Yard Waste

Yard waste includes leaves, pine cones, fallen fruit, trees, shrub trimmings, pumpkins, clean straw and dried corn stalks. Soil, sod and grass clippings are NOT ACCEPTED. 

Yard waste is no longer collected on Mondays. Yard waste is now collected on your regular waste collection day.

2021 yard waste collection schedule

  • April 13 to October 8 - Bi-weekly on garbage collection day* 
  • October 12 to December 3 - Weekly on your regular waste collection day

*If you live in the “yellow zone” collection begins the week of April 13. If you live in the “blue zone” it begins the week of April 20.

For more information, check out the Waste Management Calendar. 

What goes where?

If you aren't sure what goes where, you can use one of the tools below to find out:

Collection guidelines

  • Yard waste must be placed at the curb after 6 p.m. on the night before your collection day and before 7 a.m. on the day of collection.
  • Yard waste must be set out in a large Kraft paper bag (available at most retailers), cardboard box or in a reusable, rigid, open top container, such as a garbage can or bushel basket (max. 125L or 33G), which must be clearly labelled with a yellow yard waste sticker. Yard waste stickers are available for free at Access Richmond Hill (225 East Beaver Creek Road, Ground Floor) and at the Operations Center (1200 Elgin Mills Road East). 
  • Brush must be tied and bundled with twine (branches/bush may not be longer than 1.2m/4ft in length and no branches may be larger than 10 cm in diameter).
  • Each container or bundle must not exceed 18 kg/40lbs.
  • If yard waste has not been collected it must be removed from the curb on the collection day.

Drop off your yard waste

Richmond Hill residents can drop off their yard waste at the Bloomington Yard Waste Depot located at 1351 Bloomington Road, Richmond Hill. Visit york.ca/wastedepots for hours and fees*.

*Please note that new fees apply as of July 2, 2020.