Zero Waste reuse and recycling drop-off events

Becoming a Zero Waste community means rethinking what we send to the landfill, and looking for alternative ways to reuse and recycle as much as possible.

Whether you’ve just cleaned out your closet or have a garage full of old, broken, or unwanted electronics, these items can likely be reused or recycled – instead of ending up in the landfill.

What’s accepted for drop-off

The following items are accepted at each Zero Waste Reuse and Recycling Drop-off event.

 Clothing and other textiles can be dropped off for both reuse and recycling as long as they are washed and dry. This includes items that can be worn again or are torn, ripped, full of holes, stained, worn-out or faded, missing buttons, with broken zippers, or singles of paired items. Depending on the type of item and its condition, it will be reused, repurposed, or recycled.

Clothing or textiles that are wet, mildewed, contaminated or infested with moths or bed bugs will not be accepted.

For a full list of accepted items, visit our event partners' websites:

• Electronics - Encorp External web site, opens in new tab
• Household batteries - Call2Recycle External website, opens in new tab
• Light bulbs and light fixtures - LightRecycle External web site, opens in new tab
• Small appliances and power tools - ElectroRecycle External web site, opens in new tab
• Smoke and CO alarms – Product Care External website, opens in new tab

Materials not accepted

The following items are currently not accepted at Zero Waste reuse and recycling drop-off events: 

Learn how to recycle or dispose of these items

 Car seats are no longer accepted for recycling at the City's free reuse and recycling drop-off events. They can be recycled, for a fee, at the following events and locations:

• Pacific Mobile Depots (PMD) – occurs monthly at Lord Byng Secondary School and at Britannia Community Centre. Learn more External web site, opens in new tab
• Queensborough Landing Return-it  Depot  in New Westminster. Learn more External web site, opens in new tab

Car seats were accepted at the City's reuse and recycling drop-off events in 2018 as part of a trial period where the we collected data on car seat recycling.

A total of 540 car seats were recycled during the trial period. We will use all data collected during the trial to advocate for and support a car seat Extended Producer Responsibility program where manufacturers and retailers are responsible for the end of life management of car seats.