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Recycle BC now accepting new materials

NEWS RELEASE - Distributed February 21, 2023 9:30 AM

Summary

Recycle BC’s residential packaging and paper recycling program has been accepting new items, as of Jan. 1. Newly added items will be accepted either in Blue Carts for curbside collection or at depots, depending on the item. These changes resulted from an amendment to the Province of BC’s Recycling Regulation.

Some of these items were previously accepted in the program if the item was indistinguishable from packaging (e.g., foil pie plates, kraft paper bags). Here is a comprehensive list of the new official items you can refer to as a reference.

Newly accepted Blue Cart items include:

Plastics:

  • plastic plates, bowls and cups
  • plastic cutlery, straws, stir-sticks, and sample sticks
  • non-durable plastic food containers
  • rigid plastic gift bags or boxes
  • plastic plant pots and saucers
  • plastic tape dispensers (empty)
  • plastic dental floss containers (empty)
  • plastic clothing hangers

Paper:

  • compressed paper clothing hangers
  • coated paper plates, bowls and cups
  • single-use paper party décor
  • paper bags, gift bags, boxes
  • corrugated cardboard

Metal:

  • aluminum foil
  • aluminum-foil baking dishes and pie plates
  • metal storage tins (thin gauge)

Examples of flexible plastics now accepted at depots only:

  • single-use foam party decor
  • plastic vacuum, sandwich, and freezer bags
  • plastic shrink wrap
  • soft plastic gift bag or box
  • flexible plastic drop sheets and covering
  • flexible plastic bubble wrap (no bubble wrap-lined paper)
  • flexible plastic recycling bags (blue, clear bags, or yellow or blue bags used for curb-side collection)
  • flexible plastic carry-out shopping bags (reusable, plastic only no PVC or vinyl).

All items have been added to the What Goes Where Waste Wizard tool on the Nanaimo Recycles App. Please visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/WhatGoesWhere to access this search tool or download the App from the App store or Google Play.

Link to Strategic Plan: Supports waste diversion through improved reuse and recycling services for a diversity of materials

Key Points

  • Depots are now able to accept crinkly and stretchy plastics in one stream so residents will no longer need to separate them in order to take them to the Depot. They do not go into your blue cart.
  • The Nanaimo Recycles App has a handy What Goes Where Waste Wizard tool that allows you to enter an item to recycle and see which cart to use for curbside pick up or where you can take that item to be recycle at a depot.

Quotes

"The addition of new items by Recycle BC allows progress towards our desired outcome of zero waste throughout the full life cycle of production, consumption, recycling, and disposal to achieve local and regional waste management goals."

Leonard Krog
Mayor
City of Nanaimo
-30-

Contact:

For media enquiries, please contact
Communications
City of Nanaimo
250-754-4251

Print News Release

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