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Get the latest service alerts by setting up notifications in our app or address search tool (further down this page).

We want to thank residents who experienced recycling collection delays for their patience. We expect regularly scheduled collection to resume over the next couple of days. Please don’t hesitate to contact us, should you continue to experience delays. For information about collection disruptions in your area, and to receive collection service alerts, please download the Recycle BC app or check on our website by entering your address in the search tool above this message.

Recycling Collection Questions?

Recycle BC’s curbside collection contractor in the City of Vancouver is GFL Environmental. They can be contacted for:

  • Replacement blue and grey boxes
  • Replacement yellow bags
  • Missed collections, or other recycling questions

Monday to Friday, 7am – 6pm, at 604-282-7966 or srrecycle@gflenv.com.

Recycle BC’s multi-family collection contractor in the City of Vancouver is Waste Management. They can be reached at 604-282-7961.

Give your bins some space on collection day

Did you know that your garbage and green bin are emptied using a mechanical arm on the collection truck? In order for all bins to be emptied safely and effectively please leave space beside and above each bin.

Set your garbage, green and recycling bins out with at least 1 m (3 ft) of space on all sides. Do not place bins against a fence or garage. Look up to see if there are any tree branches, telephone lines or building overhangs. There should be 3 m (10 ft) of vertical clearance above the garbage and green bins. Blue boxes placed too close to the bins could get knocked over by the mechanical arm during collection so be sure there is at least 1 m of space between the blue box and nearest bin. For more information go to vancouver.ca/bin-set-out

Multi-Family Recycling

You are a multi-family customer if you live in (or manage) a building with five or more units, where recycling is brought to carts in a central location.

If you live in a multi-family complex with four or less units, or if residents use blue boxes instead of carts, please refer to the information provided for City of Vancouver curbside customers.

Recycling Collection Questions? Recycle BC’s multi-family collection contractor in the City of Vancouver is Waste Management. They can be reached at 604-282-7961.

RECYCLING GUIDE & SCHEDULE

Download the City of Vancouver Multi-family Recycling Guide here.

You can also download the Recycle BC app from Google Play or the iTunes App Store to search for depots, check your schedule, and use our recycling Waste Wizard.

Curbside Recycling

You are a curbside customer if you bring your own recycling to the curb using boxes and bags, and includes multi-family buildings with four units or less.

Recycling Collection Questions? Recycle BC’s curbside collection contractor in the City of Vancouver is GFL Environmental (Smithrite). They can be reached at 604-282-7966 or srrecycle@gflenv.com.

RECYCLING GUIDE

The recycling guide outlines how to sort your recycling, shows what is accepted and not accepted, and what items you can take to Recycle BC depots. You can also download the Recycle BC app from Google Play or the App Store to search for depots, check your schedule and use our recycling Waste Wizard.

2022 – 2023 recycling guide:

cover panel of City of Vancouver residential recycling guide for 2022 to 2023

Address Search

Use our address search tool to view your curbside recycling collection schedule and nearest Recycle BC depots. You can also sign up for reminders and import your schedule into your online calendar.

RECYCLE BC DEPOT LOCATIONS,
CURBSIDE COLLECTION SCHEDULES AND REMINDERS

Example: 35 Birch Wynde, Anmore
Need help?
DOWNLOAD THE APP

Material List

Search materials and view our full accepted materials list. Download the mobile app to search on the go with the waste wizard! Download it here or search ‘Recycle BC’ in the App Store or on Google Play on your mobile device.

FAQs

When did recycling collection transition to Recycle BC?

The transition of service from the City of Vancouver to Recycle BC happened on October 3, 2016.

Was Vancouver already part of the Recycle BC program?

Yes. The City of Vancouver joined the Recycle BC program in May 2014, and – like many communities in the province – was receiving a financial incentive from Recycle BC to manage its own residential recycling collection. The City decided in November 2015 to transition recycling collection directly to Recycle BC, and this change took place October 3, 2016. The list of materials accepted for recycling did not change.

Does Recycle BC directly provide recycling service to any other communities?

Recycle BC provides direct service in many areas of the province including the Cities of Pitt Meadows, Langley, Coquitlam, Revelstoke, Prince George and Quesnel; the Village of Anmore; the University Endowment Lands; and Regional Districts of North Okanagan, Central Kootenay, and Kootenay Boundary.

How do I sort my recycling?

Learn how to correctly sort your materials using the following resources: 

  • Your Recycle BC residential recycling guide
  • RecycleBC.ca/Materials has our accepted material list available for download, as well as a “What Can I Recycle?” search tool 
  • Download the Recycle BC app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit RecycleBC.ca/App 

How do I get recycling containers?

Please contact GFL Environmental, the company that Recycle BC selected to collect curbside recycling in Vancouver, for recycling containers.

Phone: 604-282-7966

Email: srrecycle@gflenv.com

Do I have to pay for replacement containers?

Recycle BC will replace each container once per household, free of charge. Should your household request multiple replacement containers, you will be asked to pay for the second and subsequent replacements. To request new containers, please contact GFL Environmental at srrecycle@gflenv.com or 604-282-7966.

What options are available to my property if the collection driver cannot bring the carts out to be collected?

In some cases where the carts are stored on the property in a location that is not reasonably accessible by the collection crew, buildings need to bring recycling carts out into the alley or other designated location for collection. This can be done by staff or residents from the building, or by hiring a third-party “pull-out” service. Buildings that choose to use a third-party service are responsible for contacting and entering into an agreement with their chosen third-party provider – and buildings pay for this service directly to the third-party. Buildings may enter into an agreement with any provider that they choose, third-party providers that Waste Management has previously worked with include:

Curb-It
Charlie Yu   778-989-2500   curbithauling@gmail.com

Dash
Dave Carson   604-312-4500   dashingdave@shaw.ca

Buildings are not limited to using the third-party providers that are listed above. The requirement to have the carts brought out is at the discretion of Recycle BC and its contractor.

Is my local government involved in this recycling program?

No. Your local government no longer provides curbside collection of residential packaging and paper. As of May 19, 2014, per BC’s Recycling Regulation, the businesses that supply packaging and paper to residents are responsible for financing the collection and recycling of these materials. Recycle BC works on behalf of these businesses to manage the program.

Who can I contact for more information about my recycling service?

If you live in or manage a multi-family building with five or more units, where residents bring their recycling to carts a central location, please contact Recycle BC’s multi-family collection partner, Waste Management at 604-282-7961 (a small number of multi-family buildings will be serviced by GFL Environmental – please use the address search tool above to verify your collector).

If you are a curbside customer (i.e. you bring your recycling individually to the curb using bins, bags or carts, including multi-family complexes with four or less units) please contact Recycle BC’s curbside collection partner, GFL Environmental (Smithrite), at 604-282-7966.

To learn more about what can and cannot be recycled under the Recycle BC program, visit our “What Can I Recycle” page.