Here are some answers to our most frequently asked questions. If you have a question please e-mail us.

Click here for Curbside Collection Questions
Click here for Construction & Demolition Questions
Click here for Green Cart – Biodegradable/Compostable Bags Questions

General Questions

What are your hours of operation?
Click here for current hours of operation.

Where are you located?
We are located at 900 Woito Station Road in Laurentian Valley Township. Click here for directions and map.

How much does it cost to drop off material?
The fees to drop off material are found on our tipping fee schedule. 

What is the Contaminated Load Fee?  
The Contaminated Load fee is applied to landfill loads which contain recyclable, compostable, construction/demolition material, hazardous or electronic waste, and/or tires OR loads of materials that are improperly sorted.  This Contaminated Load fee is significantly higher than regular tipping fees and is meant to encourage proper sorting of waste and to divert material from landfill.  The current Contaminated Load fee is listed in the tipping fee schedule.

How should I sort my material when I come to drop stuff off? 
You can save time and money by sorting your load properly.  There are designated areas at OVWRC for separated recyclables (containers and paper/cardboard), scrap metal, leaf & yard waste, brush, tires, construction, demolition and renovation materials, hazardous waste & electronic waste.

Curbside Collection Questions

I need a blue box, yellow can or green cart, where can I get one?
Blue boxes, yellow cans and green carts are available for purchase from your municipal office. Please contact them directly for details.

  • Town of Petawawa – 613-687-5536
  • City of Pembroke – 613-735-6821 x 1410
  • Township of Laurentian Valley – 613-735-6291

Can I put liquor and wine bottles in with my container recycling (yellow can)?
We encourage you to “Bag it Back” to the Beer Store. Eligible liquor and wine bottles, glass and/or plastic, aluminum cans and tetra paks (soft sided containers) can be returned to the Beer Store for a refund.  Liquor and wine bottles are acceptable with your container recycling.

Which way should my green cart be turned at the curb?
Your green cart must be placed 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m) from the curb or roadside (in driveway, not on sidewalk or snow bank). Green cart must have 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 m) of clearance around it to allow for proper collection and with wheels facing away from the road.

My green cart is broken. Where can I get a new one?
Your municipal office is responsible for repairing or replacing green carts broken during collection. Please contact them directly to make arrangements.

  • Town of Petawawa – 613-687-5536
  • City of Pembroke – 613-735-6821 x 1410
  • Township of Laurentian Valley – 613-735-6291

Why wasn’t my garbage / organics / recycling picked up today?
If your material was not picked up you need to check the following information:

  • Is it the correct day for your pick up?
  • Did you have it out to the curb by 5:00 a.m.?
  • Did you have the right material out for collection?

If you have any questions about the collection of your material, please contact your municipal office.

  • Town of Petawawa – 613-687-5536
  • City of Pembroke – 613-735-6821 x 1410
  • Township of Laurentian Valley – 613-735-6291

When is curbside Spring and Fall Large Item Pick-Up?
Click here for collection dates and acceptable items. This information can also be found on your collection schedule. Please ensure that all items are placed curbside on the date specified.

Construction and Demolition Questions

How do I sort my load of construction and demolition material?
The following construction and demolition materials must be separated: Wood, Shingles, Drywall and Concrete/bricks.  For detailed sorting instructions click here.

How much does it cost to drop off construction and demolition material?
You can save money by sorting your construction and demolition (C&D) material. For C&D material sorting guidelines click here. Sorted C&D materials are charged a lower tipping fee. See our tipping fee schedule for details.

Green Cart – Compostable/Biodegradable Bags

Can I use plastic bags that claim to be compostable or biodegradable?
No.  Plastic bags of any kind (including biodegradable and compostable plastic bags) are NOT accepted in our green cart program. Our equipment was never designed to process material in bags.

Why are they available for purchase locally? 
Stores often stock items nationally. Most of the products will have some sort of message that would reference “where facilities exist” or “confirm with your organics collection program provider for acceptability”.

Where I lived before you were allowed to use bags.  Why not here?
There are many different methods of composting used by Communities across Canada.  These specific instructions related to compostable plastic bags is in place for any community or business who sends organic material to the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre for composting.  Always check with your local municipality about their specific requirements for recycling and composting programs.

What happens to organic material that comes into your facility that is in plastic bags? 
Unfortunately, it gets discarded as landfill material.  Incoming green cart material is hand sorted by staff and anything that won’t compost (i.e. plastic bags) or that will damage equipment (i.e. large pieces of wood) are pulled from the pile before the material goes through our processing system. The bags, and often the contents if the bag hasn’t broken open, are discarded as landfill. Any bags that aren’t removed get wrapped around the augers of our equipment and cause significant maintenance issues.

I’ve had some of these bags under my sink and they have already started to break apart into tiny pieces.
Often the bags do not fully decompose, they breakdown into tiny pieces. Also, when you permit biodegradable or compostable plastic bags – people assume any plastic bag is acceptable leading to even more contamination in the compost. 

Is this a change to your program?
No, we’ve been a paper based compost program since 2002.

If I can’t use compostable bags – what can I use?
There are paper bags on the market, some have a cellulose liner on them to help with moisture. You can also wrap material in newspaper or place food waste in cereal or cracker boxes and toss the entire thing in the green cart.  The green cart can also be lined with a leaf & yard waste paper bag.