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Banned & Restricted Materials
There are certain materials that Metro Vancouver disposal facilities do not accept, either because there are already disposal programs set up for these items, or because they are hazardous to waste collection workers, the public and the environment.
At disposal sites, garbage loads are inspected for banned and recyclable materials. Loads that arrive at the disposal sites in contravention of the ban are assessed a 50 per cent surcharge.
Clicking on any item below will give you information on what to do with them.
Some of these items will be collected in curb-side or building-wide recycling program. Others can be taken to a local depot. |
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| Corrugated cardboard
Problem: A fully recyclable product banned from the landfills as it needlessly fills hauling truck and landfill space. Solution: For residents, use your municipal curbside program or a municipal depot. Metro Vancouver Transfer Stations have a drop-off area. For businesses, contact Metro Vancouver’s Business Services for assistance to set up a cardboard recycling program.  Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Newsprint
Problem: A fully recyclable product banned from the landfills as it needlessly fills hauling truck and landfill space. Solution: For residents, use your municipal curbside program or a municipal depot. For businesses, contact Metro Vancouver’s Business Services for assistance to set up a recycling program. Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Office paper
Problem: A fully recyclable product banned from the landfills as it needlessly fills hauling truck and landfill space. Solution: For residents, use your municipal curbside program or a municipal depot. Keep a recycling bin in your home office. For businesses, contact Metro Vancouver’s Business Services for assistance to set up an office paper recycling program. Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Gypsum drywall
Drywall/ gypsum is banned from the garbage. When mixed with water, it forms a hazardous gas at the landfill. It is a recyclable product. Please do not mix this material with other garbage, or leave it attached to other renovation waste.
Solution: One truckload (no trailers) will be accepted in a drop-off area at Metro Vancouver Transfer Stations for $68/ tonne for two sheets and $100/ tonne for more than two sheets. Large amounts contact New West Gypsum 604-520-6647. New West Gypsum Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Lead-acid (car) batteries
Problem: Lead pollution if improperly disposed.
Solution: Accepted for recycling at most retailers and at a drop-off area at each Transfer Station. Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Electronic waste including personal computers, printers and TV’s
Problem: Across the region we generate about 20,000 tonnes of electronic waste each year. Many components are recyclable. Others are toxic and require safe disposal. Solution: Encorp operates depots with free drop-off service in every municipality in Metro Vancouver either at a Salvation Army location or a Bottle Depot. Technotrash Recycling also operates depots in the region. Encorp Technotrash Recycling Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Paints, solvents, and flammable liquids, gasoline, pesticides and other household hazardous waste
Paints, solvents, and flammable liquids, gasoline, pesticides and other household hazardous waste In Metro Vancouver, Product Care operates 18 depots where consumers can return leftover paint and nine depots that will take flammables, gasoline and most pesticides. There is no charge to drop off leftovers that are accepted by the program. Product Care Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Tires
Tire Stewardship BC is a not-for-profit organization formed to manage the scrap tire recycling program on behalf of tire retailers in the province. Most tire retailers will take back your used tires. Tire Stewardship BC Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Oil, oil filters and empty containers
The British Columbia used oil material recycling program offers an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution to disposing of used oil, oil filters and plastic oil containers. Used Oil Recycling Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Yard trimmings and green waste
Banned from the garbage because they can be re-used as chips or compost.
Solution: If available use your curbside pick-up. For larger volumes, use a municipal depot or the yard and green waste area at a disposal facility. Metro Vancouver disposal facilities Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Blue box recyclables (plastic containers 1, 2, 4 & 5, metal food containers and glass containers)
Problem: These fully recyclable products are banned from the landfills as they needlessly fill hauling truck and landfill space. Solution:Each municipality has its own blue box recycling program. Contact your municipality for more details. General items are glass jars, plastic and aluminium food containers. Sort recyclable items and use programs available to your home or business. For businesses, contact Metro Vancouver’s Business Services for assistance to set up a recycling program. Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Beverage containers (all except milk cartons)
Includes all containers of ready-to-drink beverages like juice, pop, water, iced tea, sport drinks, beer, wine, cooler and spirit containers. Cardboard milk containers and tetra packs also recycled (note: no deposit refund on these as no deposit is paid). For a list of the 200 refund locations in Metro Vancouver, contact Recycling Council of BC or Encorp.
In addition to using large depots, you can return beverage containers to any retail location that sells them (e.g. supermarkets, liquor stores), to a maximum of 2 dozen per day.
Milk cartons (waxy cardboard) are not banned from the garbage but can be returned for recycling to select return-it depots in your areas. Encorp Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Medications/pharmaceuticals
Products include: prescription drugs, non prescription medicines like Aspirin, herbal products, mineral supplements, vitamin supplements and throat lozenges. Medications Return Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) |
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| Appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators and more) Problem: Many components, like metal, are recyclable. Others require safe disposal.
Solution: Some municipalities have curb-side pick-up or municipal depot drop-off services. Metro Vancouver Transfer Stations have a drop-off area (maximum size 6’ x 6’ x 3’). BC Hydro has fridge buy-back program 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Asbestos
Problem: A naturally occurring, fire resistant mineral that is harmful to human health if particles are inhaled. Though not used in Canada since the 1990’s, asbestos is still found in old tiles, fireplaces, car brakes, electrical wire insulation and more.
Solution: Asbestos must be taken to the Vancouver Landfill. Vancouver Landfill Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Compact fluorescent bulbs Problem: Small volume of mercury.
Solution:BC Hydro coordinates recycling program information, including location of depots. BC Hydro Recycling Council of BC 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Fluorescent tubes Problem:Fluorescent tubes contain mercury, a heavy metal toxic to the environment.
Solution: Metro Vancouver’s Transfer Stations do not have an area to unload fluorescent tubes.
Contact Nu-life Industries at 604-857-5588. 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Milk containers (includes soy & rice milk) Problem: A fully recyclable product that needlessly fills hauling truck and landfill space.
Solution: For plastic containers, use your municipal curbside program or a municipal depot. For cardboard-based milk cartons, take them to a participating bottle depot for recycling. 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Rechargeable batteries Problem: These rechargeable batteries will be labelled as rechargeable, Nickel-cadmium or NiCd and are found in mobile and cordless phones, some power tools, electronics and toys. The Cadmium is a toxic heavy metal.
Solution: Return to participating retailers; Canadian Tire, Zellers, Black’s Photography, Battery Plus. Call the Rechargeable Batter Recycling Corporation (RBRC) at 1-800-BAT-TERY.
*For other battery types (alkaline, non-rechargeable), contact RCBC and find out if your municipality or local stores have a collection program. 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Sod It’s best to re-use sod in your back garden. Due to its weight and inability to break down, it’s not composted with yard trimmings. Look for private lands advertising for clean fill. Metro Vancouver’s Transfer Stations will take a very small amount as a waste (garbage). 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) | Odourous and dusty loads | Propane tanks Problem: Hazardous due to pressure from valves and remnant gas. Recyclable metal.
Solution: There are designated drop-off areas at all of Metro Vancouver’s Transfer Stations for both refillable and disposable tanks. 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) |
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