The best way to deal with garbage is by not creating it in the first place.
- Reduce waste by choosing items with minimal packaging.
- Reuse items like shopping bags, water bottles and coffee mugs.
- Repurpose goods by donating items you no longer need.
- Repair broken items instead of throwing them out.
- Refuse to buy products you won’t use often - rent or borrow instead.
- Reduce, repair and reuse your clothes to help minimize landfill waste
Used clothing, books, small household items, and furniture can also be dropped off or picked up by many organizations throughout the City including
- Salvation Army: 604-293-1711
- Big Brothers: 604-521-4393 or pickup@renewcrew.com
- Canadian Diabetes Association: 604-732-1125
- Harvest Project: Clothes for Change (clothing and shoes only)
- SPCA Thrift Shop: 604-983-9522
- Lions Gate Hospital Thrift Shop: 604-987-5938
- Good Stuff Connection: 604-987-1773
- Urban Repurpose: 604-990-5576 or www.urbanrepurpose.ca (no clothing)
The North Vancouver City Firefighters Foundation also has secure clothing donation bins located at the Fire Hall, Petro-Canada (Lonsdale & 13th), and London Drugs (Lonsdale & 20th). Donations of clean and dry clothing, household textiles, and shoes (no fabric scraps or rags) raise funds for the charity.
The following items are not accepted in the garbage and must be recycled or disposed of at the North Shore Recycling & Waste Centre or at a disposal facility. If included in your garbage, your garbage may not be collected.
- Yard trimmings and food scraps (goes in Green Can or Food Scraps cart)
- Recyclables Blue box/cart, Grey box/cart, or Yellow bag/Mixed Paper cart
- Any material currently recyclable in a BC Take Back Program, such as electronics, batteries, light fixtures, tires, smoke alarms, paint, pesticides, propane tanks, small appliances, flammables, solvents, used oil & antifreeze.
- Pet waste (small amounts are accepted in the garbage but it must be double-bagged for health and safety reasons). To learn more, visit Metro Vancouver's What to Do with Pet Waste webpage.
- Oversized items (such as furniture)
- Construction / renovation materials (e.g. clean wood, drywall, etc)
- Dirt, grass, rocks, sod
- Bio medical waste & medications
- Explosives