Your Guide to Living Waste-Free
Knowledge is the first step toward a healthier planet. Learning to “Recycle it Right” isn’t just about following rules, it’s about understanding the journey of our materials and the positive impact we can have on our local parks and neighborhoods.
Recycle It Right
Sorting our recycling is one of the easiest ways to care for our community. When we sort carefully at home, we protect our workers from injuries and ensure that high-quality materials can actually be turned into something new.
- Play the Game: Think you’re a sorting pro? Play the game and test your skills!
- Why We Sort: Proper sorting supports our local economy by keeping jobs right here in Maple Ridge and ensures that “closing the loop” is possible.
Reduction Strategies: Rethink the Routine
While recycling is great, the best way to keep our streets beautiful is to reduce what we use in the first place. Every piece of plastic ever made still exists somewhere, choosing to reuse helps protect our local wildlife from microplastics.
- Choose to Refuse: A simple “No straw, please” or bringing your own shopping bag makes a massive difference.
- The “Dilemma Bag” Challenge: Try going one week without single-use plastic. Collect anything you couldn’t avoid in a bag to see where you can find better alternatives!
- Where Does It Go? From metal becoming rebar to glass becoming home insulation, your efforts at the Depot give materials a second life.
Community Film Screenings
Seeing is believing! We offer FREE screenings of award-winning documentaries for classrooms, offices, or community groups. We have full-length or condensed versions to fit your schedule.
- The Clean Bin Project: A funny, inspiring look at a Vancouver couple trying to produce zero waste for a year.
- Just Eat It: An eye-opening (and delicious) look at food waste and our obsession with “expiry dates.”
- A Plastic Ocean: A powerful documentary on how small actions at home impact the world’s food chain.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
In British Columbia, we use a “Producer Responsibility” system. This is just a fancy way of saying that the companies who make products are responsible for helping us recycle them. This keeps the cost off your tax bill and ensures hazardous items are handled safely.
Common items you can bring to us for free:
- Electronics & Small Appliances: TVs, computers, toasters, and power tools.
- Hazardous Household Items: Paint, pesticides, batteries, and light bulbs.
- Automotive: Used oil and antifreeze.
- Household Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide detectors: Smoke detectors.
- Electric Outdoor Power Equipment: electric lawnmowers.
Common “Take-Back” Items (Not at Depot):
- Medications: Please return these to your local pharmacy.
- Tires: These can be returned to your local tire shop
Together, we’re making Maple Ridge a leader in local action. Our Depot is a welcoming space for all neighbors, and your support helps provide meaningful work for people of all abilities.