Many of us have been able to take advantage of this year’s outdoor season in BC – whether camping or just enjoying some quality backyard time. With our annual dose of the outdoors, good food, and quality time with family and friends also comes the usual camping and entertaining waste. And we’re here to help
you get that sorted!
Propane canisters/fuel tanks: Please, please, please drop these off at a collection site for safe disposal. Never include these in your blue box. They are extremely dangerous and can cause fires in the collection trucks and at the receiving facility, and we really want to keep our team safe. Search a disposal site using RCBC’s Recyclepedia tool.
Beverage cans and bottles: A good time was had by all and now you’ve got piles of empty cans, bottles, and juice boxes. Beverage containers can be returned to a Return-It depot for refund, or if it’s more convenient, metal cans, plastic bottles and juice boxes can be set out for collection in your blue box. Glass bottles can be set out for collection in your glass box if you have one or returned a depot if not.
Chip and snack bags and wrappers: I haven’t met a potato chip I didn’t like, and that’s especially true at a BBQ or during a camping trip. Crinkly wrappers can be returned with other flexible plastic packaging to a depot or a London Drugs store.
Tin cans: Pass the beans, please. Give it a quick rinse and put empty tin cans in your blue box with other containers!
Pizza Boxes: Ordering pizza for your next backyard bash? Pizza boxes, if mostly clean, can go in your paper recycling. If it’s heavily food-soiled, toss it in your organics bin. How clean is clean? Check out our take-out packaging post to see an example.
Foam meat trays: After a BBQ, we often end up with large foam trays from sausages, chicken, steaks or portobello mushrooms for the veggie love
r. These don’t have to be trashed – they can be recycled! Just return them to the depot on your next trip.
Marshmallow bags: What’s a camping trip without a smore or two or six? But what to do with the plastic bags when all the mallows are in your tummy? Plastic bags and overwrap, like on flats of pop, can also be returned to a depot or a London Drugs store.
And the ultimate tip: avoid waste altogether by using reusable cups, plates, cutlery, and even napkins instead of single-use items, which aren’t included in our packaging and paper recycling program.
So now you know what goes where we hope you’ll put what you’ve learned into practice. And if you have more questions feel free to connect on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. We’re happy to help ‘sort’ your recycling dilemmas.