by Cynthia Coates, Supervisor of Solid Waste Services • Regional District of Central Okanagan
Recycling from home in the Central Okanagan: What goes where, what doesn’t belong and how to do it right.
If you live in the Central Okanagan, you know now that your curbside recycling services have expanded. Whether you’re in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland or one of the surrounding electoral areas, you’re part of a region actively working to reduce waste and improve recycling habits. And with new materials now accepted at the curb, it’s a great time to refresh what we can recycle from home, what’s considered ‘wishcycling,’ and what to do with those tricky, hard-to-recycle items.
Let’s break it all down.
The Basics: What You Can Recycle From Home
Curbside recycling in the Central Okanagan is managed directly by Recycle BC which started May 2026. It’s collected by Environmental 360 Solutions (E360S). Most packaging and paper products can already go into your blue-lidded cart, including:
• Paper and cardboard (put shredded paper into a box or paper bag)
• Rigid plastic containers (like yogurt tubs or shampoo bottles)
• Single use items such as coffee cups and lids, plastic cutlery
• Tin cans and foil products
All items should be placed loose and never bagged in the blue-lidded cart, because plastic bags can jam sorting machinery and have the potential to injure workers in the process. A quick rinse of containers goes a long way, since food residue can contaminate entire batches of otherwise recyclable materials.
New Curbside Boxes for Flexible Plastics and Glass
Starting May 1, 2026, recycling in the Central Okanagan got a significant upgrade. Residents received two new curbside collection boxes:
• Pink box for flexible plastics (including chip bags, crinkly wrappers, overwrap, bread bags). Secure flexible plastics in a bag you already have like a bread bag, or the overwrap that your toilet paper comes in.
• Grey box for nondeposit glass bottles and jars (metal and plastic lids go into your recycling cart).
Stack the grey box on top of the pink box and place at the curb next to your recycling cart on your regular recycling collection day.
Styrofoam, and other items such as batteries, electronics and household hazardous waste must still be taken to your nearest depot for recycling.
The new boxes are part of Recycle BC’s transition to directly manage curbside recycling services in the Central Okanagan, a major step forward in both convenience and waste reduction across the region. Find out more at recyclebc.ca/centralokanagan.
Wishcycling – How Good Intentions Can Cause Poor Results
Haven’t we all done it at some point? Tossed something into the recycling bin thinking, ‘well… it’s made of a recyclable material, someone will sort it out’.
That’s wishcycling: placing nonrecyclable items into the cart in hopes they’ll magically get recycled. Unfortunately, wishcycling can cause a number of problems including contaminating other recyclables, increasing costs, damaging equipment and reducing the value of recyclables.
Here are some common Central Okanagan offenders:
• Books – Books may be made of paper, but their spines, covers and the adhesives that bind them are not recyclable. Please donate them or drop them off at an Okanagan Regional Library location to be deconstructed and recycled through the book recycling program.
• Random ‘hopeful’ plastics – Plastic toys, hangers, binders, laundry baskets, pool toys, plastic lawn edging and storage bins are just some examples of common durable plastic products that are not acceptable in the curbside recycling cart. Only plastic packaging containers are accepted for recycling in the region. Durable plastic products that are in good shape should be donated and if broken placed in the garbage.
Depot Only Items
There is a wide range of other items that can be recycled and kept out of your recycling cart, boxes and your garbage cart.
Styrofoam Packaging
Foam packaging (i.e. trays used for foods like meat or fish) is accepted at Recycle BC depots, not curbside. Foam peanut packaging and compostable/biodegradable foam packaging belong in the garbage in this region.
Small Appliances and Electronics
These can be returned through the province-wide electronics recycling program free of charge. Download the free Recycle Coach app to find a list of drop-off locations and accepted products.
Batteries
All batteries, including alkaline, coin or small lithium-ion rechargeables like those in smartphones, laptops, e-cigarettes, electric toothbrushes, headlamps, e-bikes… (the list goes on) never belong in curbside recycling or garbage carts. These require special handling through provincial takeback programs or depot dropoff. Many retailers accept them. A quick search will give you many options for drop-off locations.
Hazardous Waste
Paint, pesticides, pool chemicals, solvents, fuel, aerosol cans and other hazardous material chemicals must be taken to Kelowna Recycles (Battery Doctor) for correct disposal—never put them in carts.
To find out what goes where and drop off locations, visit rdco.com/hazwaste.
Behind the Scenes: What Happens to Your Recycling
A common concern is whether materials placed in recycling carts and boxes actually gets recycled. According to Recycle BC, once materials are collected, they are sorted, baled and sent to approved end markets that are regularly audited. By 2024, 80% of residential recycling collected in B.C. was recycled within North America, with only 20% exported to verified end markets overseas marking a shift toward more local processing and more accountability. This transparency helps build trust that the work residents put into proper recycling really does make a difference.
Tips for Becoming a Recycling Pro
Here are a few simple habits that make a big impact:
Rinse, empty, and sort • Food and liquid contamination can lead to rejected loads. A quick rinse is enough.
Keep recyclables loose in carts • Bagged recyclables cannot be sorted and often end up in the garbage stream.
Flatten cardboard • This helps keep collection efficient and prevents materials from blowing away.
Don’t overload your cart • Place heavier items on top to keep lighter items from blowing out on windy days.
Use the Recycle Coach App • It tells you exactly what goes where and reminds you of collection days.
Recycling Right Makes a Real Difference
Recycling can feel confusing, but in the Central Okanagan, you’re not on your own. With clear curbside guidelines, depot options, and the introduction of flexible plastics and non-deposit glass collection boxes, it’s becoming easier than ever to do the right thing.
By staying informed and avoiding wishcycling, you help keep contamination low, improve recycling quality, and support a system designed to responsibly repurpose materials close to home.
Small changes at home add up to a cleaner, more sustainable Central Okanagan. And with big improvements at the curb, it’s a perfect time to refresh your routine.
If you ever find yourself wondering, ‘can this be recycled?’ check the Recycle Coach App or visit Recyclepedia.ca before tossing it in a garbage or recycling cart or box. Your community will thank you. If you are ever in doubt, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Regional District of Central Okanagan Solid Waste Services for help at 250-469-6250.
Cynthia is passionate about waste reduction and works for a more sustainable region as the Supervisor of Solid Waste Services for the Regional District of Central Okanagan.