eco-strata

The following items are banned from regular garbage by Metro Vancouver as of January 2008:

· Blue box recyclables: These include glass bottles and jars, paper, newspapers, plastic (#1, 2, 4 and 5), metal—these need to be put in the appropriate recycling bin, or can be deposited free of charge at a transfer station.

· Corrugated cardboard: Cardboard that is clean (i.e. not contaminated with food or chemicals) can be recycled through the municipal curbside program, or at a Metro Vancouver Transfer Station drop-off area.

· Newsprint: Newsprint can be recycled through the municipal curbside program, or at a Metro Vancouver Transfer Station drop-off area.

· Office paper: Office paper can be recycled through the municipal curbside program, or at a Metro Vancouver Transfer Station drop-off area.

· Gypsum drywall: Gypsum drywall is recyclable, and must not be thrown into the regular garbage because with water, it forms a hazardous gas in the landfill. It is accepted at Metro Vancouver Transfer Stations for $68/tonne (or free with a paid load of garbage, or for $5 without).

· Yard and garden waste: These are banned because they can be reused as chips or compost. They are taken through curbside pick-up, or can be dropped off at the yard and green waste area of a Transfer Station.

· Beverage containers: These include pop cans, beer and wine bottles, juice and sports drink bottles, and spirit containers, and milk in plastic jugs, but not milk cartons (see below). They can all go in the building’s recycling bin, or be taken back for a deposit refund at one of the 200 refund locations in Metro Vancouver, or to any retail location that sells them, such as supermarkets and liquor stores (up to two dozen per day).

· Juice cartons/Tetra Packs: These are not collected by the curbside recycling program, so must be dropped off at a bottle depot; many benefit from a deposit refund.

Lead-acid (car) batteries: Accepted for drop-off at · retailers, and at all Lower Mainland Transfer Stations for free.

· Rechargeable batteries: Rechargeable batteries are recyclable, and are taken back for free by most major retailers selling them, including Black’s Photography, Canadian Tire, Cell City Communications, Future Shop, London Drugs, Mountain Equipment Co-op, and RadioShack. Find a location near you on the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) website: http://www.rbrc.org.

· Non-rechargeable batteries: Non-rechargeable batteries are accepted at all Future Shop and Best Buy locations.

· Medications/pharmaceuticals: Participating pharmacies in the B.C. Medications Return Program (95% of pharmacies in the province) will take back, free of charge, all prescription drugs, non prescription medicine, herbal products, mineral supplements, vitamin supplements and throat lozenges. See http://www.medicationsreturn.ca/ for more details.

· Paints/solvents/pesticides/flammable liquids/household hazardous wastes: Product Care operates 18 depot locations in the Lower Mainland where residents can deposit leftover paint, and 9 depots accept flammables, gasoline and pesticides. See http://www.productcare.org/ for more information.

· Oil, oil filters and empty containers: The British Columbia Used Oil Management Association (BCUOMA) is a non-profit organization that offers a program that facilitates and increases the collection, management and recycling of used oil materials in B.C. See the BCUOMA website for a drop-off location near you:http://www.usedoilrecycling.com.

· Tires: Tire Stewardship BC is a non-profit organization that manages the used tire recycling program; most tire retailers will take back your used tires.

· Electronic waste: Used electronics must be dropped off (free of charge) at Encorp’s various Return-It locations; find a location near you: http://www.encorp.ca/electronics/locations. Accepted electronics include desktop computers, keyboards and mice, laptrop computers, printers, fax machines, monitors and televisions.

· Large appliances: In the Lower Mainland, home appliances can be dropped off at any of Metro Vancouver’s Transfer Stations (free, up to three a day). BC Hydro also offers a fridge buy-back program: if it is still in working condition, BC Hydro will come pick it up, recycle it and give you $30 for it (maximum two fridges per BC Hydro account). For information, call 604-881-4357.

· Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs: They contain trace amounts of mercury, and therefore must not be thrown out with regular garbage. They are not accepted at Transfer Stations, but they are taken back by several retail companies that sell them, including Home Depot. Lower Mainland CFL recycling locations can be found here:

http://www.bchydro.com/guides_tips/green-your-home/lighting_guide/recycling_compact.html.

Fluorescent tubes: Fluorescent tubes must not be thrown out with regular garbage and cannot be dropped off at Transfer Stations. Some retailers that sell them will take them back, or contact Nu-life Industries at 604-857-5588 for recycling information.