The entity overseeing British Columbia’s recycling program is urging residents to enhance efforts in preventing plastics from entering landfills or becoming litter, as just 45 percent of plastic packaging used by residents is currently recycled. Sam Baker, the executive director of Recycle B.C., emphasized the effectiveness of their recycling model in responsibly managing and recycling plastics when placed correctly for collection. In 2024, residents either deposited in their blue boxes or brought to depots 31,362 tonnes of plastic packaging, with 98 percent being recycled according to Recycle B.C.’s latest annual report.
The not-for-profit system in B.C., established a decade ago, was the first in North America to mandate producers to cover the costs of recycling the packaging and paper they produce, reducing the burden on local governments. The recovery rates are measured by the net tonnes collected divided by the tonnes provided by producers. In 2024, Recycle B.C. achieved a 100 percent recovery rate for glass and 92 percent for paper used by residents.
However, the recovery rate for plastics falls significantly short, with less than half of the rigid and flexible plastics used by residents being diverted and recycled. Recycle B.C. aims to increase the recovery rate of all plastics to at least 50 percent, with a focus on enhancing the recovery of flexible plastics like bags and wrappers. The organization encourages residents to utilize the 227 depots across the province or the recycling kiosks at 53 London Drugs locations for items not collected in regular pickups.
To address the challenges of plastic recycling, Recycle B.C. introduced a pink box alongside blue boxes in certain communities, such as West Vancouver and Maple Ridge, to facilitate the collection of flexible plastics. Residents like Aubrey Smethurst in West Vancouver have found the pink box to be transformative in their recycling efforts, leading to a reduction in plastic usage and increased awareness of sustainable practices. The initiative aims to promote responsible recycling habits and contribute to a more sustainable environment.