Free Yard & Garden Waste Drop-off

Yard & Garden Waste can be dropped off at any RDNO Diversion and Disposal Facility (DDF) (except for Silver Star Transfer Station) free of charge. From Yard & Garden Waste we make RDNO-Gro which is used for gardening and landscaping throughout the North Okanagan.

What is Yard and Garden Waste?

"Yard and Garden Waste" is any plant material that comes from yard and garden management.

Accepted Yard & Gard Waste at RDNO DDFs includes:

• trimmings and prunings (<20 centimetres diameter and 2 metres long)
• leaves
• grass
• mulch
• flowers
• vegetable stalks (including pumpkins)
• woody or herbaceous waste
• wood chips
• wind fallen fruit and vegetables; and
• trees trunks and stumps (<20 cm diameter)

Not Accepted Yard & Garden Waste are: animal feces, cardboard, noxious weeds, plastic, soil, rocks, fencing, fabric, netting and other non-vegetated landscaping and gardening waste. Any material other than yard waste in the yard waste stock pile at a DDF is not permitted.

Noxious Weeds

Noxious Weeds are not accepted in Yard and Garden Waste. For disposal, these plants need to be contained and disposed responsibly to prevent their spread.

Noxious Weeds are accepted for disposal at no charge at RDNO DDFs under the following conditions:

• Contain them to prevent their spread in clear plastic bags, clear plastic sheets or tarp. Loose Noxious Weeds will not be accepted for disposal.
• Small amounts (less than 6 bags in volume) will be accepted during regular operating hours at DDFs.
• Larger quantities (more than 6 bags) require a minimum of 24 hour advanced notice at Greater Vernon DDF and are accepted between 10:00am to 2:00pm Monday to Friday (please call 250-550-3785 or email solidwaste@rdno.ca).
• Upon arriving to a DDF, proceed to the scale house and the attendant will advise on the dispose location and will record your disposal.  

Please help avoid the spread of noxious weeds and Invasive Plants. Learn more about Noxious Weeds & Invasive Plants.

Plastic Yard Waste Bags Contaminate Compost

Plastic bags are a big problem for yard waste and compost because they may be shredded into small pieces when the materials are chipped. Just one bag can be shredded into thousands of plastic fragments. The small pieces of plastic then pollute our land and water and reduce the usefulness of the compost.

Some alternatives to bringing yard waste to Diversion & Disposal Facilities in plastic bags are:

• Using reusable containers or kraft paper bags
• Bringing materials unbagged but remember to secure your load
• Keeping leaves for a valuable garden bed mulch or store to make leaf mold that will improve soil and protect plant roots
• Using leaves in your backyard compost, they are an excellent ingredient for controlling odors, preventing pests and making great compost
• Grasscycling by leaving mowed grass on the lawn which improves the health of lawns and saves you time

Please make sure all bagged Yard & Garden Waste is emptied. If you are not reusing your bags, emptied plastic bags go to garbage and emptied paper bags can be added to the Yard & Garden Waste pile.

For more information for using leaves for composting and yard care check out our Home Composting & Yard Care webpage.

Most municipalities also provide seasonal or curbside collection for yard and garden waste. For more information, check directly with your municipality.