Why am I charged an Environmental Handling Fee (EHF) when I purchase new electronics?

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.

Most often food packaging belongs in your recycling bin rather than your organics bin. There are some cases, however, where paper packaging gets too soiled to go in with clean paper for recycling. If you get curbside collection for food scraps, some soiled paper products can go into your curbside organics bin. If you are not sure if your community has a food scraps collection program, please contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline.

While it’s best to ensure glass isn’t broken when including in your recycling, broken glass bottle and jars can be recycled.

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.

Residential polystyrene foam packaging is included in a provincial recycling program managed by Recycle BC. This includes foam polystyrene packaging (styrofoam) to protect appliances as well as foam take out and meat containers. For a complete list of accepted products, visit the Recycle BC website.

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

Phone books are fully recyclable. All curbside recycling programs accept phone books as mixed waste paper.

Many municipalities provide blue boxes or bags to their residents, provided that the recycling pick-up service is provided by your city. Many multi-family complexes receive pick-up from a private contractor due to different property tax structures.

Empty aerosol spray cans, including those for food, air fresheners, shaving cream, hairspray and textile sprays, are included in a provincial recycling program, managed by Recycle BC. To ensure that any excess residue is eliminated, hold down the can’s nozzle and spray out the contents into an old rag until you do not hear any sound, not even air. Once the aerosol can is empty, many municipalities accept these items in the curbside recycling bin. For residents who do not have this option, these cans can be recycled free of charge at a number of recycling depots across the province. For more information on this program, visit the Recycle BC website, or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline.

Empty refillable and non-refillable propane tanks are accepted at most landfills and transfer stations for recycling as scrap metal.

Charitable organizations may accept electronics in good working order for resale or reuse. Since electronics become obsolete relatively quickly, most organizations can only accept electronics purchased in the last few years. Select organizations may be able to accept older electronics for reuse whenever possible. An individual in your community might also be interested in your working electronics. Contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for reuse options in your area.

Storage media that are not outdated can sometimes be donated to a local school, charity, or thrift store. There is also the option of listing these items on the Surrey Reuses website, or contacting the RCBC Recycling Hotline for possible reuse options in your area. If these items are ready for recycling, they can be taken to a Return-It electronics recycling depot.

End-of-life electronics, including non-mobile phones, cordless landline phones, and answering machines, can be taken to a Return-It electronics recycling depot for recycling.

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

End-of-life electronics, including audio and video systems, can be taken to a Return-It electronics recycling depot for recycling. To find the nearest drop off depot, call the RCBC Recycling Hotline or visit the RCBC Recyclepedia or Return-It website.

Return-It Electronics accepts cell phones as part of the province-wide electronics recycling program. You can drop off any of the regulated products at designated collection sites and be assured they will be recycled responsibly.

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

BC’s Return-It Electronics is a province-wide, end-of-life electronics recycling program available to all consumers and businesses in British Columbia. For a full list of accepted materials visit the Return-It website. For information on your closest depot, or for recycling options on materials not covered under this program, visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.

Charitable organizations may accept computer equipment in good working order for schools and other causes. Non-working or obsolete computers can be taken to a Return-It electronics recycling depot.

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

Many electronic items contain components that can cause environmental damage when thrown in the landfill. The ever-increasing amount of obsolete electronic equipment poses a real problem for solid waste management.

Need to recycle your old electronics? Visit RCBC’s Recyclepedia for drop-off options or contact the RCBC Recycling Hotline for all options available in your community.