City guide · Lethbridge, AB
Lethbridge Yard Waste: Fall Leaves and Clippings
In Lethbridge, leaves and grass clippings go in your green cart. It's picked up every week until the end of October, then every two weeks from November. Use paper bags only, never plastic. For extra bags and branches, the City runs three yard waste sites, in the West, North and South. They're open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. until mid-November.
How often is the green cart picked up in Lethbridge?
The City collects green carts every week from May to October. From November to April, pickup drops to every two weeks. So October is your last month of weekly pickup this year.
Your green cart doesn't go out on the same day as your other carts. Blue and black carts still take turns, one each week, on your usual day. The green cart has its own day:
| Your blue and black cart day | Your green cart day |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Wednesday |
| Wednesday | Tuesday |
| Thursday | Friday |
| Friday | Thursday |
Not sure of your week? Type your address into the City's Waste Wizard. Or get the free Lethbridge Loop app. It can send you pickup reminders.
The green cart program started in 2023. Since then, homes have kept more than 20 million kilograms out of the landfill. That's about 585 kilograms per household.
What yard waste goes in the Lethbridge green cart?
The City lists these yard items as accepted:
- Leaves
- Grass clippings
- Garden trimmings
- House and garden plants, without the pots
- Branches under 5 cm (2 inches) across and 1 m (about 3 feet) long
Paper liners and paper yard waste bags can go in too. That makes a full cart easier to dump.
The branch rule is easy to check. A 5 cm branch is about as thick as a broom handle. Cut longer pieces down to 1 m before they go in.
What has to stay out of the green cart?
- Plastic bags and plastic film, even ones marked "compostable" or "biodegradable"
- Rolls of sod
- Rocks, gravel and soil
- Diseased branches
- Noxious weeds
- Elm wood
The last three have a set path. Bag them, tie the bag closed and put it in your black cart. Rocks, soil and sod rolls go to the Waste and Recycling Centre, the City landfill.
Elm wood stays out because of Dutch elm disease. Our partner crews don't spray, and Golden Oak gives no weed or pest control advice.
Where are the yard waste drop-off sites in Lethbridge?
When the cart is full, the City has three self-serve yard waste sites. Each one shares space with a recycling depot, one in each part of the city.
| Site | Address | How to find it |
|---|---|---|
| West | 296 Bridge Dr. W | Top of the Bridge Drive West hill, just before University Drive. Look for the big green flag. |
| North | 2200 Stafford Dr. N | Where Stafford Drive North meets Scenic Drive North |
| South | 2665 28 Ave. S | Between the Lethbridge Soccer Complex and the Lethbridge Judo Club |
All three take yard waste from April to mid-November, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. They're well used. In 2025 the sites had more than 32,000 visits and took in 1,020 tonnes of yard waste and branches.
It all gets composted at the City's Organic Processing Facility, along with green cart loads. You can buy that compost back at the Waste and Recycling Centre.
What do the drop-off sites take?
- Leaves and grass, in paper bags
- Garden trimmings, weeds included
- Branches up to 6 feet (1.8 m) long and 8 inches (20 cm) across
- Fallen fruit, taken off the branches
- Clean pumpkins that aren't painted
- Elm prunings that are free of disease
What will they turn away?
- Loose loads of leaves and grass
- Plastic bags of any kind
- Bags bigger than 30 gallons
- Sod, dirt, root balls and stumps
- Muck from cleaning eavestroughs
- Loads mixed with garbage
- Commercial vehicles
That last one matters if you hire help. A crew truck can't unload there. Ask your crew how they plan to haul the leaves away.
Diseased elm branches can't go to these sites either. Take them to the Waste and Recycling Centre.
Can you bag leaves in plastic in Lethbridge?
No. Not for the cart and not for the drop-off sites. The sites are self-serve, so nobody will help you empty plastic bags. Use paper yard waste bags.
Roll or fold the top of each bag shut. Skip the tape and staples, since they don't break down in compost. And keep each bag at 30 gallons or less.
The City lists a few stores that carry paper bags. They include both Canadian Tire stores, Home Depot, Lowes, London Drugs and Home Hardware on University Drive West.
Wondering which works better for your yard? Our post on yard waste bags vs bins walks through it.
When do the Lethbridge yard waste sites close for winter?
The City says mid-November. It hasn't posted the 2026 date yet. Last year, Sunday, November 16 was the last day, and the sites closed November 17.
Missed it? You can still take yard waste to the Waste and Recycling Centre for composting. Last year, the City charged no disposal fee there on Saturdays.
Plan your big leaf runs for October and early November. Your green cart is weekly until October ends. After that it's every two weeks, so a full yard of leaves takes longer to clear.
How do you cut down on fall yard waste in Lethbridge?
Start with the grass. The City backs grasscycling, which means leaving clippings on the lawn. It says they add nutrients to your soil. Fewer clippings mean more cart room for leaves.
The City also says most southern Alberta grass does best at 7.5 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches). Taller grass hides small clippings well.
A thin layer of leaves can be chopped up right on the lawn. Our guide to mulching leaves with a lawn mower shows when that works. Thick, wet piles still need raking.
What about the wind?
At the Lethbridge airport, the wind blows most often from the west, in every month of the year. Rake toward the east side of the yard so the wind helps you. Fill bags on a calm day, and pack the cart right after raking.
When should you plan fall cleanup in Lethbridge?
The average first fall frost at the airport is September 17. Frost slows the grass, but it doesn't stop it right away. Keep mowing while it still grows. Our Prairie fall cleanup timing guide covers when most yards wrap up.
October is also a good month for elm hedges. The provincial elm pruning ban runs April 1 to September 30. Now that it's over, elm trimming can go ahead. Healthy prunings go to a drop-off site, not the green cart.
Don't let the yard go, either. Lethbridge's Unsightly Property Bylaw 5630 compares your place to the homes within one block. A yard full of soggy leaves stands out.
Can a local crew handle your Lethbridge cleanup?
Yes. Golden Oak Lawn Care matches you with a vetted, insured local crew in Lethbridge. They do the work. We stand behind it with the Golden Oak Guarantee.
Your crew can handle a full spring and fall cleanup, from leaves to garden beds. They can keep up regular mowing until the grass stops, and trim hedges once the elm ban lifts.
We measure your yard from satellite images, so no one needs to visit. Your price depends on lawn size, leaf 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 Lethbridge lawn care page. East of town? See our Medicine Hat page.
Want it handled? Get your price in 60 minutes, or call 1-866-904-LAWN.
Lethbridge Yard Waste Questions
Is the green cart still weekly in the fall?
Yes, through October. From November to April, the City picks up green carts every two weeks. Check your days in the Waste Wizard or the Lethbridge Loop app.
Can I put leaves in compostable plastic bags in Lethbridge?
No. The City doesn't accept plastic bags in the green cart, even ones marked compostable. The drop-off sites want paper bags too. Roll the tops closed and skip the tape.
Where can I drop off yard waste in Lethbridge?
Use one of the three City yard waste sites. They're self-serve and sit on Bridge Drive West, Stafford Drive North and 28 Avenue South. After they close, the Waste and Recycling Centre charged no disposal fee for yard waste on Saturdays last year.
What do I do with elm branches?
Healthy elm prunings can go to a yard waste site. Diseased elm goes to the Waste and Recycling Centre. Elm wood never goes in the green cart. Bag it, tie it and use the black cart.
Rules change, so check with the City before you plan. Sources: City of Lethbridge composting and green carts, dropoff depots, yard waste sites closing (2025), yard waste sites reopen (2026), green cart program update, Water Wednesday, Unsightly Property Bylaw 5630, Lethbridge climate normals.
