Get details about organic material collections
Collection schedules, accepted materials, materials that are not accepted and types of bins that are allowed. Find out how to put out kitchen scraps for collection and composting.
Only four boroughs offer an organic waste collection: Lachine, L’Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève, Pierrefonds-Roxboro et Saint-Laurent.
The other 15 boroughs have two separate collections: the food waste collection and the green waste collection.
What is organic waste?
Organic waste includes food waste (table and kitchen scraps), paper and cardboard with stains from food or water and green waste (dead leaves, grass clippings and other plants).
Unfortunately, these materials are often thrown away and sent to a landfill. Landfilled organic waste generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
So, if an organic waste collection is offered in your area, you must participate. You will help reduce waste and preserve the environment.
My borough
No borough selected.
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
Collection schedule
Buildings of 8 or fewer dwellings
To find out when you should put out organic waste for pickup, visit Info-Collectes.
Buildings of 9 or more dwellings
As of November 1, 2022, the organic waste collection is being offered on a voluntary basis.
Even if you don’t have a brown bin yet, you can place your green waste and food waste in authorized containers (please see the list below) and put them out depending on the schedule listed on Info-Collectes.
Brown bins will be distributed from 2023 to 2024. In the meantime, you can request a brown bin yourself.
Compost distribution
Part of the compost produced is distributed free of charge to residents once a year, in May.
Acceptable materials
Raw, cooked or spoiled food
- Cookies, sweets and desserts
- Dairy solids (cheese, butter and yogurt)
- Eggs and shells
- Fish and bones, seafood and shells
- Grain products such as pasta, bread, rice
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat and poultry (with or without bones)
- Nuts and shells
- Pet food and animal feed
- Pulses and pulse-based proteins: Tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein
- Spices and herbs
- Tea and herbal tea leaves or coffee grounds, with the bags or paper filters (no staples)
- Table scraps
- Vegetable peelings
Food-stained paper and cardboard containers and wrappers
- Boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates and all other containers for frozen or takeout food made of paper or cardboard that has been stained with grease or sauce: Pizza and chicken boxes, salad bowls, poutine bowls, takeout boxes
- Paper bags
- Paper muffin cups
Papers stained by food waste
- Brown paper, paper towels, Kleenex, paper napkins
- Newspaper
- Paper bibs
- Parchment paper
Green waste collection
- Dead leaves
- Debris from stubble plowing
- Debris from fruit and vegetable gardening
- Debris from pruning, branches, twig chips
- Evergreen (including hedges and cedar) and deciduous tree branches with a maximum diameter of 5 cm (2 in) fastened with fiber rope in 1 m (3.3 ft) bundles with a maximum diameter of 50 cm (20 in) or placed in acceptable containers
- Garden waste
- Lawn clippings
Other acceptable materials
- Cold ashes from untreated wood (let cool for at least seven days)
- Hair, fur and feathers
- Pet food and animal feed
- Paper straws
- Wooden utensils and silverware, wooden sticks and chopsticks
Unacceptable materials
Put in your recycling
- Clean printed material on paper or cardboard and newspapers
- Clean paper or cardboard containers and wrappings
- Plastic, metal or glass containers and wrappers
Other unacceptable materials
- All metal, glass or plastic items
- Biomedical waste
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates, glasses, cups and all other food wrappers or containers
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable plastic utensils
- Chewing gum
- Cigarette butts
- Construction and renovation debris
- Crystal, porcelain, ceramics
- Diapers for babies and adults (even certified compostable) and plastic hygiene products such as cotton swabs
- Disposable cleaning cloths
- Fabric
- Hot ashes
- Liquids: Soup, milk, juice, coffee
- Natural corks
- Non-vegetable oil or grease
- Paint, batteries and hazardous household waste
- Pet droppings
- Pet litter, even biodegradable
- Plastic, even biodegradable or certified compostable
- Sawdust
- Soil, rock, sand
- Soiled toilet paper
- Styrofoam and cling wrap
- Wax
- Wax paper
- Wood
Acceptable containers
- 47-litre brown bin
- 80-litre brown bin
- 120-litre brown bin
- 240-litre brown bin
- Compostable paper bags
- For excess green waste: Use paper bags, cardboard boxes or rigid containers, placed to the side
Legislation
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
Collection schedule
Buildings of 8 or fewer dwellings
To find out when you should put out organic waste for pickup, visit Info-Collectes.
Plastic bags are prohibited even if they are compostable, biodegradable, or made of cornstarch or natural materials. The composting site that receives waste from this collection does not have the certification that is required to open plastic bags.
Buildings of 9 or more dwellings
The organic waste collection is not offered to residents of these buildings. However, organic waste is accepted as part of the household waste collection (table scraps) and green waste collection (plants).
Compost distribution
Part of the compost produced is offered free of charge to residents once a year, in spring. See the montreal.ca news section to learn more.
Acceptable materials
Raw, cooked or spoiled food
- Cookies, sweets and desserts
- Dairy solids (cheese, butter and yogurt)
- Eggs and shells
- Fish and bones, seafood and shells
- Grain products such as pasta, bread, rice
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat and poultry (with or without bones)
- Nuts and shells
- Pet food and animal feed
- Pulses and pulse-based proteins: Tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein
- Spices and herbs
- Tea and herbal tea leaves or coffee grounds, with the bags or paper filters (no staples)
- Table scraps
- Vegetable peelings
Food-stained paper and cardboard containers and wrappers
- Boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates and all other containers for frozen or takeout food made of paper or cardboard that has been stained with grease or sauce: Pizza and chicken boxes, salad bowls, poutine bowls, takeout boxes
- Paper bags
- Paper muffin cups
Papers stained by food waste
- Brown paper, paper towels, Kleenex, paper napkins
- Newspaper
- Paper bibs
- Parchment paper
Green waste collection
- Evergreen (including hedges and cedar) and deciduous tree branches with a maximum diameter of 5 cm (2 in) not fastened in 1 m (3.3 ft) long bundles with a maximum diameter of 50 cm (20 in) and a maximum weight of 25 kg
- Dead leaves
- Debris from stubble plowing
- Debris from fruit and vegetable gardening
- Debris from pruning, branches, twig chips
- Garden waste
- Lawn clippings
Other acceptable materials
- Cold ashes from untreated wood (let cool for at least seven days)
- Hair, fur and feathers
- Pet food and animal feed
- Paper straws
- Wooden utensils and silverware, wooden sticks and chopsticks
Unacceptable materials
Put in your recycling
- Clean printed material on paper or cardboard and newspapers
- Clean paper or cardboard containers and wrappings
- Plastic, metal or glass containers and wrappers
Other unacceptable materials
- All metal, glass or plastic items
- Biomedical waste
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates, glasses, cups and all other food wrappers or containers
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable plastic utensils
- Chewing gum
- Cigarette butts
- Construction and renovation debris
- Crystal, porcelain, ceramics
- Diapers for babies and adults (even certified compostable) and plastic hygiene products such as cotton swabs
- Disposable cleaning cloths
- Fabric
- Hot ashes
- Liquids: Soup, milk, juice, coffee
- Natural corks
- Non-vegetable oil or grease
- Paint, batteries and hazardous household waste
- Pet droppings
- Pet litter, even biodegradable
- Plastic, even biodegradable or certified compostable
- Sawdust
- Soil, rock, sand
- Soiled toilet paper
- Styrofoam and cling wrap
- Wax
- Wax paper
- Wood
Acceptable containers
- 80-litre brown bin
- 120-litre brown bin
- 240-litre brown bin
- 720-litre brown bin (industrial and commercial facilities only)
- Compostable paper bags
- For excess green waste: Use paper bags, cardboard boxes or rigid containers, placed to the side
Legislation
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
Collection schedule
To find out when you should put out organic waste for pickup, visit Info-Collectes.
All categories of dwellings, schools, organizations, businesses and companies have access to the collection.
Plastic bags are prohibited even if they are compostable, biodegradable, or made of cornstarch or natural materials. The composting site that receives waste from this collection does not have the certification that is required to open plastic bags.
Large size branches
For large size branches and trunks, Pierrefonds-Roxboro conducts 2 door-to-door collections per year, one in the spring and one in the fall.
Compost distribution
Part of the compost produced is distributed free of charge to residents once a year during the Gardening Day in the springtime.
Acceptable materials
Raw, cooked or spoiled food
- Cookies, sweets and desserts
- Dairy solids (cheese, butter and yogurt)
- Eggs and shells
- Fish and bones, seafood and shells
- Grain products such as pasta, bread, rice
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat and poultry (with or without bones)
- Nuts and shells
- Pet food and animal feed
- Pulses and pulse-based proteins: Tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein
- Spices and herbs
- Tea and herbal tea leaves or coffee grounds, with the bags or paper filters (no staples)
- Table scraps
- Vegetable peelings
Food-stained paper and cardboard containers and wrappers
- Boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates and all other containers for frozen or takeout food made of paper or cardboard that has been stained with grease or sauce: Pizza and chicken boxes, salad bowls, poutine bowls, takeout boxes
- Paper bags
- Paper muffin cups
Papers stained by food waste
- Brown paper, paper towels, Kleenex, paper napkins
- Newspaper
- Paper bibs
- Parchment paper
Green waste collection
- Dead leaves
- Debris from stubble plowing
- Debris from fruit and vegetable gardening
- Debris from pruning, branches, twig chips
- Evergreen (including hedges and cedar) and deciduous tree branches with a maximum diameter of 5 cm (2 in) fastened with fiber rope in 1 m (3.3 ft) bundles with a maximum diameter of 50 cm (20 in) or placed in acceptable containers
- Garden waste
- Lawn clippings
Other acceptable materials
- Cold ashes from untreated wood (let cool for at least seven days)
- Hair, fur and feathers
- Pet food and animal feed
- Paper straws
- Wooden utensils and silverware, wooden sticks and chopsticks
Unacceptable materials
Put in your recycling
- Clean printed material on paper or cardboard and newspapers
- Clean paper or cardboard containers and wrappings
- Plastic, metal or glass containers and wrappers
Other unacceptable materials
- All metal, glass or plastic items
- Biomedical waste
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates, glasses, cups and all other food wrappers or containers
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable plastic utensils
- Chewing gum
- Cigarette butts
- Construction and renovation debris
- Crystal, porcelain, ceramics
- Diapers for babies and adults (even certified compostable) and plastic hygiene products such as cotton swabs
- Disposable cleaning cloths
- Fabric
- Hot ashes
- Liquids: Soup, milk, juice, coffee
- Natural corks
- Non-vegetable oil or grease
- Paint, batteries and hazardous household waste
- Pet droppings
- Pet litter, even biodegradable
- Plastic, even biodegradable or certified compostable
- Sawdust
- Soil, rock, sand
- Soiled toilet paper
- Styrofoam and cling wrap
- Wax
- Wax paper
- Wood
Acceptable containers
- 80-litre brown bin
- 120-litre brown bin
- 240-litre brown bin
- 720-litre brown bin (industrial and commercial facilities only)
- Compostable paper bags
For excess green waste: Use paper bags, cardboard boxes or rigid containers, placed to the side
Changes of format are not allowed.
Legislation
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
Collection schedule
Buildings of 8 or fewer dwellings
To find out when you should put out organic waste for pickup, visit Info-Collectes.
Plastic bags are prohibited even if they are compostable, biodegradable, or made of cornstarch or natural materials. The composting site that receives waste from this collection does not have the certification that is required to open plastic bags.
Buildings of 9 or more dwellings
Buildings with nine to twenty dwellings have food waste collection.
The rollout is being extended to all buildings with more than 20 units until 2025. Even if you have not yet received your brown bin, you can put your green waste in compostable paper bags on the organic material collection day listed for your address in Info-Collectes.
However, please continue to put your table scraps in your regular garbage can.
Compost distribution
Part of the compost produced is distributed free of charge to residents twice a year, in spring and fall. See the montreal.ca news section to learn more.
Acceptable materials
Raw, cooked or spoiled food
- Cookies, sweets and desserts
- Dairy solids (cheese, butter and yogurt)
- Eggs and shells
- Fish and bones, seafood and shells
- Grain products such as pasta, bread, rice
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat and poultry (with or without bones)
- Nuts and shells
- Pet food and animal feed
- Pulses and pulse-based proteins: Tofu, tempeh, textured vegetable protein
- Spices and herbs
- Tea and herbal tea leaves or coffee grounds, with the bags or paper filters (no staples)
- Table scraps
- Vegetable peelings
Food-stained paper and cardboard containers and wrappers
- Boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates and all other containers for frozen or takeout food made of paper or cardboard that has been stained with grease or sauce: Pizza and chicken boxes, salad bowls, poutine bowls, takeout boxes
- Paper bags
- Paper muffin cups
Papers stained by food waste
- Brown paper, paper towels, Kleenex, paper napkins
- Newspaper
- Paper bibs
- Parchment paper
Green waste collection
- Dead leaves
- Debris from stubble plowing
- Debris from fruit and vegetable gardening
- Debris from pruning, branches, twig chips
- Evergreen (including hedges and cedar) and deciduous tree branches with a maximum diameter of 5 cm (2 in) fastened with fiber rope in 1 m (3.3 ft) bundles with a maximum diameter of 50 cm (20 in) or placed in acceptable containers
- Garden waste
- Lawn clippings
Other acceptable materials
- Cold ashes from untreated wood (let cool for at least seven days)
- Hair, fur and feathers
- Pet food and animal feed
- Paper straws
- Wooden utensils and silverware, wooden sticks and chopsticks
Unacceptable materials
Put in your recycling
- Clean printed material on paper or cardboard and newspapers
- Clean paper or cardboard containers and wrappings
- Plastic, metal or glass containers and wrappers
Other unacceptable materials
- All metal, glass or plastic items
- Biomedical waste
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable boxes, bowls, condiment containers, plates, glasses, cups and all other food wrappers or containers
- Certified compostable, PLA, cornstarch or biodegradable plastic utensils
- Chewing gum
- Cigarette butts
- Construction and renovation debris
- Crystal, porcelain, ceramics
- Diapers for babies and adults (even certified compostable) and plastic hygiene products such as cotton swabs
- Disposable cleaning cloths
- Fabric
- Hot ashes
- Liquids: Soup, milk, juice, coffee
- Natural corks
- Non-vegetable oil or grease
- Paint, batteries and hazardous household waste
- Pet droppings
- Pet litter, even biodegradable
- Plastic, even biodegradable or certified compostable
- Sawdust
- Soil, rock, sand
- Soiled toilet paper
- Styrofoam and cling wrap
- Wax
- Wax paper
- Wood
Acceptable containers
- 80-litre brown bin
- 120-litre brown bin
- 240-litre brown bin
- 720-litre brown bin (industrial and commercial facilities only)
- Compostable paper bags
- For excess green waste: Use paper bags, cardboard boxes or rigid containers, placed to the side
Legislation
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
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