British Columbia is adding wider array of single-use plastic items and packaging products that can be recycled in the blue box or at participating recycling depots.
Newly accepted blue-box items include:
plastic plates, bowls and cups;
plastic cutlery and straws;
plastic food storage containers;
plastic hangers (that come with clothing);
paper plates, bowls and cups (with thin plastic lining);
aluminum foil;
aluminum-foil baking dishes and pie plates; and
metal storage tins (thin gauge).
Examples of flexible plastics now accepted at depots only:
plastic sandwich and freezer bags;
plastic shrink wrap;
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); and
flexible plastic carry-out shopping bags (reusable).
“This expanded materials list will allow more material to be recycled, keep it out of landfills and stop it from littering the environment,” said Tamara Burns, executive director, Recycle BC. “Residents play a key role in recycling this material by enabling it to be collected – by putting it into their bins or taking materials to a depot.”
Single-use plastics are one of the most common items found on B.C. shores. These regulations are separate from the federal ban on the manufacturing and importing of single-use plastics, which came into effect on Dec. 20, 2022.
