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Hazardous Wastes
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Hazardous Waste and Operational Impact Materials are banned at all of Metro Vancouver's waste facilities.

Some of these wastes require special handling and disposal while others have designated local and regional recycling depots. For locations, search for Hazardous Materials Consultants, Environmental & Ecological Services and Product Stewardship Programs

Hazardous Waste means those materials defined in the Hazardous Waste Regulation, B.C. Reg. 63/88 as dangerous goods that are no longer used for their original purpose, and meet the criteria for Class 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, or 9 of the transportation of dangerous goods regulations.

Such materials include:

  • PCB wastes;
  • waste containing dioxin;
  • biomedical waste;
  • waste oil;
  • waste asbestos;
  • waste pest control product containers;
  • waste containing pest control products, including waste produced in the production of treated wood products;
  • leachable toxic waste;
  • waste containing tetrachloroethylene;
  • waste listed in Schedule 7 to Hazardous Waste Regulation B.C. Reg. 63/88; and
  • waste containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon.

Products and materials classified as 'Hazardous Waste' include goods that are:

  • recycled, treated, abandoned, stored or disposed of;
  • intended for recycling, treatment or disposal; or
  • in storage or transit before recycling, treatment or disposal.
Dangerous goods classifications & descriptions
Class 2: Gases - compressed, deeply refrigerated, liquefied or dissolved under pressure
Class 3:Flammable and combustible liquids.
Class 4:Flammable solids; substances liable to spontaneous combustion and substances that emit flammable gases when in contact with water.
Class 5:Oxidizing agents; organic peroxides.
Class 6: Poisonous (toxic) and infectious substances.
Class 8:Corrosive substances.
Class 9:Miscellaneous products, substances or organisms that are considered by the Lieutenant Governor in Council to be dangerous to life, health, property or the environment when transported and are prescribed to be included in this class.

Operational Impact Materials

Operational Impact Materials means those materials that may cause undue risk of injury or occupational disease to any person at the Disposal site, the public or environment or that may adversely impact operations at the Disposal site.

Such materials include:

  • Liquids and sludge;
  • Barrels, drums, pails or other large (205 litre or greater) liquid containers, whether full or empty;
  • Any single object that:
    1. weighs more than 100 kilograms; or 
    2. exceeds 0.35 square metres in cross section at any point; or
    3. exceeds 1.2 metres in width and/or 2.5 metres in length, except at the Waste-to-Energy Facility where a single object must not exceed 1.0 metre in length; or
    4. exceeds 3 cubic metres in volume.   
  • Refuse that contravenes the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation B.C. Reg. 296/97enacted pursuant to the Workers Compensation Act.

Resources

For more information on Hazardous Waste in British Columbia

Hazardous Waste in BC Factsheets

 Emterra Asbestos Fact Sheet – for Surrey, North Shore, and Coquitlam Transfer Stations

 SSG Environmental Asbestos Fact Sheet – for Langley and Maple Ridge Waste and Recycling Centres

Information on asbestos for homeowners

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