must be tied in bundles using compostable material (such as jute or twine) or may be placed in an open rigid container (no lid), with drainage holes, and marked with an “X” on two sides.
- Brush will not be collected in paper bags.
- Brush bundles cannot exceed 22kg (48Ibs).
- Pinecones (must be in a brush container or a container on its own)
- There is a collection limit of 10 bundles or containers.
- Yard waste set out prior to your designated collection day, or placed on the road or gutter it contravenes the City of Sarnia’s Waste Collection By-Law 62 of 2006. Contraventions of this By-Law can result in fines set by the court.
Christmas Tree Collection
Real Christmas trees are collected during a designated week as indicated by the Christmas tree symbol as shown in the Collection Schedule.
Set Out Requirements
- Real Christmas trees can only be set out after 6 p.m. the night before or before 7 a.m. the morning of, your designated Christmas tree/waste collection day.
- Christmas trees that are bagged, wrapped in plastic, or have any attachments such as a tree stand or decorations will not be collected.
- Real Christmas trees set out prior to your designated collection day is a contravention of the City of Sarnia’s Waste By-Law 62 of 2006. Contraventions of this By-Law can result in fines set by the court.
- Snow-buried Christmas trees will not be collected. Property owners are responsible to ensure their Christmas trees set out for collection are not snow-buried.
For proper disposal of unacceptable compost/material, residents may contact local drop off locations such as Transco Recycling (519-332-4045), Curran Recycling (519-332-0849) and Waste Depot (519-333-8252).
