January 9: MMBC continues to have additional trucks and crews working this week to support recycling collection. An enhanced Smithrite fleet will collect the scheduled zone each day in all areas they can safely access. Additional crews will return over the following days to collect from difficult to access areas. If your recycling is not collected on your scheduled day, please leave your bins and bags out.
Please note that despite our efforts there may still be inaccessible or unsafe roads and lanes due to ice. For more info please view Smithrite’s service notices or contact Smithrite at 604-282-7966. Your patience is greatly appreciated.
Residents may also drop off curbside recycling materials free of charge to any recycling depot (excluding London Drugs locations). Search your address for your closest depot location.
January 4: Multi-Material BC (MMBC) has extended its response to the atypical winter weather conditions that have caused recycling service delays in some areas of Vancouver and thanks residents for their continued patience as crews work to ensure recycling is collected safely and efficiently.
Emterra Environmental and Waste Control Services were brought in on Saturday December 31, to support Smithrite in its collection efforts during this challenging time. As well, Smithrite added trucks from other service areas to service City of Vancouver residents. MMBC will again be adding additional resources to support collection on Friday, January 6 and Saturday, January 7, to reach as many households as possible where pick-up of recycling has been delayed by the weather conditions.
Some roads and laneways continue to be inaccessible or unsafe due to significant accumulations of ice. MMBC is prioritizing the safety of workers and residents by ensuring crews aren’t working in dangerous, icy conditions that could lead to accidents, injury, or unintended damage to property.
With the forecast calling for ongoing freezing temperatures and more snow later this week, additional service delays are possible. MMBC will continue its winter response efforts, including deploying additional trucks over the weekend and into next week, in an effort to complete collection in all accessible areas.
Residents can obtain updates on MMBC’s winter weather response at RecyclingInBC.ca/Vancouver.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR VANCOUVER RESIDENTS:
City of Vancouver residents are asked to leave their recycling bins, boxes and bags out as crews are working diligently to service accessible Vancouver areas and missed neighborhoods throughout the week and on Saturday.
Additional Bins: There is no limit to how much recycling you set out. You can place additional recyclables that do not fit in the blue boxes in a rigid container of your choice, such as a laundry hamper.
- Corrugated cardboard that does not fit in your yellow bag can be flattened and cut to no larger than 30” wide (78cm) x 30” tall (78cm). Stack neatly and securely place beside or between recycling containers.
Consolidated Materials: If all of your materials do not fit in your boxes or bags, please try consolidating them. For example, bulky plastic milk jugs, milk cartons, and boxes can be flattened; smaller metal cans be placed inside larger metal cans; plastic containers can be fitted inside each other (e.g. yogurt containers), etc. or use a second bin for additional materials
Recycling Depot: There are five recycling depots in the City of Vancouver that accept all the material residents set out at the curb. Residents are able to take materials to a depot if they choose. Residents can search their address at http://recyclinginbc.ca/mmbc-depots/ for a depot close to them. The Vancouver depots include:
Go Green Bottle Depot
7 East 7th Avenue
604-874-0367
Powell Street Return-It Bottle Depot
1856 Powell Street
604-253-4987
South Van Bottle Depot
34 East 69th Avenue
604-325-3370
Vancouver Central Return-It Depot
2639 Kingsway
604-434-0707
Vancouver South Transfer Station
377 West Kent Avenue North
604-873-7000 or 3-1-1
For recycling collection information and schedules or to download MMBC’s recycling app, visit RecyclingInBC.ca/Vancouver.