Winter is looming in the Pembina Valley, but that doesn't mean you have to stop composting.

Winter composting schedules should remain the same throughout the Pembina Valley and Penner Waste Manager Mark Hamm says composting won't change during the winter months.

"It's exciting to see communities taking initiatives to do composting year round," Hamm says.

He says by adding a year-round compost pick up it allows residents to divert an additional 43% of their waste stream into a reusable system instead of the landfill.

The smell pertaining to compost comes from the liquid it produces. Hamm explains making a 'Compost Lasagna' can help absorb that liquid and reduce the smell. You can do this by putting a paper source at the bottom of your compost collection, then add your compost as the contents of the lasagna, and then top it off again with more paper.

"It's a great carbon source for the compost, so it's not like it's being wasted or thrown away," Hamm says when asked about adding paper to the compost.

According to Hamm the surrounding communities will be keeping with their regularly scheduled compost pick up. He adds you may experience some compostable materials getting frozen to the side of the tote, which will likely stay there until the temperature warms up. He notes having a compostable liner can help alleviate this from happening.

"The aspect of winter pick up is absolutely no different to any other season," Hamm says.