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Reduce your waste

Start with easy steps to reduce

  • Avoid single use items like paper towels which are made from natural resources which are then shipped, purchased, used once and then thrown into the garbage – only to be transported to the landfill. Use a dish cloth or rag instead of a paper towel!
  • Invest in quality items that last longer. Cheaply-made items usually end up in the landfill
  • Save space and money while reducing your impact on the local landfill by borrowing or renting occasional household tools and appliances. Make friends with your neighbours and borrow items you don't need on a regular basis
  • Look for reduced packaging when shopping
  • Make a habit of always carrying a reusable shopping bag

Recycle when possible

Vancouver has a blue box recycling program and apartment recycling. Click here for a list of recyclables.

Recycling isn't just about newspapers, cardboard and empty soup cans. Find out where to recycle items that aren't included in the City's blue box or apartment recycling programs using the Recycling Council of BC's Recyclepedia or Metro Vancouver's database.

Didn't find the answer you need? Call the RCBC Hotline for up-to-date information concerning waste reduction, recycling, disposal and pollution prevention at 604-R-E-C-Y-C-L-E (604-732-9253) or e-mail.

Want the bigger picture? You can also visit Metro Vancouver's Zero Waste Challenge website for updated regional plans on how to deal with garbage, which envisages a zero waste region - no waste, only resources.

Take your milk containers to Return-It Centres

Instead of throwing your empty cartons of cow, soy or rice milk into the garbage, take them to a participating Encorp Return-It Centre where they can be recycled. There is no deposit paid for milk or milk-substitute containers but it's still worth the effort. For more information, including a list of depots, call Encorp Pacific at 1-800-330-9767 or go to their website.

Compost your lawn and kitchen scraps

City crews provide yard-trimmings collection to single family, duplex and multi- family residential properties in Vancouver. View the schedule for lawn trimming pickup in your neighbourhood.

Reduce your household waste and help the environment by composting at home. Turn uncooked vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds and filters, egg shells and other organic waste into a nutrient-rich soil conditioner.

  • The City offers backyard composters through a special resident's program.
  • Don't have a backyard? The City of Vancouver offers apartment residents a way to compost food scraps, worm composting. City Farmer's workshops demonstrates the process. Find out more - 604.736.2250

Say no to junk mail

According to the Red Dot Campaign website, the $2 billion Canadian flyer industry contributes over one million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually! To find out how to reduce your carbon footprint by reducing junk mail, visit Red Dot Campaign or the Canada Post's epost or Consumer Choice Program websites.

Suzanne re-uses

suzanne

Suzanne is a local artist who loves to find artistic uses for discarded bits n' pieces that most of us would consider garbage. Her creative recycling ideas include such things as making banners from old shirts using natural dyes, Dirt Bags - a gallery show of altered old vacuum bags and her t-bag Show which is a display of uniquely-painted recycled tea bags. She is presently working on a series of paintings on large heavy pieces of recycled cardboard.

Landfill gas

Landfill gas station

Traditionally, landfill methane is dealt with by flaring - burning the gas to reduce the odour and climate impact. More recently landfills are capturing the methane for use by local industries as a source of energy. For example Vancouver's landfill gas is used to produce electricity, as well heat for nearby greenhouses. Watch how gas from the closed landfill at Eaglequest is piped into the nearby recycling plant.