Garbage and Recycling

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PRRRDy Says

What can I recycle? On the Recycling tab, you can type the name of a waste material into the Recycling Widget and PRRRDY will tell you how to recycle or dispose of it.

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PRRD Garbage & Recycling Updates

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Bylaw, Plans & Strategies

Solid Waste Regulation Bylaws

A bylaw for the purpose of establishing a service area, regulations and fees for the disposal of Solid Waste (garbage) and recyclable material within the Peace River Regional District.

For fees and charges for the Grain Bag Roller Rental, please refer to Finance-Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 2483, 2022


Regional Solid Waste Management Plan (RSWMP)

Regional Solid Waste Management Plan – Updated 2022

In 2019 the PRRD began working on updating the RSWMP, this process took two years and ended when the PRRD submitted the final version of the new plan on July 19, 2021 for Ministry approval. The Plan was approved by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy on October 5, 2022. The plan addresses three key areas:

  • Greater efficiency of programs and services
  • Greater focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling to protect our environment
  • Greater focus on sustainable management to protect future generations

For more information about the latest updates to the Regional Solid Waste Management plan and how we got here, visit the project page on Have Your Say.


Waste Composition Audit

The Peace River Regional District completed a year-long waste composition at all three regional landfills between Spring of 2017 and Winter 2018. Four Season Report.

Commercial Landfill Account

In the Peace River Regional District, a Commercial Landfill Account gives your business a streamlined process for disposing of waste at our facilities. Whether you are handling large-scale projects or routine waste removal, having an account helps to ensure efficient service and accurate billing.

Once we receive and process your completed application, we will send you a written notification of credit approval to the address provided. Our normal processing time for an application is one to two weeks.

Before You Start

If you are missing any of the items below when filling out the form, we may not be able to process your application. Please ensure that the application is completed in full:

  • Commercial Credit references including name, address, telephone and fax number of
    three recent commercial suppliers who have extended credit to your company
  • Accepting the PRRD terms of credit and endorsement
  • Completion of personal guarantee with endorsement by an officer of the company
  • Licence plates of vehicles hauling on your behalf
  • If your company is registered in Alberta or any province other than British
    Columbia, please provide a copy of your company’s Certificate of Registration
    and/or director information showing the names of the authorized signing officers
    in the company

Grain Bags & Twine

Bags of twine and rolled and secured grain bags are now collected at the following landfills and transfer stations:

  • Rolla Transfer Station
  • Buick Creek Transfer Station
  • Cecil Lake Transfer Station
  • Tomslake Transfer Station
  • Prespatou Transfer Station
  • Bessborough Landfill
  • Chetwynd Landfill
  • North Peace Regional Landfill

Access the Grain Bag Roller

To access the grain bag roller, please email the Environmental Services Department or call 250-784-3200.

Recycling & Composting

The Peace River Regional District (PRRD) provides free and accessible recycling and composting services for residents. Our depot system, in partnership with Recycle-It and Recycle BC, accepts a wide variety of materials like paper, packaging, containers, cardboard, non-deposit glass, foam and flexible plastics.

We also offer free yard and garden waste composting at the Bessborough Landfill (excluding food waste and invasive plants) through a three-year pilot program.

Recycle BC now accepts more single-use and packaging-like items for recycling at home or depots. Please rinse containers and soft plastics before recycling. Explore our resources to learn how you can participate!


Depot Recycling

The PRRD offers depot recycling through Recycle-It Resource Recovery and Recycle BC to provide services to the entire region. The depots allow residents to drop off a variety of materials for free, and most depots accept all our materials including paper, packaging, cardboard boxes, plastic containers, metal containers, cartons and paper cups, non-deposit glass bottles and jars, foam packaging, and flexible plastics.

Flexible plastics, foam packaging (e.g. Styrofoam) and non-deposit glass (in communities without separated curbside glass collection) can only be returned to a depot for recycling.

To learn more about what is accepted and where, review the Depot Sorting Guide.

Find a Recycle BC depot
Find a Recycle-It Resource Recovery depot


Recycling Single-use and Packaging 

Single-use and packaging-like products can be recycled from home or the depot through RecycleBC’s residential packaging and paper recycling program.

Please review the Single-use and Packaging Guide to learn more about what can be recycled and where. Please continue to rinse your containers and soft plastics before recycling.

Find a participating depot


Where does my recycling go?

All material from the PRRD is shipped out via backhaul, filling up trucks that would be heading south empty otherwise. Click through the slideshow below to learn more!

Information provided by Recycle-It Resource Recovery based on materials they process on behalf of the PRRD.


Composting Pilot Program

The PRRD is piloting a 3-year composting program at the Bessborough Landfill (2025-2027) to reduce the approximately 30 percent of organic waste currently entering our landfills. This initiative will compost yard and garden waste using a windrowing method, supporting long-term waste management. The program’s success will be evaluated in 2027 for potential full implementation.

Acceptance Dates: May 15 – October 31 annually.

Tipping Fees: FREE for sorted and accepted materials.

Accepted Materials: Grass clippings, hedge trimmings, leaves and pruning’s (up to 5cm diameter).

Not Accepted: Food waste, invasive plants.

Delivery: Materials must be loose upon arrival at the designated area. Bags used for transport must be emptied.

Seasonal cleanup

The Peace River Regional District Seasonal Cleanup is a program designed to help you responsibly dispose of your sorted waste. During these events, we waive tipping fees at landfills and waste transfer stations, making it more convenient for you to clean up your property and reduce wildfire risks by removing waste. It is an easy way for you to tidy up your spaces, manage waste and contribute to a better community.

Spring Cleanup
June 2 to June 15, 2025

Fall Cleanup
October 6 to October 19, 2025

Accepted Materials and Guidelines

We accept many different materials for the Seasonal Cleanup at the landfills and transfer stations. At all our landfills and waste transfer stations, we accept:
  • Bulky waste like old furniture
  • Household waste
  • Residential construction and demolition waste

If you have any of the following, you can bring them to a landfill or tier 1 waste transfer station:

  • Appliances
  • Scrap metal
  • Tires that are off rim
  • Wood waste
You must bring any concrete, yard and garden waste as well as vehicle hulks, both stripped and unstripped, to a landfill only.

Please Follow All Guidelines

When taking part, please ensure that you:
  • Sort all your waste to avoid fees
  • Do not include prohibited Items like electronics, hazardous waste and lithium batteries
  • Ensure that Bulky Bins are for your residential waste only and not for any commercial or industrial waste
  • Use regular transfer bins for bagged household waste, rather than the bulky bins.

Share Sheds

The Peace River Regional District offers share sheds at all regional landfills and transfer stations, which operate on a leave-and-take concept where residents can leave unwanted items that are in good condition to be used by someone else.

The items left in the share sheds should be unsoiled and in good working order, with the expectation that residents accessing the facilities will leave the premises as they found it or better.

All items must be submitted to the waste station attendant for approval before they are accepted. Share sheds are on a self-serve model but are regularly monitored by waste station attendants.

Share sheds are not open 24/7; sheds are unlocked according to station operating hours.

Share Shed, North Peace Regional landfill

Share Shed, Chetwynd landfill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(click titles to expand)

Locations +

Accepted Items +

All items must be clean, and in good working order

  • Small to medium household furniture (dressers, tables, chairs)
  • Small electrical appliances (microwaves, blenders, kettles)
  • Kitchen and household items (cutlery, cookware, glassware)
  • Home and garden tools (hammers, shovels, power tools)
  • Sporting and recreation gear (skis, snowboards, sleds)
  • Camping equipment (camp stove, hot dog sticks, tent)
  • Craft supplies (sketchbooks, paints, rulers, brushes)
  • Home décor (wall art, clocks, vases)
  • Office and school supplies (paper, folders, binders)
  • Board games (full sets)
  • Movies (with cover)
  • Books (no encyclopedia sets or textbooks)
  • Toys (unstuffed, activity boards, play vehicles)
  • Hard-shelled suitcases
  • Bicycles (no flat tires or bent metal)
  • Storage items (bookcase, plastic or metal racks, trays)
  • Musical instruments (no pianos)
  • Antiques

 

Rules +

  • All items must be inspected by the share shed attendant prior to placement in the share shed
  • Attendant has the final determination on what will be accepted
  • Items are to be dropped off during business hours
  • No mass purging
  • No loitering; enforced by site attendants
  • Children under the age of 12 need to be supervised by an adult
  • No pets are permitted in the share shed
  • No aggressive behavior or foul language
  • No smoking, drug use or alcohol consumption on PRRD property

 

Where to take items that are not accepted +

Stewardship

A stewardship program requires manufacturers of certain consumer products to take financial and environmental responsibility for the end of life management of certain products, including the below items:

For other items not listed, check out the Recycling Council of BC.

Provincial Stewardship Programs

There are numerous provincial stewardship programs that have been developed to take back a variety of items to be recycled, reused, and disposed of the green way!

Tipping Fees & Coupons

Managing your waste in the Peace River Regional District is simple with our guidelines on tipping fees and annual solid waste coupons. Whether you are disposing of residential waste, recycling materials or taking advantage of free cleanup coupons, it is important to know how we calculate our fees and where you can pay. Proper sorting and recycling not only saves you money, it also helps reduce the burden on local landfills. Learn about payment methods, coupon usage and tips for minimizing your waste disposal costs. If you are a business owner, find out how to set up a commercial landfill account for streamlined waste management.

Payment Methods

Landfills and waste transfer stations charge fees for solid waste, recycling and other materials based on weight, volume or bag counts, depending on the location. You can pay by cash, debit, Mastercard, and Visa at the site that you are visiting.

The more recyclable or compostable materials you remove from your waste before visiting the landfill will save you money on disposal fees. When you divert waste away from the landfill into streams that can convert it into repurposed or recycled materials, it eases the burden on landfills and extends their use. The cost will be much higher for unsorted or mixed waste. Learn more with our money-saving waste diversion tips:


Solid waste coupons

As a resident of the Peace River Regional District, your household is entitled to an annual solid waste coupon. This coupon, valid from May 1 to April 30 of the following year, contains twelve punches, each with a value of $3.75. This gives you a total credit of $45 to use towards the disposal of sorted residential waste.

To utilize your coupon, simply present it at any of the PRRD’s landfills or transfer stations. Please note that unused coupons from the previous year are not automatically reissued.

If you haven’t received your solid waste coupon by mid-May, please contact the PRRD by calling 250-784-3200 or email prrd.dc@prrd.bc.ca.


Weight-based fees

We charge fees by the tonne unless noted. Weight-based fees apply to the following landfills and waste transfer stations with scales:

  • Bessborough
  • Chetwynd
  • Dawson Creek transfer station
  • North Peace Regional landfill
  • Prespatou transfer station

Regular waste fees

Regular waste includes common household and commercial waste that does not pose significant environmental or health risks.

Waste Type Residential Fees ($/tonne) Commercial Fees ($/tonne)
Minimum fee $3.75 $4.00
Five garbage bags or less $0.80 per bag $1.00 per bag
Sorted household and commercial $55.00 $60.00
Metal $55.00 $60.00
Wood $55.00 $60.00
Domestic animal carcasses $55.00 $60.00
Tires that are light duty with no rims $55.00 $60.00
Unsorted regular waste $110.00 $200.00
All other regular waste $55.00 $60.00

Please ask the attendant for additional information and required receipts.
We round all cash transactions to the nearest $0.05.

Controlled Waste Fees

Controlled waste needs special handling because of its potential to cause harm if not managed properly. While not hazardous, it still needs careful disposal.

Waste Type Residential Fees ($/tonne) Commercial Fees ($/tonne)
Minimum fee $10.00 $11.00
Household appliances $55.00 $60.00
Concrete less than 15cm piece size, no soil or gravel $55.00 $60.00
Clean uncrushed steel and plastic drums with lids removed $55.00
+$3.50 per drum
$60.00
+$3.50 per drum
Medium-duty tires with no rims $55.00 $60.00
Industrial-duty tires with no rims $55.00 $60.00
Mixed demolition, land clearing and construction $110.00 $200.00
Stripped vehicles $110.00 $120.00
Unstripped vehicles $110.00
+$170.00 per vehicle
$120.00
Clean soil $5.00 No charge
Contaminated soil meeting the Industrial Land Use Standard under the Contaminated Sites Regulation with required documentation $5.00 $5.25
Concrete rubble less than 15cm piece size No charge No charge
Unsorted controlled waste $110.00 $200.00
All other controlled waste $110.00 $120.00


Restricted waste fees

Restricted waste poses risks to health or the environment and are heavily regulated. You must dispose of them at specific facilities. The Peace River Regional District does not accept industrial waste from oil and gas operations at solid waste facilities.

Waste Type Residential Fees ($/tonne) Commercial Fees ($/tonne)
Minimum fee $22.00 $24.00
Specified risk material as identified by CFIA, permit required $125.00 $135.00
Wildlife and livestock animal carcasses $125.00 $135.00
Loads containing less than 10% old corrugated cardboard $250.00 $450.00
Lead acid batteries $55.00 $60.00
Asbestos $150.00 $163.00
Unsorted restricted waste $150.00 $272.00
All other restricted waste $150.00 $163.00


Volume-based fees

Volume-based fees apply to the following landfills and waste transfer stations without scales:

  • Buick Creek
  • Cecil Lake
  • Goodlow
  • Moberly Lake
  • Rolla, Rose Prairie
  • Tomslake
  • Kelly Lake
  • Wonowon
  • Pink Mountain
  • Upper Halfway

Sorted household materials

Waste Type Fees
8 bags or less $0.80 per bag
More than 8 bags $6.50/m3
Passenger car with bagged and non-bagged waste $5.00
Station wagons, mini-vans and SUVs with bagged and non-bagged waste $7.00
Vans, mid- and full-size pick-ups (i.e. short box) and trailers with capacity of 1.5 m3 or less $9.50
Vans, mid- and full-size pick-ups (i.e. short box) and trailers with capacity of 1.5 m3 or less with stakesides or overloaded $14.50
Full-size pick-ups (i.e. long box) and trailers with capacity greater than 1.5 m3 $12.00
Full-size pick-ups (i.e. long box) and trailers with capacity greater than 1.5 m3 with stakesides or overloaded $17.00
Loads containing less than 10% old corrugated cardboard $22.00/m3

Please note that minimum fees will apply.

Sorted accepted waste

Waste Type Fees
Wood including yard trimmings, lumber and clean wood from residential demolition $6.50/m3
Metal including barbeques, washing machines, bicycles and more $10.00/m3
Household appliances that have ozone depleting substances $10.00 per appliance
Bulky waste like furniture, mattresses, carpets and more $6.50/m3
Demolition, land clearing and construction waste $28.00/m3
Car, LT and SUV tires with no rim $7.00 per tire
Medium duty tires with no rim $11.00 per tire
Unsorted Regular Waste $13.00/m3

 

FAQs

Click question to expand

Impacted Soils

Where do I take impacted soil?

Impacted soils are accepted at the following landfill

  • North Peace

What is considered “impacted” soil?

Any soil that comes from industry or properties where contaminates have the potential to impact soil. Prior approval from the PRRD is required and is based on the criteria set out in the Impacted Soils Protocol.

Where do I take clean soil?

Any clean soil is accepted free of charge at any of the three regional landfills and is considered any soil that comes from untouched land.

Landfills

How many landfills are there in the Peace River Regional District?

There are three landfills within the Peace River Regional District. One located near Fort St. John, one located 16km west of Dawson Creek, and one located in Chetwynd. For more information on hours and locations click here.

Who operates the landfills?

While the landfills are managed by the Peace River Regional District, all three landfills are operated by the same contractor, E360s.

How much does it cost to operate a landfill?

Depending on the landfill, the operation budget is between $580,000.00 and $1,695,000.00. This cost includes the contractor supplied equipment and qualified staff to operate and properly manage landfill operations. Landfill operations include attendant services, site management, constructing cells, compacting waste, and covering waste.

How do I apply for a landfill account??

Apply for a landfill account by filling out the Commercial Solid Waste Credit Application and calling 1-800-670-7773.

Why does it cost $15 for a printout receipt?

This is service fee for utilizing a Peace River Regional District infrastructure (scale) without using the facility to drop off waste. The cost is for use of the scale to weigh the material in question and to be provided with a scale ticket without using the facility.

Why does the region need a Landfill Gas (LFG) system?

Landfills operate under the authority of a Waste Management Permit that is issued by the Ministry of Environment (MOE).  In 2009, the MOE enacted the Landfill Gas Management Regulation to support the local government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) by at least 33% below the current levels by 2020.  Within this Regulation, province-wide criteria were established for landfill gas capture from municipal solid waste landfills.  Under this Regulation, the PRRD was required to conduct a gas generation assessment of the North Peace Regional Landfill to determine if a gas management facility needed to be installed at the site.  The PRRD conducted the assessment; it was revealed that the landfill exceeds the 1000 tonnes/year regulatory threshold for methane production, requiring the installation of a gas management system by the year 2012.In December 2014, the LFG System at the North Peace Regional Landfill was commissioned and began operating in March of 2015.  This project took several years to complete and the cost was offset by funding opportunities through the Federal Gas Tax Fund.  The initial LFG system consisted of several horizontal wells that were buried within the older waste.

In 2018, the LFG system was expanded in “fresher” waste within Phase 2 of the landfill, where 7 vertical wells were installed and tied into the existing system.

The LFG system will be expanded again with Phase 2 where more vertical wells will be installed within the waste.

Transfer Stations

How many transfer stations are in the Peace River Regional District?

There are 16 attended transfer stations and there are 13 unattended transfer stations. For more information on hours and locations click here

How much does it cost to build a transfer station?

The cost to construct a transfer station varies. It depends on location and type of sites (Tier 2 vs Tier1). Generally the cost is approximately $300,000 to $500,000 to construct.

How much does it cost to operate a transfer station?

Based on a 26 hour work week, the operational budget is between, $110,000 to $120,000 per year. Variables in the operational cost depends on hauling.

Why are the Rural Transfer Stations only open 26 hours instead of 30?

The operational schedule for these sites were approved by the Regional District Board when the first sites came on line. If residents are unhappy with current operation hours they can contact the Regional District and staff can look at shifting hours. This has been done at a few sites already.

How much money does Secure Energy get to operate the Rural Transfer Stations?

Secure Ener receives approximately $110,000 to $120,000 to operate the rural transfer station. These prices includes supplying an attendant during operational hours and hauling services for the bins in which the materials are collected.

Who operates the share shed?

The share sheds are developed and managed by the Regional District. This is a program that the Regional District developed and put in place. The attendants at the transfer stations (Contractor’s personnel), operate them on behalf of the Peace River Regional District.

Will the attendant help unload material from my vehicle?

It is not a requirement of attendants to unload resident’s vehicles, however most will.

What type of transfer stations are left to be constructed and where?

There are 6 transfer stations left to be constructed to complete the network. All six of these will be Tier 2 Transfer Stations the locations will be in Doig/Milligan/Osborn, Lebell, Progress (by Highway 29), Groundbirch, Hasler Flats, and Lone Prairie.

What is the difference between a Tier 1 and Tier 2 Transfer Station?

The following chart shows what each transfer stations offer:

Tier 1 Tier 2
Share Shed
Household Garbage
Recycling – Recycle BC Program of Printed Paper and Packaging
Bulky Waste
Metal
Wood Waste
Tires
Plaint Plus (Only at Prespatou Transfer Station)
Electronics Recycling (Pilot at Wonowon, Prespatou, and Tomslake Transfer Stations.

Are Landfills and Transfer Stations open on holidays?

The landfills and transfer stations are opened all holidays expect Christmas Day (December 25) and New Year’s Day (January 1). The aim is to keep the sites open and accessible during the other holidays for customers who wish to use them.

The lights at the sites are always on, who do I contact when this happens?

The lights at the site are on a timer and if there is power bump or outage the lights need to be reset. The attendants are trained to reset set them, so you can speak to them, or you can contact the PRRD at 250-782-3200.

Illegal Dumping

How is illegal dumping reported/managed?

If you witness illegal dumping on crown land call the RAPP (Report all Poachers and Polluters) Line at 1-877-952-7277 or Cell Dial #7277 or click here.

What happens to the person who illegally dumps waste?

If a person illegally dumps waste on Peace River Regional District property, under By-Law enforcement they can be fined $200 dollars. If a personal illegally dumps on Crown Land, the Ministry of Environment must be contacted via the RAPP Line. Conservation Officers then have the ability to fine the person. If illegal dumping is not reported and tracked then nothing can be done.

Coupons

I didn’t get my coupons, how do I get them?

If you did not receive your coupons and would like them, call the Peace River Regional District at 250-784-3200 and they can be mailed to you.

Can I pick up my neighbours/friends coupons for them?

Unfortunately you cannot. You can only pick up your own coupons.

Waste Disposal

How do I dispose of material containing lead?

Click the following link for PRRD’s procedure Material acceptance chart – Lead

How much money does it cost per kilo to process the waste?

To determine the cost per kilo is a much larger question. Generally landfill cost are calculated by determining landfill lifecycle costs. This cost looks at everything from constructing the landfill, to operation, and closure of the entire system. For the Peace River Regional District the landfill life cycle cost are approximately $53m3 or $78.60/tonne.

Why is there an additional fee for some materials (tires, batteries, etc.) at the Peace River Regional District sites, while there are places in town that takes them for free and gives you money?

The Peace River Regional District is not financially supported by all Stewardship Agencies in the Province, which would normally fund the processing and “hauling away” of these materials. Simply, the PRRD does not receive money to collect and process some materials (batteries/tires) hence the tipping fee. The tipping helps to cover the cost associated with the PRRD and our Contractors for managing that material. It is recognized that there are private businesses that will take these materials and as such the pRRRdy Says app was developed to help located these places. The app can be downloaded on your phone or accessed here.

Can a community hall get a waiver for tipping fees for events and activities held?

Unfortunately you cannot. There is no formal policy for staff to waive the tipping fees for community hall functions. Such a request would have to come from an Area Director and be approved by the Regional Board.

When do the bulky bins arrive at the Tier 2 Transfer Stations?

The bulky bins are placed during the spring and fall for a two-week period for seasonal cleanup. For 2022, the spring cleanup runs from June 6 to June 19 and for fall, the cleanup runs from October 3 to October 16.

Why can’t we have the bulky bins during a different time of year or something, instead of seeding and harvesting?

The simple fact is that there is no “good time” for putting out these bins. The process for getting bids for available contractors to provide the best price take time and has to be planned well in advance. Setting the bins out in May and October long weekends offers consistency in that people can plan their bigger clean-up projects around these times more easily.

For 2020 the PRRD will be piloting the 2020 Spring Clean-Up later in the spring and for the 2020 Fall Clean-Up the bins will arrive earlier in October.  For 2020 Spring Clean-Up will occur the first two weeks of June – June 1 to June 14, 2020.  For the Fall 2020 Clean-Up will occur the first two weeks of October – October 5 to October 18, 2020.

Recycling

Who gets the money for the recycling collected at the rural transfer stations?

The rural transfer stations operate the Recycle BC recycling program, a provincial stewardship program. The Peace River Regional District receives the revenue that is generated from the recycling collected. In 2017, the PRRD received $3,634.92 in revenue from Recycle BC material.

Who is Recycle BC?

Retailers, manufacturers, and other organizations that supply packaging and printed paper to BC residents are responsible for collecting and recycling these materials once residents are finished with them. This is called extended producer responsibility, or EPR. Recycle BC is a non-profit organization that uses fees paid by these organizations to finance residential recycling programs in many areas across BC. These programs are either offered directly or collaboratively with local governments, First Nations, private companies and other non-profit organizations. Recycle BC is among more than 20 EPR programs introduced in BC over the past two decades. Through these programs the manufacturers and retailers of items such as beverage containers, electronics, paint, used oil, tires and batteries are responsible for end-of-life management. EPR is a way for businesses to manage the environmental impact of products during each stage of the products lifecycle, from selecting the materials used in production through to collection and recycling of the product when it is no longer useful.

Who gets the money for recycling at the landfills?

At the landfills there is no revenue received for tires that are collected, however, Tire Stewardship will pick up and haul away the tires for free to where they are recycled. Wood waste is chipped and used operationally for cover material and to help construct roads. Metal waste is collected and the revenue gained goes to the contractor as part of their operating contract. Cardboard and household recycling is collected by the Regional District’s recycling contractor processed and marketed through that contract, in which a part of the contract revenue from that material is given back to the RD.

Why do “we” pay for recycling?

The act of recycling costs money. There are costs to collect the material, to transfer/haul the material, and to process the material so that in can be used in new products. Even with the cost, recycling is better for the environment because it maximizes the use of resources that have already been extracted from the Earth. Additionally is helps to save space in the landfill!

If recycling has value, why doesn’t the value cover the cost of service?

The revenue paid for recycling fluctuates constantly depending on markets. This is because recycling is a commodity like many other things.

How is household recycling, collected at the transfer stations and sites?

It varies depending where you recycle.
Rural Transfer Stations: Household recycling collected through the Recycle BC program is hauled two different ways. 1. The big bins (50 and 40 yard bins) are hauled by the transfer station contractor. 2. The mega bags are hauled by a third party contractor that Recycle BC manages.
Recycling Depots: Recycling is collected in various totes. The recycling contractor collects that materials from the bins and empties them into a truck with three compartments. The front compartment is where the glass is deposited. The second compartment is where the hard plastic and tin are deposited. Separately, the loosely collected plastic film is placed in large bags. These large bags make it easy to separate from the hard plastic once the material is deposited on the floor at the recycle centre. The last compartment is where the paper goes. Cardboard is collected via a third party contractor from the cardboard bins.

What are the different streams of recycling?

Depending where you recycle there are different items and materials that can be recycled. This is because there are two different recycling programs operated in the RD. At the Rural Transfer Stations, household printed paper and packaging material are collected, processed, and marketed by Recycle BC for recycling. If you recycle in town (curbside or depot) or use one of the unattended recycling depots (Mile 54, No Frills, etc.) then that material is collected, processed, and marketed by the Regional District Recycling Contractor. The following images provides an example:

What happens to:

Mixed Paper

Mixed paper is baled and shipped to sorting facilities in Edmonton or Vancouver. Once sorted, it is sent to various processors including a processor in Greater Vancouver for new egg carton manufacturing, and a processor in Alberta that makes insulation.

Cardboard

Cardboard is shipped to mills in the Pacific Northwest, mainly in Washington State. This material is pulped and reprocessed into new cardboard.

Containers

Containers are shipped to a processor in Greater Vancouver, Merlin Plastics. This processor also handles materials from the RecycleBC EPR program. High value plastics such as #1 PET and #2 HDPE are washed and ground/pelletized before being sold as material to make new products. Mixed hard plastics are also sorted, cleaned and processed into grind/pellets. Tetra-Paks and wax cartons are processed by Merlin and shipped to recyclers in North America and overseas to be pulped. “Soft plastics” including plastic bags and overwrap (#2 and #4 films) are pelletized and used in the manufacturing of plastic lumber.

Styrofoam

Styrofoam is densified locally with a thermal hot melt densifier. The thermal densifier heats up and removes the air from the styrofoam. This results in a 90:1 compression – 90 truckloads of foam are reduced to 1 truckload! The densified blocks are then shipped to a processor in Greater Vancouver where they are pelletized and used to make picture frames and crown moulding.

Metals

Metals are shipped to ABC Recycling in Fort St John. From there, they are sent to various processors in North America to be made into new metal products, including packaging and sheet metal.

Glass

Glass is shipped to a processing facility in Quesnel where it is ground up and turned into sandblasting material. The sandblasting material is used locally by businesses in the Peace Region as well as across BC and Alberta.

Commingled Curbside

Commingled curbside material is shipped to facilities in Edmonton and Vancouver to be sorted into the above categories. Once sorted, the material is shipped to various processors for recycling (see specific categories above for more info).

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