Vancouver Zero Waste Centre

The Vancouver Landfill Open House is suspended until midyear 2024. Check back for updates in early 2024.

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

What's happeningDonate your reusable shopping 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.

Follow these steps before donating your bags to ensure bags can be reused

  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.

The following items are 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. Due to Zero Waste Centre procedures to protect public safety, including COVID-19 protocols, residents are not allowed to sort through or take any items that have been dropped off at the Zero Waste Centre.

 Caution: Drop off garbage at the Transfer Station before dropping off recycling at the Zero Waste Centre due to left turn restrictions on Kent Ave North. 

Address

8588 Yukon Street
Vancouver

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 4pm

Materials accepted for free recycling

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

Bicycles and accessories

Books

Cardboard (flattened)

Cell phones

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

Cooking oil (maximum 10L per day per resident)

Electronics

Fire extinguishers (maximum 2 per day per resident)

Fluorescent light bulbs and tubes

Foam packaging (Styrofoam) - no foam peanuts

Glass bottles and jars

Household batteries

Large appliances (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, maximum 3)

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

Lead acid car and truck batteries (maximum 3 per day per resident)

Light ballasts

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

Other flexible plastic packaging 

Paper containers (tetra-packs, coffee cups)

Plastic bags and overwrap

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 at the Transfer Station

Fees apply to the following materials accepted for recycling at the Transfer Station. Some materials have volume restrictions.

Mattresses and box springs

New drywall (gypsum)

Food scraps

Yard trimmings and unfinished wood waste

Materials accepted at other locations

The following materials are not accepted here. They are included in take-back programs and accepted at designated drop-off locations. Use the Waste Wizard to find drop-off locations.

  • Antifreeze and empty antifreeze containers
  • Broken televisions and computer monitors
  • Flammable liquids
  • Medications
  • Paint and empty paint cans
  • Pesticides
  • Tires
  • Used oil, oil filters, and empty oil containers

Preparing items for drop-off

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.