Zero Waste by 2040
While BC is ahead of most other regions in terms of recycling and composting, Zero Waste BC and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives call for bold policies centering on redesign, innovation, and shifting culture – by 2040.
Recycling Stats
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of our landfills consists of organic material in BC – meaning food scraps, yard waste, food-soiled paper products, and biosolids. According to the BC Government, this is equivalent to a global carbon footprint of approximately 4.4 billion tonnes of CO2 annually.
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of our plastic in Canada is recycled according to the federal government. Plastic is now labelled as a pollutant, and Canadians throw away over 3 million metric tonnes of plastic every year. Governments at all levels are taking action.
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The goal for plastic Canada Plastic Pact’s goal for plastic packaging in Canada is 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable. A circular economy for plastics in Canada would save $500 million in costs every year, create tens of thousands of jobs, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions significantly.
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The recovery rate for beverage containers in BC in 2021 according to Encorp Pacific (Return-It). Since 2000, the rate has ranged between 72% and 82%. The ERP program mandates a minimum of 75%.
Recycling in BC Overview
Recycling in your community is driven by BC’s Provincial Recycling Regulation which provides the rules and regulations for how recycling is planned for and managed.
BC also has an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy, which places the responsibility for end-of-life management of products and their packaging on manufacturers. When you buy a product covered by an EPR you pay a deposit or eco-fee. Some examples of the types of products covered by an EPR program and returned to a depot by the public after use are beverage containers, paints, tires, and batteries.
The Province also requires that each Regional District in BC develop and submit a Solid Waste Management Plan for approval. These plans detail how each regional district will not only manage its residential, commercial and institutional waste, and its recycling facilities, but also how it will work towards and reach provincially imposed waste reduction targets.
More about Recycling in BC
EPR 5-year Action Plan
BC’s Action Plan (2021-2026) calls for the addition of more materials to the EPR Program. These include more types of batteries (such as those from electric vehicles), mattresses, more pressurized canisters (such as camping fuel), and medical sharps from homes (such as those used for insulin).
Top 3 Material Questions
At RCBC, we receive nearly 250,000 questions each year about how to recycle materials. Here are the top 3 from 2021:
- Car and truck tires
- Disposable propane tanks
- Used motor oil
Plastic Bottles
In BC, plastic beverage containers were recovered at a rate of nearly 74% in 2021. All were sold to a Canadian recycler of plastic material and shipped to their facilities in British Columbia and Alberta. It is then cleaned and turned into pellets so that it can become raw material for manufacturers of various plastic products, including new containers, strapping, and fibres.
Common FAQs
Have a question about the world of waste reduction, recycling, or circular economy? Check out our FAQs!
Resources
RCBC is treasure trove of information from local government and industry data, to research happening right here at home, to best practices around the world. Take a look at our library, and if you don’t see what you’re looking for, give us a call.