Annual Back Alley Pick Up

The Town of Ponoka’s annual back alley collection of compostable yard waste begins after the Thanksgiving long weekend on Tuesday, October 14.

Ponoka residents are asked to place all materials for pick up in a pile at their back alley no later than Monday, October 13. If you do not have a back alley, please place your compostable yard waste at the front of your property near the curb where it is visible for pick up and clear of the roadway. 

The Town will make one pass down each back alley in Ponoka to collect yard waste (grass clippings, leaves, weeds and branches less than five feet) in excess of what will fit into residents’ green carts. 

It’s important to ensure branches are less than five feet long, which for quick reference, should be no longer than your arms extended, fingertip to fingertip. Branches longer than five feet will not be picked up. 

Residents are asked not to bag compostable yard waste that is placed at the curb or back alley for pick-up. Bagged yard waste will not be picked up to avoid contaminating the compost pile at the Town’s Waste Transfer Station. 

Other items that will not be picked up include: stumps (the root ball), rocks, construction material, wood, household waste and pet excrement.

Ponoka residents are also welcome to bring compostable yard waste free of charge to the Town’s Waste Transfer Station. 

If yard waste is bagged and is brought to the Waste Transfer Station, citizens must open the bags and empty the contents that are inside onto the Town’s organics pile. No bags (even compostable) can be placed on the Town’s organic pile.

Citizens are asked not to use grey carts or green carts to transport yard waste to the Waste Transfer Station. The grey and green carts pose a risk of contamination due to household waste and other organic matter.

The Waste Transfer Station also does not accept kitchen waste for its compost pile as the facility is not set up to compost that type of material. Kitchen waste can only be composted through the curbside green cart program where the waste is transported to an approved composting site.