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Recycling
Metro Vancouver Recycles
Disposal
Back Yard Composting
Food Recycling
Hazardous Waste
Planning
Zero Waste Challenge
Getting to Zero Waste
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Unsure of what you can recycle?
Check out our Metro Vancouver Recycles database or contact your municipality. You can also call the Recycling Hotline at 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253).
Zero Waste Challenge 

 Zero Waste Challenge

Metro Vancouver's Sustainability Framework envisages a zero waste region – no waste, only resources. Currently, residents and business recycle just over half of the 3.5 million tonnes of garbage, or solid waste, created in the region each year.

Metro Vancouver Waste Stream

Although we recycle more than we ever did, our increasing population means we are challenged to even maintain our current 55% solid waste diversion rate.

Recycling alone cannot be the answer. As long as total waste generation climbs in parallel with recycling volumes, we will not make progress toward Zero Waste - the amount of waste we generate in the first place must come down.

What is the Best Way of Managing our Waste?
Director Marvin Hunt, the 2009 Chair of Metro Vancouver’s Waste Management Committee addresses that broad question in an overview distributed in February to the news media. Read the overview...

Reducing Waste at Home and at Work
Join your neighbours in reducing waste at home and at work. Find tip sheets, case studies, directories and great ideas to reduce, reuse and recycle:
Business - 3Rs and Safe Disposal Opportunities
Banned & restricted materials
Certain types of materials, like corrugated cardboard, office paper and gypsum drywall are banned from the garbage because either they can be recycled. Other items like lead acid batteries are banned because they are hazardous.
Links arrow List of banned materials
BuildSmart
This program works with the design and construction industry to promote green building systems, principles and practices from material sourcing to recycling or disposing of waste. BuildSmart helps professionals make informed choices when designing and constructing new or retrofitting existing buildings. 
 BuildSmart
Metro Vancouver Recycles
A free tool to help you find waste management services in your area. Contains over 1,300 locations within the Metro Vancouver region to donate, recycle or appropriately dispose of those items you no longer want. It can also help you find places to get the used items you need.
SmartSteps
Metro Vancouver offers no-cost technical assistance; tools and information to help area businesses reduce waste and improve their resource efficiencies, using materials, energy, water and other resources more wisely while reducing their impacts on the environment, protecting profits and adding value to the community.
 SmartSteps
Take-back programs
Numerous producers and manufacturers are taking back their products after consumers are finished with them for recycling or safe disposal. These Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs are funded through “eco-fees” at point of purchase.
Links arrow List of take-back/EPR programs
Transfer Stations
Businesses and residents can bring their waste to transfer stations where it can be dropped off for a fee. All transfer stations have a green waste (yard trimmings) area, and a recycle depot nearby.
Links arrow Transfer stations
Residents -3Rs and Safe Disposal Opportunities
Banned & restrticted materials
Certain types of materials, like corrugated cardboard, office paper and yard trimmings are banned from the garbage because they can be recycled. Other items like lead acid batteries are banned because they are hazardous.
Links arrow List of banned materials
Composting
Did you know 13 per cent of our garbage is food waste? Metro Vancouver and City Farmer have lots of information on how to reduce food waste by creating useful compost.
Links arrow More info
Curbside pickup / municipal links
If you have any questions about collection schedules or what you can put in your blue box contact your municipality. Please see sidebar for list of municipal solid waste & recycling webpages.
Household hazardous waste, used oil, electronics, deposit items, etc.
Numerous producers and manufacturers are taking back their products after consumers are finished with them for recycling or safe disposal. These Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs are funded through “eco-fees” at point of purchase.
Links arrow List of take-back/EPR programs
Metro Vancouver Recycles
A free tool to help you find waste management services in your area. Contains over 1,300 locations within the Metro Vancouver region to donate, recycle or appropriately dispose of those items you no longer want. It can also help you find places to get the used items you need.
Transfer Stations
Residents and businesses can bring their waste to transfer stations where it can be dropped off for a fee. All transfer stations have a green waste (yard trimmings) area, and a recycle depot nearby.
Links arrow Transfer stations

 Zero Waste Challenge Public Consultation
Metro Vancouver is updating the Solid Waste Management Plan that guides how the region will deal with its garbage.

The first round of public consultation consisted of 9 public meetings held throughout the Metro Vancouver region between March 13 and May 15, 2009. Participants confirmed and supported Metro Vancouver’s target of achieving 70 per cent waste diversion by 2015. Thank you to everyone who made the effort to participate. A copy of the report capturing consultation results was presented to the Waste Management Committee on May 20.
 Draft Zero Waste Challenge Plan for discussion
 Consultation Program Results

Next Steps
The Greater Vancouver Sewerage and Drainage District Board received a report entitled Next Steps in the Development of a Solid Waste Management Plan on Friday, June 26. The plan is under development.
 Next Steps in Development of Solid Waste Management Plan

 Updating the Solid Waste Management Plan

The Zero Waste Challenge is part of the region’s new Solid Waste Management Plan.
 Solid Waste Management Plan
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Resources

Zero Waste Challenge
Food CompostFood Compost
Park Royal Recycling ProgramPark Royal Recycling Program
Strathcona Zero Waste ChallengeStrathcona Zero Waste Challenge
Whitecaps RecyclingWhitecaps Recycling
Wood waste RecyclingWood waste Recycling
Composting Food WasteComposting Food Waste
Materials and Energy RecoveryMaterials and Energy Recovery
Blue Box RecyclingBlue Box Recycling
Paper RecyclingPaper Recycling
Used Oil RecyclingUsed Oil Recycling
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Fast Facts

The quantity of waste produced in Metro Vancouver increases every year as the population expands. Currently, over three million tonnes of waste are generated annually in Metro Vancouver. Recycling rates have been improving steadily since the 1990s, however overall waste generation is also increasing.

Composition of Disposed Waste
This illustrates how significant these materials are in the context of the overall waste stream. To strategize on the best method of targeting these materials it is important to also know the source sector.
Link arrow View chart

Composition of Recycling
This diagram shows what’s the 52 per cent of waste that is diverted from disposal though recycling and EPR/take-back programs.
Link arrow View chart

Composition of Waste Disposed by Sector
The self haul category has seen major growth in recent years and is primarily from the single family housing sector and to a lesser extent from the commercial sector. Restriction on garbage can numbers and sizes (i.e. “can limits”) and restrictions on bulky waste collection at the curbside have effectively somewhat restricted residential garbage collection.
Link arrow  View chart