City guide · Kamloops, BC
Kamloops Yard Waste Guide: Leaves, Clippings and Drop-Off
In Kamloops, yard waste goes in your green organics cart. The City empties it every week. Leaves, grass, pine needles and small branches all go in, but never in plastic bags. When the cart is full, take the extra to one of three free City yard waste sites: Cinnamon Ridge, Barnhartvale or Bunker Road. Two of them close for the winter on December 1.
How does yard waste pickup work in Kamloops?
Kamloops doesn't run a separate yard waste cart or a fall leaf pickup. Your yard waste shares the organics cart with your food scraps. That cart goes out every week.
Garbage and recycling take turns, one every other week. So each pickup day, your organics cart goes out with either garbage or recycling.
The City splits Kamloops into five collection zones. Each zone has its own 2026 calendar on the City's collection schedule page. You can also sign up for reminders or use the Waste Wise app.
Don't panic if the organics cart sits there after the garbage truck leaves. The City uses separate trucks on many routes. Both carts still get picked up the same day, just not at the same time.
What yard waste goes in the Kamloops organics cart?
The City lists these yard items as accepted:
- Leaves, cones, needles and berries
- Plants, flowers and fallen tree fruit
- Grass clippings and weeds
- Small branches, twigs and prunings, up to 30 cm (1 foot) long and 2 cm (about 1 inch) across
- Potting soil and untreated mulch
Needles and cones matter here. City limits take in ponderosa pine and Douglas fir country. If pines shade your yard, their needles go in the cart just like leaves.
The branch limit is small. A 2 cm branch is about as thick as your thumb. Anything bigger goes to a drop-off site.
What stays out of the cart?
- Plastic bags and plastic bin liners of any kind
- Rocks and dirt
- Noxious weeds, such as knapweed, and invasive plants
- Painted or treated wood
- Pet waste
Knapweed is one the City names. Don't toss it in the organics cart. The City says to bag noxious weeds for your garbage cart, or take them to the landfill. The landfill takes them for free.
Put the wrong thing in the cart and you may get an "OOPS! Tag" on it. Fix the problem before the next pickup.
Can you use bags for leaves in Kamloops?
Only paper ones, and only as a cart liner. The City says large paper yard waste bags can line the cart. Plastic bags and plastic liners are never allowed.
A liner doesn't get you extra room, though. The lid has to close all the way, or the cart may not get emptied. Whatever won't fit goes to a drop-off site.
How do you set out the cart?
The rules come from the City's Solid Waste, Recyclables, and Organics Bylaw No. 40-67:
- Have the cart at the curb by 7 a.m. on pickup day.
- From April 1 to November 30, don't put it out before 4 a.m. That's Bear Smart season.
- Bring it back in by 7 p.m.
- Close the lid all the way. Don't overfill it or pack it down.
- Keep it clear of parked cars, fences, trees and overgrown shrubs.
Bears are why the night-before habit doesn't fly here. Put the cart out in the morning.
Missed pickup? Call the City at 250-828-3461 before 11 a.m. Crews will try to come back that day.
How do you stop leaves freezing in the cart?
Kamloops carts get emptied weekly, even in winter. But wet leaves can freeze to the sides. Then the cart won't empty when the truck tips it.
The City suggests a few fixes:
- Line the bottom and sides with dry cardboard. Take the tape off first.
- Layer wet leaves or food scraps with dry material.
- Put the cart out every week, even when it's not full.
In snow, set the cart on a spot free of ice. Put it on the road side of any snowbank or windrow.
Where can you drop off yard waste for free in Kamloops?
The City runs three free yard waste sites. They take grass, leaves, garden waste, fallen fruit, prunings and pumpkins. Homeowners and businesses can both use them. None of them takes sod or dirt.
| Site | Address | Open | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon Ridge | 4045 Tranquille Road | 7 days, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (to 4 p.m. from November 1) | Open all year |
| Barnhartvale | 970 Eliza Road | Friday to Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Yard waste closed December 1 to March 1 |
| Bunker Road | 1455 Bunker Road | 7 days, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Yard waste closed December 1 to March 1 |
All three close on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Which site should you pick?
Check the day before you load up. Barnhartvale is closed Tuesday to Thursday. Bunker Road and Cinnamon Ridge open every day. Cinnamon Ridge sits about 4.3 km west of the airport. It's the only one open through the winter.
Cinnamon Ridge is also the best bet for big wood. It takes prunings and trunks up to 24 inches (61 cm) across. Split anything bigger. The site takes credit and debit only, so leave the cash at home if you want to buy compost.
Where does it all go?
Everything from the three sites ends up at Cinnamon Ridge. That's about 11,000 tonnes a year. It sits in long open-air rows for 8 to 12 months and turns into compost. You can buy it back for your garden beds.
What about Mission Flats?
Mission Flats Landfill and the Resource Recovery Centre on Owl Road aren't the free yard waste sites. Both charge for yard waste. Skip them unless you also have sod, dirt or garbage to drop.
Can you burn leaves in Kamloops?
Not on a normal city lot. The City bans open burning on lots under 1 acre (43,560 sq. ft.).
Bigger lots need a permit from Kamloops Fire Rescue. Burning is allowed in April and October only, and breaking the rules can bring a fine. The City asks you to use the free yard waste sites first.
How can you make less yard waste?
Leave your grass clippings on the lawn. The City calls it grasscycling. It says mulched clippings can give your lawn about a third of the food it needs.
Mow at 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 inches), and don't cut more than a third of the blade at once. Short clippings like that break down fast.
A thin layer of leaves can get chopped up by the mower, too. Our guide to mulching leaves with a lawn mower explains when that works and when the layer is too thick.
When should you do fall cleanup in Kamloops?
At the airport, the average first fall frost lands around October 10. Frost slows the grass down, but one cold night won't end the season. Keep mowing while it grows. Our last mow of the season post covers when to stop.
Plan big leaf runs for October and November. Barnhartvale and Bunker Road stop taking yard waste on December 1. After that, Cinnamon Ridge is your only free drop-off until March.
Don't forget the strip between the sidewalk and the street. In Kamloops, owners mow and trim the boulevard next to their lot. Rake it too.
And don't let the yard go. The Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 49-1 says a property can't be unsightly. Overgrown or neglected landscaping counts.
One more local note. Since June 2026, parts of downtown and Westsyde are a Japanese beetle regulated area. The City asks everyone to clean soil off mowers, trimmers and rakes before moving to another site. Our partner crews don't spray, and we don't give chemical advice.
Can a local crew handle your Kamloops cleanup?
Yes. Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local crew in Kamloops. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.
Your crew can do a full spring and fall cleanup, with leaves, pine needles and beds. They can cut prunings down to cart size and keep up regular mowing until the grass stops. Ask how they handle haul away.
We measure your yard from satellite images, so no one needs to visit. Your price depends on lawn size, leaf and needle volume, slopes, gates and haul away. It comes by text in 60 minutes. You keep the same crew every visit, with a photo after every cut. Book the Worry-Free Lawn Season and your first cut is free. More local notes are on our Kamloops lawn care page. Heading down the valley? See our Kelowna yard waste guide.
Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.
Kamloops Yard Waste Questions
Does Kamloops have a yard waste cart?
Not a separate one. Yard waste goes in your organics cart with your food scraps. The City empties it every week, and it has tips for keeping it from freezing in winter.
Can I put leaves in plastic bags in Kamloops?
No. Plastic bags and liners aren't allowed in the organics cart. You can line the cart with a large paper yard waste bag. Take anything that won't fit under the lid to a free drop-off site.
Is yard waste drop-off free in Kamloops?
Yes, at Cinnamon Ridge, Barnhartvale and Bunker Road. Mission Flats Landfill and the Owl Road Resource Recovery Centre charge for yard waste. Sod and dirt aren't taken at the free sites.
Where do I take yard waste in Kamloops in winter?
Cinnamon Ridge, at 4045 Tranquille Road. It's open 7 days a week all winter, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Barnhartvale and Bunker Road close for yard waste from December 1 to March 1.
Rules change, so check with the City before you plan. Sources: City of Kamloops collection schedule, residential organics, placing carts, carts not collected, compost and yard waste, Cinnamon Ridge, Barnhartvale, Bunker Road, burning permits, water use, healthy lawns, boulevard maintenance, Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 49-1, Japanese beetle, Kamloops climate normals.
