Plastic

In BC, an organization called Recycle BC is responsible for residential plastic packaging collection and recycling. Government regulations stipulate that Recycle BC must approve the end markets for all of their materials before they are transferred. In the case of plastic, 99 percent remains in Canada, processed by Merlin Plastics. Less than 1% of plastic is shipped overseas in the form of densified polystyrene, and this constitutes only a portion of the foam they collect. For more information about how they manage the plastics they collect, see their annual reports and their response to the 2019 CBC Marketplace story. This foam is used in picture frames. For more information, please contact Recycle BC.

There is no standard recycling program in BC that accepts broken blue bins for recycling. If the blue bin you have has a plastic resin code visible on it, some plastic recyclers will accept the bin for recycling, often at a cost. Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

There is no regulation in BC that requires plastic products that are produced in or imported into the province to be recyclable or included in a recycling program.

Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

There is no set recycling program in BC that accepts plastics from businesses. Recycling for plastics from businesses, institutions, and commercial applications is offered as a service by private waste management and recycling companies, generally at a cost. Contact your local service providers for details on accepted materials and fees.

Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

Residential packaging foam and flexible plastics are accepted for recycling at all Recycle BC depot locations. They should not be placed in curbside or multi-family collection containers, unless expressly permitted by the service provider. Most residential recycling systems operate through the Recycle BC program, which prohibits these materials from inclusion in curbside recycling.

Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

The symbol consisting of a number surrounded by a triangle, or three arrows in the shape of a triangle, is a resin identification code used to identify the type of plastic an item is made of. It does not mean the item can be recycled.

For drop off locations and information about the types of plastic that can be recycled in your area, please visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline.

Plastic household items are not included in any of BC’s regulated recycling programs. Some municipal and regional landfills, transfer stations, and recycling facilities may accept certain types of plastics for recycling independent of provincial programs.

Some private plastic recyclers accept plastic household items for recycling, usually at a cost.

Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

Many “certified biodegradable” or “certified compostable” plastics may not sufficiently biodegrade in existing commercial composting or digestion facilities. To be safe, leave them out of your green bin unless your municipality or your service provider specifically says their processing facility accepts them.

Crinkly wrappers and bags are included in a province wide recycling program for packaging and printed paper under a category called “Other Flexible Plastic Packaging.” This program is managed by an organization called Recycle BC. This category would include wrappers for candy and cookies, cereal bags, potato chip bags, and other products. For a complete list of included items, please visit the Recycle BC website. These plastics are not included in the curbside recycling program, but can be dropped off at a participating depot free of charge. Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

Brita Corporation has teamed up with TerraCycle and implemented a national recycling program for Brita filters. Used Brita filters can also be taken to most London Drugs locations across the province for free drop-off through their Green Deal Recycling program.

Plastic and paper-fibre pots and trays, including those for seedlings, vegetable plants, and bedding plants, are included in a province-wide recycling program managed by Recycle BC.

Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

Residential polystyrene products such as egg cartons and meat trays are included in a province-wide recycling program managed by Recycle BC. Although this material is not accepted in most curbside recycling programs, it is accepted free of charge at a number of recycling depots in communities across the province.

Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.