Recycle Right - Recycle BC
What we do after collection is related to what you do before collection day. Together, we’re making a big difference in BC for our environment and our wildlife — we’re recycling hundreds of thousands of tonnes, and we’re keeping our plastics here for recycling. We want to give you the tools you need to recycle right and keep packaging and paper out of our animal neighbors’ habitats and keep our environment healthy.
Use our Waste Wizard to search for materials accepted in our program and how to sort them right:

RECYCLE BC ACCEPTED MATERIALS

Download from
GooglePlay™

Download from
the App Store™

image of beaver on dam

Because of you, we collect over 200,000 tonnes of packaging and paper each year for recycling – but that’s still not all of it. All kinds of packaging and paper can be recycled at home or at a depot, but we can’t recycle it without your help getting it into our collection system. Keep material out of the landfill and help us recycle even more. Find a full list of examples on our What Can I Recycle page or use the Waste Wizard search tool above.

image of cougar in front of blue box

We work with a local recycling end market who process the plastic packaging we collect. They convert sorted plastic into small plastic pellets to be used in new packaging and products – and they do it right here in BC! We try to keep our recycling close to home whenever we can. Learn more about where your material goes for recycling once it’s sorted.

image of robin standing on top of pile of plastic bags

While we’re still big fans of reusable bags or re-using the plastic ones, plastic bags can be recycled! They are collected at depots and London Drugs stores to keep them from mixing with other materials in curbside collection so they meet recycling remanufacturers’ specifications to be processed into pellets for use in new products or packaging. Let’s work together to give your bags a second life and take them to a depot.

image of owl and take out coffee cup

We’ve all been stumped once or twice about whether this packaging or that container can be recycled and where, so we’ve got you covered. If you’re ever unsure about a material type search it in our app or on our website.  That’s right, paper cups and hard plastic containers are collected in the same bin. You can do this owl and our bear friends a favour by recycling right.

You, as a BC resident, are so important to the success of our program and making sure we can collect and recycle your packaging and paper! Thank you for doing all you can to recycle your packaging and paper, and to do it right. It has a big impact on our environment and the wildlife that call BC home!

Participating in our social media giveaways? Read the full rules and regulations.