Solid Waste Facility

The Solid Waste Facility (SWF) is Yellowknife’s landfill and waste processing facility, serving both residents and commercial contractors. It provides a safe and efficient location to dispose of waste. It also includes the City’s recycling and composting programs.

See our Visiting the Solid Waste Facility page to find fees and other information about visiting.

What the SWF Offers

• Provides blue bin recycling stations for paper, cardboard, plastics, and other recyclables
• Operates the Compost Facility to manage organic waste
• Operates the Contractor Snow Dump during the winter for commercial snow removal

Help Reduce Waste

Before visiting the SWF, residents are encouraged to:

• Sort materials in advance (metals, electronics, hazardous waste, wood)
• Use blue bin stations located throughout the City for recyclable materials
• Place organic waste in the green cart at home or at the SWF

Proper sorting helps: extend the life of the landfill, prevent lithium battery fires, reduce waste management costs, and support re-use and environmental stewardship.

Location

Contractors who want to access the SWF should register via a New Baling Facility Account:

Any vehicle accessing the site for disposal must ensure it is off-site for closure at 4:15 p.m.

Note: Large loads (such as a full truckload, a trailer, etc.) will not be accepted during the last 15 minutes of operation or after 4:00 p.m.

Beneficial Reuse of Materials at the Solid Waste Facility

• Scrap steel and appliances are sent out for recycling at Precision North
• Copper recycling through the City’s partnership with NSMA (Future initiative - Spring 2026)
• Concrete and asphalt are stockpiled for reuse on-site to make roads
• Excavated material from Public Works projects is used as clean fill to cover waste
• Shredded tires can be used for a variety of different purposes on-site
• Shredded cardboard, chipped pallets, brush, leaf, and yard waste are all used in the compost program as bulking agents