The City of Delta is excited to introduce Recycle 2020 as Delta’s new curbside and shared collection recycling program.
Recycle 2020 is part of the City’s new partnership with Recycle BC, the not-for-profit organization that is responsible for residential packaging and paper recycling across the province, and helps to ensure that the maximum amount of materials picked up for curbside and shared collection are properly recycled.
The new program is scheduled to begin in October 2020, once all Grey Boxes and Glass Bins have been delivered. However, residents do not have to wait until October to begin following the new recycling guidelines. The City encourages all residents to begin using their Grey Box and Glass Bin as soon as it arrives.
Got your new bins? You can review the new recycling guidelines in the curbside collection guide.
Here are the three changes that everyone needs to know about the new program:
Combine newspaper and mixed paper
Newspapers and flyers, which used to go in the Blue Bag, will now go in the Yellow Bag with other paper and cardboard material. A new, larger Yellow Bag will be delivered to all single-family dwellings to accommodate for the increase in materials being collected.
For apartments and townhouses with shared recycling, newspaper should be placed in the Mixed Paper Bin with other paper and cardboard materials.
Separate glass
Glass bottles and jars, which used to go in the Blue Box, will now be placed in the Grey Box. The City is in the process of delivering Grey Boxes to all single-family dwellings and deliveries will be complete by the beginning of October 2020. For those with shared recycling, new Grey Bins will be delivered to all apartments and townhouses in Delta.
The changes in how we recycle are necessary to align with Recycle BC’s guidelines, which include the requirement that glass bottles and jars are separated into their own bin.
Glass is often broken when emptied into collection trucks and broken glass can contaminate other recycled materials. Small, broken glass is also difficult to separate from other recycled materials. By separating glass from other items, residents will help reduce contamination and increase the amount of material that is actually recycled.
Plastic bags and foam food containers will no longer be accepted
Plastic bags and foam food containers will no longer be accepted in the Blue Box or Mixed Containers Bin. Following the Recycle BC guidelines, these items should be taken back to your local recycling depot where they are accepted separately for recycling.
These items will no longer be accepted in the Blue Box and should be returned to your local recycling depot:
- Plastic bags for groceries, dry cleaning, bread, newspapers, and flyers
- Bags for produce, dry bulk foods, pre-washed salad, and frozen vegetables
- Outer bags for diapers and feminine hygiene products, paper towels, tissues, and soft drink can flats
- Bags for water softener, salt, wood pellets, and garden products
- Overwrap on mattresses, furniture, and electronic equipment
When plastic bags are placed in the Blue Box, they can become tangled with other recyclable items during pickup. Foam containers can also become tangled easily, often breaking down into smaller pieces. When this happens, recycling facilities are unable to separate the tangled materials, which results in less items being properly recycled.
Unfortunately, bags and foam containers cannot be collected separately at the curbside. There are not enough compartments in the collection vehicles, and the light materials do not make for an efficient use of collection trucks.
Still have questions about the new Recycle 2020 program? The City has a free recycling app where you can easily search how to dispose of all household items.
