One of the things people love about Compost Winnipeg is the effort we put into making our clients feel heard, supported, and informed throughout the process. Our FAQs have been carefully crafted to cover just about every important question about our service. However, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to connect with us directly.
FAQ’s
Nope! We are a social enterprise of the non-profit Green Action Centre. This means any profit beyond our operating costs, go to Green Action Centre programming to help Manitobans live greener. Learn more about our humble beginnings here.
This is absolutely something we are working on! At this time, we are focused on reducing organics going into the landfill, lowering emissions, and educating Winnipegers on the importance of waste diversion. We are taking small steps today to make even bigger changes in the future.
This is a fantastic question with a very complex answer!
Unfortunately, at this time, we do not have finished compost available for agricultural use. We hope to have one available in the near future but currently, we are not there yet. The reason being, we work in partnership with the Prairie Green Landfill to process the organic waste at their industrial compost site. This relationship enables us to accept things like meat, bones, dairy, and compostable packaging. In exchange, they use the cured compost in the landfill management process to keep trash from blowing away at the end of each day. Furthermore, the finished compost acts as a biofilter to capture greenhouse gases that the landfill emits. Since topsoil is a non-renewable resource using finished compost is a more responsible and affordable solution.
Now I am sure you are already thinking, “What?! It just goes into the landfill after all that!”. Yes, but the difference is that when you throw away organic waste in a plastic bag and it is compacted into the landfill mound there is no oxygen present. This results in the waste becoming septic and releasing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. This gets released over time and literally has to be pumped out of the mound by vacuum wells for decades after it has been capped with green space. By processing the organic waste separately this problem doesn’t exist because healthy microorganisms and insects decompose the organic materials as nature intended!
So here is our dilemma, if our city was composting more we would have more topsoil available and less trash to cover. Furthermore, due to the level of contamination from things like styrofoam, plastic bags, and non-compostable coffee cups which results in microplastics and potential toxins, the finished compost isn’t suitable for agricultural purposes. As composting becomes more mainstream and the general public gets more educated on what is and isn’t compostable the finished product will become purer.
Given the size of our small operation, this is our best option to start making a difference and getting the community thinking and learning. As we grow, we are looking at ways we can handle the processing of our collections and have compost available for anyone who desires it. We are taking small steps today to make bigger changes in the very near future.
No doubt not a simple answer but this is why we do what we do. We see the change that must occur and this is just the beginning.
RESIDENTIAL
If you know you will be away and do not need collections, please take a moment to complete this online form to put your service on hold. If you are away for 3 weeks or longer, we will adjust your subscription renewal date so you aren’t paying for service while you are away.
Since our collections take place weekly, the waste will be gone before it has time to get “funky”. It is also worth noting, the organics you will be tossing in the compost bin are currently going into your garbage can. So if you don’t have problems with that, our system won’t create any problems for you. Plus the pail we provide comes with a lid that further helps contain the waste and smells.
Since we collect your compost weekly there is minimal risk of pests. If you don’t deal with any pests with your current waste disposal habits, composting won’t create a problem. That said, we do recommend cleaning your pail following collections to help it stay fresh.
Fruit flies can be a nuisance in the warmer months of the year. To help manage them we recommend the following options:
- Wash your pail after each collection day with hot soapy water.
- Set a jar trap to capture the fruit flies using a jar with a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinager in it and add a few holes in the lid.
- Keep your organics in the freezer until collection day
- Keep your lid flat on your pail to create a better seal
No worries at all! Please place it out as usual. Our drivers are no stranger to torn bags, especially during the warmer months. They will simply tip the pail into the truck instead of lifting the bag out. No need to double bag your compost if this should happen again.
No. Our drivers are trained to spot our pails while making collections. This consistency ensures we don’t miss your pickup. Plus, when your neighbours see your Compost Winnipeg pail out they will be inspired to start composting too!
We are unable to accept human excrement in our compost pile due to pathogens that exist in it. As for baby wipes, most are not made of natural fibre but rather a type of plastic/oil by-product, or a mix of both natural and synthetic. So to prevent confusion and risk of contamination, we just put these items in the no column.
We are unable to accept excrement from omnivores or carnivores due to pathogens that exist in their waste.
Yes! If you are moving within our service area, we are happy to transfer your collection to the new location. We ask that you give us at least 2 weeks notice so we can sort you on to the appropriate route.
In the event that you are moving outside our service area, we can add you to our waitlist and keep your remaining subscription balance as a credit on your account for when we expand to your new neighbourhood. That said if you prefer to cancel, we do not offer refunds for service. However, you are welcome to gift the remainder of your subscription, along with your pail, to a friend, neighbour, or family member in our service area.
Yes. We understand that circumstances change. Unfortunately, we do not offer refunds for service. However, you are welcome to gift the remainder of your subscription, along with your pail, to a friend, neighbour, or family member in our service area.
Yes, we sure do! We know that during the coldest months of the year backyard composting is less feasible. We offer a seasonal subscription from November 1st to April 30th for only $210 ($35 per month). Sign up here!
Great question! As a general guide, if it came from the earth it can be composted. That said, it can be tricky to know if some packaging is compostable. Commonly it will say “compostable” on it, which we are glad to accept. If it is something a little less usual, you may find it listed on our Compost Guide. If you are still unsure, contact us with your inquiry; and if you can, please provide a photo so we can have a look. We love finding more things to compost!
Yes, we work all holidays except for Christmas Day and New Years Day! If you regularly scheduled collection day lands on a holiday please have you bin out as usual.
Yes, we provide BPI certified compostable bags for all bins we service. If you require more bags for bins we do not have access to, we offer them for sale. You can view our price list here.
Sorry to hear that! To keep our routes most efficient and maintain a small carbon footprint we do not make unscheduled collections. You can notify us to let us know you missed your pick up and we can make arrangements to collect the extra bag the following week for a $5 fee.
COMMERCIAL
Since our collections take place weekly, the waste will be gone before it has time to get “funky”. It is also worth noting, the organics you will be tossing in the compost bin are currently going into your garbage can. So if you don’t have problems with that, our system won’t create any problems for you. Plus the pail we provide comes with a lid that further helps contain the waste and smells.
Since we collect your compost weekly there is minimal risk of pests. If you don’t deal with any pests with your current waste disposal habits, composting won’t create a problem. That said, we do recommend cleaning your pail following collections to help it stay fresh.
Fruit flies can be a nuisance in the warmer months of the year. To help manage them we recommend the following options:
- Wash your pail after each collection day with hot soapy water.
- Set a jar trap to capture the fruit flies using a jar with a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinager in it and add a few holes in the lid.
- Keep your organics in the freezer until collection day
- Keep your lid flat on your pail to create a better seal
We are able to accept a reasonable amount of contamination that can be filtered out in the curing process. If we notice it to be substantial, we will document the occurrence and notify you. We want to see you succeed so there is a 30-day grace period. Following that, if we notice the problem persists we will charge a decontamination fee for each instance.
Our waste diversion report includes the collection weight and date it was picked up. We also convert that data into emission reduction stats and comparable environmental metrics. Take a look at an example report here.
Great question! As a general guide, if it came from the earth it can be composted. That said, it can be tricky to know if some packaging is compostable. Commonly it will say “compostable” on it, which we are glad to accept. If it is something a little less usual, you may find it listed on our Compost Guide. If you are still unsure, contact us with your inquiry; and if you can, please provide a photo so we can have a look. We love finding more things to compost!
Yes, we work all holidays except for Christmas Day and New Years Day! If you regularly scheduled collection day lands on a holiday please have you bin out as usual.
Yes, we provide BPI certified compostable bags for all bins we service. If you require more bags for bins we do not have access to, we offer them for sale. You can view our price list here.
EVENTS
We are able to accept a reasonable amount of contamination that can be filtered out in the curing process. If we notice it to be substantial, we will document the occurrence and notify you. We want to see you succeed so there is a 30-day grace period. Following that, if we notice the problem persists we will charge a decontamination fee for each instance.
Our waste diversion report includes the collection weight and date it was picked up. We also convert that data into emission reduction stats and comparable environmental metrics. Take a look at an example report here.
Great question! As a general guide, if it came from the earth it can be composted. That said, it can be tricky to know if some packaging is compostable. Commonly it will say “compostable” on it, which we are glad to accept. If it is something a little less usual, you may find it listed on our Compost Guide. If you are still unsure, contact us with your inquiry; and if you can, please provide a photo so we can have a look. We love finding more things to compost!
Yes, we work all holidays except for Christmas Day and New Years Day! If you regularly scheduled collection day lands on a holiday please have you bin out as usual.
Yes, we provide BPI certified compostable bags for all bins we service. If you require more bags for bins we do not have access to, we offer them for sale. You can view our price list here.
OUR PROCESS
This is absolutely something we are working on! At this time, we are focused on reducing organics going into the landfill, lowering emissions, and educating Winnipegers on the importance of waste diversion. We are taking small steps today to make even bigger changes in the future.
This is a fantastic question with a very complex answer!
Unfortunately, at this time, we do not have finished compost available for agricultural use. We hope to have one available in the near future but currently, we are not there yet. The reason being, we work in partnership with the Prairie Green Landfill to process the organic waste at their industrial compost site. This relationship enables us to accept things like meat, bones, dairy, and compostable packaging. In exchange, they use the cured compost in the landfill management process to keep trash from blowing away at the end of each day. Furthermore, the finished compost acts as a biofilter to capture greenhouse gases that the landfill emits. Since topsoil is a non-renewable resource using finished compost is a more responsible and affordable solution.
Now I am sure you are already thinking, “What?! It just goes into the landfill after all that!”. Yes, but the difference is that when you throw away organic waste in a plastic bag and it is compacted into the landfill mound there is no oxygen present. This results in the waste becoming septic and releasing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. This gets released over time and literally has to be pumped out of the mound by vacuum wells for decades after it has been capped with green space. By processing the organic waste separately this problem doesn’t exist because healthy microorganisms and insects decompose the organic materials as nature intended!
So here is our dilemma, if our city was composting more we would have more topsoil available and less trash to cover. Furthermore, due to the level of contamination from things like styrofoam, plastic bags, and non-compostable coffee cups which results in microplastics and potential toxins, the finished compost isn’t suitable for agricultural purposes. As composting becomes more mainstream and the general public gets more educated on what is and isn’t compostable the finished product will become purer.
Given the size of our small operation, this is our best option to start making a difference and getting the community thinking and learning. As we grow, we are looking at ways we can handle the processing of our collections and have compost available for anyone who desires it. We are taking small steps today to make bigger changes in the very near future.
No doubt not a simple answer but this is why we do what we do. We see the change that must occur and this is just the beginning.
