Sort'nGo Automated Cart Collection
The ACRD is rolling out a new three-stream waste service in areas throughout the regional district. The new Sort'nGo service will include roadside organics, recycling and garbage automated cart collection and will help the ACRD and the province meet their waste diversion goals. This means residents can divert organics (food and yard waste) away from the landfills, where it takes up space and creates harmful greenhouse gas emissions when buried under garbage.
By implementing an organic waste service, we can begin to divert food and yard waste from the landfill into nutrient-rich compost that can be recycled back into community. This organics collection is also part of a wider update that moves all three waste streams to an auto-collection cart system.
That means organics, recycling and garbage will be collected in uniform carts and picked up at the roadside by collection trucks. The goals of the new Sort'nGo auto-cart program are to provide more efficient collection, keep waste contained, reduce future costs for residents, and extend the lifespan of the landfill.
What's Happening?
Port Alberni
Three-stream collection was introduced to Port Alberni in September 2021 with organics collection. Learn more at letsconnectacrd.ca/sortngo-port-alberni.
Tofino, Ucluelet & some surrounding west coast communities
The three-stream service will roll out to Tofino, Ucluelet and some surrounding communites in November 2022. Learn more at letsconnectacrd.ca/sortngo-west-coast
Alberni Valley Electoral Areas B, D, E & F
The ACRD had considered extending the service to electoral areas. After receiving feedback from residents through an online survey in January 2022, directors have decided the service will not move forward. The summary report on survey results can be found here:
2022 Electoral Areas Waste Collection Survey Results (PDF)
Project Funding
Funding to support the ACRD's Regional Organics Implementation Project that includes enhanced waste services and upgrades to the landfill, is eligible through the Federal Gas Tax Fund. In 2020, the ACRD received a six-million-dollar grant that will fund the introduction of organics collection in the City of Port Alberni, the West Coast, and potentially AV Electoral Areas including Bamfield, First Nations and surrounding communities.
Stay In-The-Know with Sort'nGo
Download the Sort'nGo app (available for Android and iPhone) and get scheduled alerts, download collection calendars and use a quick search tool for cart sorting to find out what items goes where.
Search "Sort'nGo ACRD" at the Apple Store or Google Play.
To learn more about Sort'nGo in your area, get the latest updates, ask questions, and access the desktop version of the app visit:letsconnectacrd.ca/organics
About the Port Alberni Sort'nGo Service
In September 2021, we launched Sort'nGo Organics in Port Alberni and within the first three months we saw more than 500 tons of organic (compostable) waste diverted from the landfill. This is the equivalent to three blue whales, the largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth! Residents are busy learning how to sort smarter and keep contamination out of the organics and recycling streams. Learn more and subscribe for updates at:letsconnectacrd.ca/sortngo-port-alberni
Here's what you need to know:
- New standardized carts for organics, recycling and garbage allow an automated collection truck equipped with a mechanical arm to collect three streams of waste.
- The standard size for the new organics and recycling carts are 240L. The City of Port Alberni standard garbage carts are 120L.
- Organics is collected every week. Garbage and recycling is collected every two weeks, on alternating weeks.
- The automated trucks are equipped with cameras to check for contamination and oversized items so the City can send reminders to residents about proper cart use.
- The cost increase of moving to a three-stream collection system (garbage, organics and recycling) is $4/month for a total roadside collection cost of around $15/month per household.
About the West Coast Sort'nGo Service
Sort'nGo organics is heading to communities on the west coast. In November 2022, residents of single-family homes in Tofino, Ucluelet and some surrounding communities will begin diverting organic waste away from the landfill with new green carts for food and yard waste. Learn more and subscribe for updates at: letsconnectacrd.ca/sortngo-west-coast
News Releases
- 01 March 2022 - Sort'nGo Sees Unprecedented Waste Diversion Rates in City of Port Alberni
- 25 Feb 2022 - Alberni Valley Electoral Areas 3-stream Waste Collection Halted
- 17 January 2022 - Press Release - West Coast organics collection
- 10 January 2022 - Residents Asked to Help Shape the Future of Alberni Valley's Roadside Collection Service
- 17 November 2021 - Port Alberni Residents Asked to Help Decrease Contamination in Sort'nGo Organics Carts
- 13 October 2021 - Port Alberni Residents Divert a Whale's Worth of Organics from Landfill
- 3 September 2021 - Sort'nGo Organics Collection in Port Alberni set to begin Sept. 13
- 11 Aug 2021 - New Uniform Collection Carts Heading to Single Family Homes in Port Alberni
- 19 March 2021 - Alberni Valley Landfill Upgrades
- 21 Jan 2021 - Roadside Organics Collection Coming to Port Alberni: Info Webpage Now Live
Get in Touch
Phone: 250-736-SORT (7678) Email: sortngo@acrd.bc.ca
Request a Presentation
Are you interested in a school presentation about the Sort'nGo service and how it works? Let us know! Please fill out the form below and a member of our team will reach out to you directly.