Extended Producer Responsibility systems have been set up and are regulated by the BC Ministry of the Environment. Because of this, recyclables are audited and tracked to make sure that they do not end up in a landfill in Canada or elsewhere where they may not be responsibly recycled. The goal of the audits is to follow the recycled materials and work towards making their destination as close as possible to their source - preferably within BC borders. Failing that, destinations may be within Canada or North America.
To see where specific categories are recycled, click on their headings below.
To see where specific categories are recycled, click on their headings below.
Glass
Glass is recycled within BC. Abbotsford is the destination for glass that will be turned into more glass. Some goes to Quesnel where it is turned into sand blasting material.
Glass is a great product to recycle. It recycles endlessly and can be used up to 95% for new glass products. Recycled glass can be used for a huge number of products including: new containers, trail covering, road base, filtration substrates, cement additives, fiberglass, sand blasting, countertops, tiles, ceramics, bricks, soil amenders, hydroponics, beads, construction sand, Astroturf and golf bunkers. Virtually any glass product can be made from recycled glass.
Glass from your depot is separated by colour, and crushed before being used for one of the above. Recycling also reduces CO2 emissions by 1 ton for every 6 tons of glass recycled.
Glass is a great product to recycle. It recycles endlessly and can be used up to 95% for new glass products. Recycled glass can be used for a huge number of products including: new containers, trail covering, road base, filtration substrates, cement additives, fiberglass, sand blasting, countertops, tiles, ceramics, bricks, soil amenders, hydroponics, beads, construction sand, Astroturf and golf bunkers. Virtually any glass product can be made from recycled glass.
Glass from your depot is separated by colour, and crushed before being used for one of the above. Recycling also reduces CO2 emissions by 1 ton for every 6 tons of glass recycled.
Paper
Currently BC paper is recycled in the Pacific Northwest. Plans are underway to shift that process to BC because of a new sorting system that makes the recycled product more valuable.
Paper cannot be recycled indefinitely because with each use the fibers are shortened, reducing the strength of the resulting paper. The final product will be a disposable tissue. Forty percent of paper is from virgin pulp. However of that more than 80% of the fibre is actually from scrap wood, namely wood chips which are a by-product of sawmills, and the rest is from recycling. Recycling 1 ton of newsprint saves 1 ton of trees. Recycling 1 ton of high quality paper saves 2 tons of trees.
Common products made from recycled paper include: office paper, greeting cards, news print, cardboard, egg cartons, moulded paper packaging, tissues, paper towels, paper napkins and toilet paper.
To recycle paper it is re-pulped, screened, deinked and bleached.
Paper cannot be recycled indefinitely because with each use the fibers are shortened, reducing the strength of the resulting paper. The final product will be a disposable tissue. Forty percent of paper is from virgin pulp. However of that more than 80% of the fibre is actually from scrap wood, namely wood chips which are a by-product of sawmills, and the rest is from recycling. Recycling 1 ton of newsprint saves 1 ton of trees. Recycling 1 ton of high quality paper saves 2 tons of trees.
Common products made from recycled paper include: office paper, greeting cards, news print, cardboard, egg cartons, moulded paper packaging, tissues, paper towels, paper napkins and toilet paper.
To recycle paper it is re-pulped, screened, deinked and bleached.
Aluminum
The aluminum you recycle is used in BC, Ontario and elsewhere in North America.
Aluminum can be recycled indefinitely. One third of all aluminum is from recycled aluminum.
Aluminum is recycled into any product made from aluminum including: new cans, rain gutters, window frames, siding, electrical cable, bicycles, cars and airplanes.
Aluminum can be recycled indefinitely. One third of all aluminum is from recycled aluminum.
Aluminum is recycled into any product made from aluminum including: new cans, rain gutters, window frames, siding, electrical cable, bicycles, cars and airplanes.
Steel
From our depot, the steel cans are used in BC, Ontario, and the US. To be recycled, steel is washed, impurities (ie plastic linings) are removed, shredded, melted and formed into sheets. Steel can be recycled indefinitely because the process does not degrade the steel. Two thirds of new steel comes from recycling.
Common products include: beams, cars, new cans, appliances and any other products made from steel.
Common products include: beams, cars, new cans, appliances and any other products made from steel.
Plastic
Recycled plastic stays in BC - specifically at Merlin Plastics in New Westminster. Merlin Plastics is one of the premier plastic recyclers in the world. Plastic is sorted with an optical sorter into nine categories. Then it is cleaned, shredded and pelletized and finally blended into the recipe necessary for the buyer. Plastic cannot be recycled indefinitely (approximately 7 times) without significant input of energy.
Plastic is recycled into the following: new containers, bottles, plant pots, clothing, fleece, carpets, shoes, yoga mats, bags, toothbrushes, lampshades, beads toys, benches, toys and polywood. It takes 63 water bottles to make a sweater.
Plastic is recycled into the following: new containers, bottles, plant pots, clothing, fleece, carpets, shoes, yoga mats, bags, toothbrushes, lampshades, beads toys, benches, toys and polywood. It takes 63 water bottles to make a sweater.
White Styrofoam
This material is recycled at Merlin Plastics. It is cleaned, melted and sent to the buyer where it is re-aerated and used for things like picture frames and crown moldings.
Coloured Styrofoam
Coloured styrofoam is sent to sites in North America or overseas. It is cleaned and melted in BC and sent overseas to be processed into picture frames and crown moldings.
Crinkly Soft Plastic
This goes to Merlin Plastics in New Westminster. Currently Merlin is carrying out research and development on how to best recycle it. While this research continues, the plastic is made into an engineered fuel to take the place of coal in cement production or other specific uses. Engineered fuel produces less carbon dioxide and other pollutants than coal to produce a given amount of energy - similar to natural gas.
Tetra Paks
Tetra Paks are sent overseas to be recycled. (Location changes according to best outcomes.) Tetra Paks are made of 6 to 9 layers of which 75% are paper (recycled like paper) 20% polyethylene (recycled like plastics) and 5% aluminum (recycled like aluminum). Before recycling, Tetra Paks are shredded and pulped to separate them into their component parts.