Victoria, BC– Despite shifting world markets for much of Canada’s recyclable materials, Recycle BC has been able to ensure that plastic packaging, paper products, glass and metal containers collected in the capital region are still being recycled.

The Capital Regional District collects recyclable materials from single family homes through its curbside program on behalf of Recycle BC, the organization responsible for residential recycling in the province.

Materials collected at the curb and in depots are sold and processed as follows:

• Plastic containers collected in the capital region remain in BC, with a local end market in Metro Vancouver that processes this material into pellets that are then recycled into new packaging and other products like fleece clothing, rope, brush bristles, car bumpers and household furnishings.
• Glass is shipped to Abbotsford to be processed into new bottles and to Quesnel to be made into sandblast materials.
• Metal containers are sold to end-markets in BC, Ontario and the United States and are typically recycled into new packaging, road signs and window frames.
• Most of the mixed paper collected in the capital region remains in BC for processing into new egg cartons, though it’s also processed into new boxes, paper towels, tissues and other paper products.

Residents included in the curbside blue box program are encouraged to continue rinsing their recyclable materials and sorting them into three separate streams (plastic and metal containers, paper and glass) to reduce contamination and ensure that these materials continue to have an end market.

Residents living in multi-family buildings who are concerned about the end-markets for their recyclable materials can return their clean containers to one of several recycling depots in the region.

Large rigid plastic items—things like lawn furniture and car seats—have not been collected for recycling since China, the only market for this material, implemented its National Sword Policy in January 2018. Representing less than 0.4% of the tonnage diverted by CRD recycling programs annually, large rigid plastic items brought to Hartland will be disposed of in the landfill until a new market for them emerges.

CRD staff will continue to monitor global recycling markets closely. For more information on the region’s curbside collection program, please visit www.crd.bc.ca/bluebox.

The CRD collects recyclable materials from single family homes through its curbside blue box program on behalf of Recycle BC, who owns the recyclable materials and is responsible for marketing them. For more information, please visit https://recyclebc.ca.

Proud to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers and Canada’s Greenest Employers, the CRD delivers regional, sub-regional and local services to 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Governed by a 24-member Board of Directors, the CRD works collaboratively with First Nations and all levels of government to enable sustainable growth, foster community well-being, and develop cost-effective infrastructure while continuing to provide core services to residents throughout the region. Visit us online at www.crd.bc.ca.

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For media inquiries, please contact:
Melanie Tromp Hoover, Communications Supervisor
CRD Environmental Services
Tel: 250.360.3287
Cell: 250.818.1489