Why can’t I take my paint thinner to my local paint depot?

Product Care Recycling operates over 200 depots throughout BC that accept leftover household paint for recycling. Each depot accepts 10 cans of paint per person, per day, provided that the paint is residential, in its original container with the original labeling, and is not leaking. Paint containers up to 23 litres (5 gallons) are accepted.

No. Paint cans are not accepted through municipal recycling programs. In most areas, they are also banned from the garbage can. All paint cans, empty or full, should be taken to a Product Care Recycling depot for recycling.

Some paint recycling depots also operate as Product Care PaintShare depots. Through this program, any leftover paint is set aside for others to pick up for free reuse.

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

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.