EASTER HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Commercial Waste Collection
Residential Waste Collection
* Holiday Friday > week moved forward to a Monday to Thursday schedule, April 14 to 17.
* Holiday Monday > not affected.
Curbside Waste & Recycling Collection
Your waste and recycling will be picked up the same day every week, except some residents may be affected by holidays. Please refer to the Holiday Pick-up Schedule noted below.
NOTE: CARTS MUST BE PLACED 1 METER APART FROM ANY NEARBY OBJECT.
WASTE & RECYCLING MUST BE OUT BY 7:00 AM, BUT PICK-UP CAN BE AT ANY TIME DURING THE DAY.
Regular Waste & Recycling Collection Schedule
Contact
Public Works Department
Phone: 250 378 4224
Email: info@merritt.ca
Replacement Bins
Email: finance@merritt.ca
RESIDENTIAL WASTE
& RECYCLING
- Tuesday (Zone 3)
- Wednesday (Zone 4)
- Thursday (Zone 1)
- Friday (Zone 2)
*Except during holidays. Note that Residential Pick-up is not affected by holidays that fall on a Monday.
COMMERCIAL WASTE
& RECYCLING
- Monday
- Wednesday
- Friday
*Except during holidays. Note that Commercial Pick-up is not affected by holidays that fall on a Tuesday or Thursday.
*See Holiday Schedule Below.
EXTRA BAGS
*SPRING & FALL CLEAN-UP: 2 extra garbage bags are permitted for Residential pick-up on the Victoria Day weekend (May 19) and Thanksgiving weekend (October 13).
*Those affected by a missed collection by 1 week (such as during the Christmas holidays) are allowed to put out 2 extra bags the following week. Extra bags are not applicable to those properties where the interruption is only one or two days.
Holiday Waste & Recycling Collection Schedule
RESIDENTIAL HOLIDAY COLLECTION SCHEDULE 2025
Residential Holiday Collection Schedule 2025
The following schedule highlights holiday changes to the regular Residential waste and recycling collection schedule. The regular pick-up schedule resumes after the holiday interruption.
FAMILY DAY: Monday, February 17 | Residential truck not affected.
EASTER: Good Friday, April 18 | Residential truck collection will be pushed back the entire week.
| Tuesday, April 15 > moved to Monday, April 14, 2025.
| Wednesday, April 16 > moved to Tuesday, April 15, 2025.
| Thursday, April 17 > moved to Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
| Friday, April 18 > moved to Thursday, April 17, 2025.
EASTER: Monday, April 21 | Residential truck is not affected.
VICTORIA DAY: Monday, May 19 | Residential truck not affected. Spring Clean-up: 2 extra bags.
CANADA DAY: Tuesday, July 1 > moved to Monday, June 30, 2025.
BC DAY: Monday, August 4 | Residential truck not affected.
LABOUR DAY: Monday, September 1 | Residential truck not affected.
TRUTH & RECONCILIATION DAY: Tuesday, September 30 > moved to Monday, September 29, 2025.
THANKSGIVING: Monday, October 13 | Residential truck not affected. Fall Clean-up: 2 extra bags.
REMEMBRANCE DAY: Tuesday, November 11 > moved to Monday, November 10, 2025.
CHRISTMAS WEEK: December 25 & 26 | Week moved one day earlier, except Friday.
| Tuesday, December 23 > moved to Monday, December 22, 2025.
| Wednesday, December 24 > moved to Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
| Thursday, December 25 > moved to Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
| Friday, December 26 > collection will be missed | 2 extra bags permitted the following week.
NEW YEARS: Thursday, January 1 | Week moved one day earlier, except Friday.
| Tuesday, December 30 > moved to Monday, December 29, 2025.
| Wednesday, December 31 > moved to Tuesday, December 30, 2025.
| Thursday, January 1 > moved to Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
| Friday, January 2 > Regular collection | 2 extra bags permitted as pick-up the previous will be missed.
VIEW THE COMMERCIAL SCHEDULE IN THE NEXT TAB
COMMERCIAL HOLIDAY COLLECTION SCHEDULE 2025
Commercial Holiday Collection Schedule 2025
The following schedule highlights holiday changes to the regular Commercial waste and recycling collection schedule. The regular pick-up schedule resumes after the holiday interruption.
FAMILY DAY: Monday, February 17 > moved to Tuesday, February 18, 2025
EASTER: Good Friday, April 18 > moved to Thursday April 17, 2025
EASTER: Monday, April 21 > moved to Tuesday, April 22, 2025
VICTORIA DAY: Monday, May 19 > moved to Tuesday, May 20, 2025
CANADA DAY: Tuesday, July 1 | Commercial truck not affected.
BC DAY: Monday, August 4 > moved to Tuesday, August 5, 2025.
LABOUR DAY: Monday, September 1 > moved to Tuesday, September 2, 2025.
TRUTH & RECONCILIATION DAY: Tuesday, September 30 | Commercial truck not affected.
THANKSGIVING: Monday, October 13 > moved to Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
REMEMBRANCE DAY: Monday, November 11 | Commercial truck not affected.
CHRISTMAS WEEK: December 25 & 26 | Commercial truck runs Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
| Monday, December 22 | Commercial truck not affected.
| Wednesday, December 24 > moved to Tuesday, December 23, 2025.
| Friday, December 26 > moved to Wednesday, December 24, 2025.
NEW YEARS: January 1 | Commercial truck not affected.
VIEW THE RESIDENTIAL SCHEDULE IN THE PREVIOUS TAB
Municipal Solid Waste Collection
The Residential Garbage Truck operator picks up waste from every house in the City of Merritt making a minimum of 1,700 stops a week. Using a hydraulic grabber, the team picks up 4,000 bins a week, which roughly translates into 68,000 lbs of solid waste a week or 3,536,000 lbs a year. The residential garbage truck operates four days a week Tuesday to Friday. The Commercial Garbage truck driver is a part-time employee that works three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The Commercial Garbage Truck empties 324 bins a week or 16,848 bins a year.
Municipal Recycling Collection
At the same time as municipal solid waste pick-up, the City of Merritt, in partnership with RecycleBC, provides curbside collection of some, but not all, recyclable materials. Acceptable curbside materials include Paper products, Cardboard products, Hard Plastic products, and Metal products. (View Acceptable Materials). While other materials, such as glass, batteries, flexible plastic, and foam, are recyclable, they CANNOT go in the curbside bin. Not all communities are alike in terms of what can be recycled curbside. Machinery is used to manage the recycling process. No manpower is available to fix “wish-cycling.” When unacceptable items are placed in the Curbside bins, they cause the whole lot to be contaminated, requiring the entire load to be dealt with as garbage. Please take the time to recycle properly.
What items are NOT recyclable in the curbside recycling bins?
Here is a list of some things that CANNOT go in our curbside bins.
- NO glass.
- NO plastic bags or other flexible plastics.
- NO paper towels or tissues.
- NO foam including meat trays. Even styrofoam with a recycling symbol 6 is not accepted.
- NO books.
- NO batteries, propane tanks, or other hazardous waste, including bleach, motor oil, and paint containers. Nothing with a Danger or Poison symbol.
- NO lightbulbs.
- NO electronics or appliances.
- NO pots, pans, metal hangers, or scrap metal.
- NO garbage. No compost. No unemptied containers. ALL MATERIAL MUST BE CLEAN.
These unaccepted curbside items must be recycled through other means, like the TNRD’s Lower Nicola Eco Depot at 2348 Woodward Rd, or other recycling depots: merritt.ca/recycling.
What items ARE ACCEPTABLE in the curbside recycle bins?
Acceptable curbside materials include:
- Paper Products: newspapers, flyers, magazines, phone books, shredded paper (contained in a paper bag), household paper & envelopes (window film removed), paper bags, cards, wrapping paper. (Items not accepted: Hardcover & Softcover books. Any paper that is contaminated with food, oils, foil, glitter, plastic).
- Cardboard Products: cardboard boxes & containers, candy boxes, paper cups & plates, egg cartons, clean pizza boxes and milk cartons. (Coated dairy cartons are an exception that can be included in the curbside bin).
- Hard Plastic Products: plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, pails (less than 25L), plastic garden pots & seedling trays, plastic containers with lids, caps, pumps, food containers. (Items not accepted: plastic bags, flexible packaging, overwrap, soiled items. Any product that has a Danger or Poison label on it).
- Metal Products: Spray containers like hairspray, cans, lids, foil containers, tin containers. (Items not accepted: pots, pans, hangers or scrap metal).
ALL MATERIALS MUST BE EMPTY AND CLEANED.
VIEW ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS
Bring unaccepted curbside items to the TNRD’s Lower Nicola Eco Depot at 2348 Woodward Rd, or other recycling depots: merritt.ca/recycling.
What kind of trash can I put in the cart?
All regular household garbage may be placed inside the carts. Do not put hazardous waste or construction waste in the household garbage. Contain all materials, especially small particle items like dust, in a garbage bag. Anything that is placed inside the cart must be able to fall freely when dumped.
Where do I set out my cart for collection?
The garbage carts should be placed on the curbside with the wheels against the gutter, the curb, or at the edge of the roadway by 7:00 a.m. on collection day. Lane customers will need to also place the new carts in the front of their resident. Lane pickup will no longer be available. PLACE BINS 1 METER FROM ANY NEARBY OBJECT.
Can I upgrade to a larger bin?
Yes. We can exchange your regular 120L (30-gallon) bin for a larger 240L (60-gallon) bin. An additional annual fee of $148.42 (2025 rates) for the larger bin will be added to your annual garbage fee. Contact City Hall.
Can I continue to use my existing standard garbage cans?
No. The semi-automated lifting arm on the collection truck does not have the ability to collect regular-type garbage cans.
What about extra garbage bags?
Only waste that is inside the container with the lid completely closed will be collected. Extra Municipal Solid Waste stickers can be purchased for a cost of $29.28 (2025 rates) for 10 tags and placed on extra garbage bags, which can be placed on the ground beside the wheeled cart. Alternatively, municipal solid waste can be disposed of at the TNRD Landfill.
What do I do with the cart when I move?
When you are moving (even within the City limits) the cart must stay with the property. Each cart is engraved with an identification number which is recorded with your address so the carts must not move with you to the new address.
What happens if the cart is damaged, lost or stolen?
Contact the City. The City will assess the situation and make arrangements for you to receive a replacement or repair the cart. Residents are responsible for routine maintenance, including keeping the carts clean, removing the carts from the street after collection, and storing the carts in a safe place. Any carts that are stolen or damaged through neglect or misuse will be replaced at the property owners’ expense. The cost of these bins are $75 each.
Who is Recycle BC
Recycle BC is a not-for-profit organization responsible for residential packaging and paper recycling including the City of Merritt’s residential curbside recycling program. Recycle BC provides services to 98% of British Columbians, and is funded by the producers of packaging and paper. The City is responsible for collecting uncontaminated recycling from residents and delivering it to the Lower Nicola Eco Depot. Help reduce contamination by only including accepted materials in your recycling bin. Information on accepted items can be found on the Recycle BC website at www.recyclebc.ca/materials.