Vancouver Zero Waste Centre

What you need to know

The Vancouver Zero Waste Centre (formerly the Recycling Depot) provides a convenient location for residents to drop off a wide range of materials for reuse and recycling, free of charge, including materials:

Requiring special handling to protect the environment, such as batteries and propane tanks
In larger quantities than your curbside bins can hold, particularly if you are moving or doing seasonal cleaning

Recycling drop-off is for residential customers only.

Location
Hours of operation
Materials we accept
How to prepare materials for drop-off

Location

Hours of operation

Days	Hours
Monday to Saturday	8am to 6pm
Sunday	9am to 6pm
Christmas Day and New Year's Day	Closed
All other statutory holidays unless otherwise noted	9am to 5pm

2025 statutory holidays

What we observe as statutory holidays, excluding Christmas and New Year's Day
Monday, February 17, 2025
Friday, April 18, 2025
Monday, April 21, 2025
Monday, May 19, 2025
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Monday, August 4, 2025
Monday, September 1, 2025
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Monday, October 13, 2025
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Friday, December 26, 2025

Materials we accept

Materials accepted for free recycling at the Zero Waste Centre

Recycling drop-off at Zero Waste Centre is for residential customers only.

Materials not accepted here may be part of take-back programs or accepted at designated drop-off sites. Use the Waste Wizard to find drop-off locations.

Bicycles and accessories

Books

Cardboard (flatten)

Cell phones

Clothing and textiles, including reusable bags (items must be clean and dry)

Cooking oil (maximum 10L per day per resident)

Electronics, small appliances, and power tools (maximum 5 large items)

Fire extinguishers (maximum 2 per day per resident)

Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes

Flexible plastics

Foam packaging (Styrofoam) - no foam peanuts

Glass bottles and jars

Household batteries

Large appliances (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners)

Lawnmowers - electric, battery, or gas-powered (remove battery, drain gasoline and oil before recycling)

Lead acid car and truck batteries

Light ballasts (non-PCB)

Metal containers (cans, tins, foil, empty aerosol cans excluding spray paint cans)

Paper containers (tetra-packs, coffee cups)

Plastic containers (jars, jugs, bottles)

Power tools

Printed paper and paper packaging (newspaper, magazines, catalogues, writing paper, paper bags)

Propane tanks (maximum 4 disposable and 2 refillable)

Scrap metal

Small appliances

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Thermostats
Materials accepted with a fee at the Transfer Station

How to prepare materials for drop-off

Instructions for preparing materials
If you are dropping off materials accepted for free at the Zero Waste Centre and materials accepted for a fee at the Transfer Station, we recommend you:
1. Sort your materials by product type before loading.
2. Load your vehicle with free recyclables first.
3. Load garbage and recyclable items requiring a fee next so they can be dropped off first at the Transfer Station before you go to the Zero Waste Centre for recycling.
Instructions for donating bags
Do you have a stack of reusable shopping bags at home that you don't need or use? Donate them to residents in need.

Donated bags will be made available to residents with low incomes and people experiencing homelessness.

How to prepare your bags for donation
1. Remove all items from inside the bags, including receipts and personal belongings.
2. Remove any cardboard or plastic inserts from the bags.
3. Wash your bags (in a washing machine or by hand).
4. Tumble dry bags on low heat or hang to dry. Ensure bags are completely dry before donating to prevent mold.
5. Inspect bags for any damage. Do not donate bags with broken handles, ripped seams, or large holes.
6. Lay bags flat on top of each other. Do not stuff bags inside of one another.
Items not accepted as part of this donation stream
- Single-use plastic and paper shopping bags
- Reusable bags smaller than 23 cm x 30 cm when laid flat
- Reusable bags with sewn-in partitions for wine bottles
- Bags with mold or mildew, paint stains, or contaminated with oil
- Shopping bags on wheels
- Insulated cooler bags
Examples of reusable shopping bags we will accept

If you have more than 100 bags to donate, email ShoppingBagSupportPlan@vancouver.ca to arrange for drop-off in advance. This will help us avoid exceeding the storage capacity at the Zero Waste Centre.

Where to get bags

Find an organization near you where you can pick up free reusable shopping bags for personal use.

Residents cannot take bags that have been dropped off at the Zero Waste Centre. Because of Zero Waste Centre procedures to protect public safety, residents are not allowed to sort through or take any items that have been dropped off at the Zero Waste Centre.

Vancouver Zero Waste Centre

What you need to know

Location

Hours of operation

2025 statutory holidays

Materials we accept

Materials accepted for free recycling at the Zero Waste Centre

Materials accepted with a fee at the Transfer Station

How to prepare materials for drop-off

Instructions for preparing materials

Instructions for donating bags

Contact information, partner agencies, and website policies