Compost Depot

ACCEPTABLE

Branches	Pumpkins and jack o'-lanterns
Diseased branches, elm wood and trees	Shrubs
Flowers	Yard waste
Grass clippings	Wood chips
Hay, leaves and straw

UNACCEPTABLE

The Compost Depot does NOT accept the following material:

Vegetable and fruit scraps	Animal feces
Fish, poultry, bones	Wood, lumber or any construction materials
Fats, greases or oils	Ashes, charcoal
Coffee grounds, tea bags, bread scraps	Non-organic materials (such as plastic bags)
Dairy products	Sod and dirt

Many of the items above are accepted in the Green Organics Cart. For more information, please visit the Green Organics Cart section.

• Due to traffic and large equipment on site, please keep pets and small children in your vehicle for everyone's safety
• Follow all posted signage
• Dispose of plastic bags and other garbage at the provided waste receptacles

Dispose of diseased branches and elm wood at the Mike Mitchell Recycle Depot in the diseased branches bin (winter) or at the Compost Depot in the diseased branches pile (summer).

If placing diseased branches in your Brown Garbage Cart, please place in a sealed bag to prevent the spread of spores. Diseased branches cannot go in your Green Organics Cart. 

Please Note: Black knot diseased branches should be pruned in winter when fungus is dormant.

Additionally, to prevent Dutch elm disease, trees must also be pruned in winter months as stated in Bylaw #5-98, which makes it illegal to prune elms between April 1 and September 30 without expressed written permission from the City. Do not keep pruned branches for firewood to prevent beetles from establishing in the region.

Learn more about common Tree Diseases such as black knot and Dutch elm disease to discover proper pruning times and disposal tips. 

Composting is a natural process completed by bacteria, fungi and decomposers working together to breakdown organic materials (food scraps, leaves, grass clippings) into an earthy, soil-like material called compost.

Sod and dirt are mineral soils made up of varying amounts of sand, silt and clay. While these components of soil are vital for plant growth, as they provide soil structure, erosion control and store water, they do not supply plants or decomposers with nutrients the way organic materials do. Bacteria, fungi and decomposers cannot breakdown mineral soils and turn it into compost. The soil makes turning and aeration difficult and can impact achieving the required temperatures in the windrow for pathogen kill.

While sod and dirt was previously collected at the Compost Depot, it was not incorporated into organic materials for composting, but instead stored on-site. As a result, the City no longer has the capacity to store this material; hauling and landfill costs to dispose of these materials would ultimately be borne by the utility rate payers of St. Albert.

Small quantities of sod and dirt can go in the Brown Garbage Cart. Carts exceeding 200 lbs will not be collected.

Similar to other regional municipalities, we ask that residents dispose of large quantities of sod, dirt and soil at a City of Edmonton facility.