The winter can be challenging for curbside collection. Please note the following considerations during winter months.
Dos & Don’ts for Winter Cart Setout
- When shovelling, clear a flat spot beside or at the end of your driveway to place your carts.
- Place carts out of the path for snow removal equipment.
- It's recommended to place your materials on the right side of your driveway or boulevard (when facing the street) so they’re easier for collectors to see in the winter.
- Ensure lids are closed to prevent items from blowing out of the cart.
- Line the bottom your organics cart with newspaper or paper egg cartons to help prevent material from sticking to the bottom and sides of the cart.
- Do not place your carts on, behind or within 2 ft (0.6 m) of a snowbank. Your carts will not be collected if they cannot be accessed by the truck's automated collection arms.
Reminder: Your organics and garbage carts need space to be collected. Set carts with 2 ft (0.6 m) of space all around. Place your carts no more than 8 ft (2.4m) from the travelled portion of the road, without blocking the sidewalk. See full cart setout details.
If collection carts/boxes are hit by snow removal equipment and contents are spilled, it is the resident's responsibility to clean up the materials. If your cart gets damaged, please contact Emterra at customercare.barrie@emterra.ca or 1-833-253 8207. Damaged recycling boxes can be replaced by contacting Circular Materials’ Contractor at customercareont@emterra.ca or 1-888-597-1541.
Cart Storage in Winter
Try to keep your carts in a dry area throughout the week so materials do not freeze to the bottom or sides of the carts, and so they are safe from snow build up.
What to do if Organics Froze to the Cart
If organics material has frozen to the bottom or sides of your cart, try the following steps to help repackage it so material can be successfully emptied on your next organics collection day.
- Carefully pour warm water into the cart to loosen the contents.
- Tip the cart upside down to empty the material.
- Wrap the dislodged material in newspaper or place it in a clean, dry compostable liner.
- Allow the inside of the cart to dry completely before placing the material back inside.
Tip: To help prevent organics from sticking in the future, line the bottom of your cart with newspaper or paper egg cartons. Consider storing food scraps in the fridge or freezer until collection day.
Christmas Trees Collected Weekly in January
Christmas trees are collected weekly in January (beginning the first full week of the month and ending the last full week). Get full details on Christmas tree collection.
Barrie residents can also drop off Christmas trees at the landfill for free for composting (must be free of ornaments, bags, stands and plastic of any kind).