Appliances - large

We accept fridges, freezers, stoves, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, hot water tanks, and furnaces. Please remove insulation wrapped around non-operational dishwashers before dropping off.

All large appliances are subject to a $25 drop-off fee.

Working appliances are periodically available in our ReShop and can be acquired for a small donation.

We cannot accept toilets (see Options for Other Types of Recyclables).

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Appliances - small appliances and power tools

We are an authorized collection depot for BC's Small Appliance and Power Tool Recycling Program. Items must be designated for residential use only and includes both corded and battery powered items. Accepted appliances include: counter-top items like toasters; time and weight measurement devices; garment care appliances; air treatment devices; floor care; personal care; sports and leisure; and tools.

For a complete list of the small appliance and power tool products that we can accept at the Pender Island Recycling Depot visit electrorecycle.ca.

There is no charge to drop off any of these items.

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Batteries and cellphones

We accept household batteries including: Alkaline (AA, AAA, 9V, etc.), Nickel Cadmium (Ni-CD), Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) and Nickel Zinc (Ni-ZN) batteries, which can be dropped off in our collection container.

We also accept Small Sealed Lead Acid (SSLA/Pb), Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) and Lithium Primary batteries but these MUST be placed in individual, clear plastic bags before being placed in the collection container. This is to minimize the risk of the these types of batteries catching fire. Plastic bags for these batteries are available at the recycling depot. 

Visit Call2Recycle for more information.

We also accept car, truck, and marine batteries. Please see staff for assistance.

We also accept cellphones. 

We cannot accept batteries that have leaked or are corroded.

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Books

Books are not currently recyclable. We offer some books for re-use in our FreeStore. Please ask a staff member for assistance before donating books.

Books must be clean, dry, and in good condition.

We cannot accept: text books, encyclopedias, Readers Digest books, library books, free government books, and Time Life books.   

For magazines, please see paper.

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Cardboard/Boxboard/Paper

We accept cardboard, boxboard and paper. This includes: pizza boxes, cereal and cracker boxes, the inner cardboard tubes from toilet paper and paper towel rolls (but NOT the actual toilet paper or paper towel itself), and other packaging boxes. Please remove all food and food liners from boxes. 

We also accept: newsprint, TV guides, flyers, computer paper, envelopes, can labels, coloured paper, phone books, magazines, and junk mail.

Please remove any plastic wrappings.

All paper products must be clean and dry. 

Egg cartons There is a shelf across from cardboard drop off area where you can place paper egg cartons for reuse or recycling. If they are stained with egg residue, please recycle them instead.

Magazines There is a magazine rack next to the carton collection container where interesting and up-to-date magazines can be placed for others to take. Out of date magazines should be recycled instead.

We CANNOT accept: kleenex, paper towels, toilet paper, waxed paper, ribbon and bows, or photographs.

Paper bags with a plastic film liner (such as for pet food, flour, etc.) and waxed cardboard (example banana boxes) are also not recyclable. 

Large pieces of cardboard should be cut or folded to a maximum size of 3' x 4'. Cardboard should be CLEAN, DRY, and free of duct tape.

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Cartons and cups: soup, broth, coffee

We accept plastic lined paper containers for: soup or soup broth; molasses; Epsom salts; sugar; to-go coffee; soft drinks; and paper ice cream containers. 

Please rinse clean and flatten these containers. If they come with a plastic lid, please recycle it with plastic containers.

 

Drink containers

We accept all beverage containers. They are sorted by material type including: plastic, glass, drink boxes, gable top cartons, aluminum cans, steel cans, and wine boxes. Milk products now also have a deposit and are collected with like materials in the refundables section.

Please rinse containers clean.

Caps can be left on and straws for drink boxes should be pushed in. 
Plastic insert should be left in wine boxes and there is no need to flatten the boxes.

We do not refund deposits at the depot, all revenue from refundables brought to the depot help fund recycling initiatives.

Deposits for containers purchased on-island are refunded at the local grocery and liquor stores.

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Electronics

We accept computers, monitors, computer accessories, printers, fax machines, TVs, stereos, DVD and VCR players, telephones, answering machines, electric toys, and other electronics. We also accept DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes and cassette tapes and the cases they were purchased in. Visit return-it.ca to see a complete list of electronics we can accept .

There is no charge to drop off electronics.

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Glass containers - non-deposit

We accept glass packaging for non-deposit items such as spaghetti sauce and jam. These containers have no deposit and are collected separately from juice bottles.

Canning jars are also collected separately and are often available in our FreeStore. Please check with staff if you have some that you would like to donate.

Glass containers should be clean and dry with lids removed. Plastic lids can be recycled with plastic containers and metal lids with tin cans.

We CANNOT accept ceramics or Pyrex products, or glass that is not packaging (e.g., drinking glasses, vases, or glass window panes).

For ideas about how to dispose of other types of glass please see Options for Other Types of Recyclables.

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Light bulbs and light fixtures

We accept compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL), fluorescent tubes of any shape, incandescent bulbs, halogen bulbs, LEDs, UHPs, and HIDs. Please hand bulbs to a depot staff member. All broken bulbs MUST be contained in a plastic bag that is taped closed or in a ziplocked plastic bag.

We also accept lighting fixtures including: floor lamps, chandeliers, table lamps, ceiling lights, flashlights, and Christmas lights from residential homes.

For additional details about the LightRecycle program, visit  lightrecycle.ca

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Masks

We accept used single use masks from residential sources for recycling. These are recycled in Canada into plastic pellets and then construction material. 

Accepted masks/respirators include: all disposable styles of surgical masks, KN95, and N95.

  

Motor oil

We accept used motor oil, used oil filters, used antifreeze, and empty oil and antifreeze containers for recycling on behalf of the Interchange Recycling stewardship program.

To be accepted, the empty oil containers must be made of plastic, have a capacity of less than 30 litres, and be manufactured to hold oil. 

Please see staff before dropping off any of these items.

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Paint 

We accept most household paints: latex or oil, interior or exterior, metal paint and primer, and aerosol paint cans. Paint cans can be empty, partially-full or full. Paint must be screened and collected from your vehicle by a staff member; there is no public drop-off. 

Paint must be in the original, intact container with a securely affixed label.

For a list of accepted products please visit the PaintRecycle website.

We CANNOT accept craft paints, adhesives, grout, or roofing tar. See Options for Other Types of Recyclables for suggestions as to where you can take those items.

Good reusable paint is available for free in our Paint Share area in the FreeStore. Please sign the Paint Share form when you take paint.

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Plastic: containers

We accept plastic packaging including: food containers, personal care containers, soap and cleaning products, empty pill and vitamin bottles, product containers, rigid plastic packaging, plant pots, and much more.

All plastics should be clean and dry, especially plant pots.

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Plastic: non-program

Non-program plastic must be clean, free of paint, and free of metal (such as screws and rivets).

There is currently no stewardship program for these items. They are taken to a plastic recycling facility in Vancouver by PIRS. The cost of recycling these materials is paid by CRD funding, voluntary memberships, and donations. In 2023, Pender recycled 2,990 kg of this material.

Smaller items are free to recycle; larger items such as lawn chairs are subject to a $2 fee.

Please see staff for assistance with these items.

Plexiglass, PVC pipes, brittle degraded plastic, and plastic strapping are not acceptable. 

For ideas about how to dispose of unacceptable items, see Options for Other Types of Recyclables.

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Plastic: other flexible plastic packaging

We accept flexible plastic packaging, including: plastic/foil chip bags, mesh onion and avocado bags, zippered bags, bubble wrap (without paper), foil lined plastic candy wrappers, deli packages with rigid bottoms and peel off plastic tops, safety seals from milk jugs, yogurt, etc., stretch wrap, overwrap (from toilet paper, pop cans, etc.) and plastic bags (example, grocery bags, produce bags, bread bags and other soft, stretchy plastic packaging).

All items should be clean and dry. 

Pop and beer can yokes are accepted separately.

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Scrap metal

Scrap metal items should be 80% metal.

Copper and brass are sorted separately. Ask staff for help.

We accept a variety of metals such as metal roofing, fencing, wood stoves, tools, lawn mowers, etc.

Please place nails, screws etc. in the washing machine designated for this purpose.

Please compress wire fencing if you are able to.

Please remove fabric from aluminum lawn chairs. 

There is no drop off fee for Outdoor Powered Electronics or large power tools and exercise machines.

Drop off fees

Pick up truck load of scrap metal: $20 

BBQ: $15

Woodstove: $25

We CANNOT accept propane tanks, gas or diesel tanks, or any machinery with fuel or oil still in the fuel tank.

Propane tanks and canisters can be dropped off at Pender Island Fire Hall No. 1 (across from the Community Hall) for a fee.

See Options for Other Types of Recyclables for suggestions as to where you can take household hazardous waste items that we are unable to accept.

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Smoke and CO alarms

We accept smoke alarms, CO alarms, and combination smoke and CO alarms under the AlarmRecycle stewardship program. Full details about the AlarmRecycle program can be found at AlarmRecycle.ca or by phoning 1-800-667-4321.

Please remove and recycle the batteries separately.

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Styrofoam 

We accept packaging styrofoam, including meat trays and packaging material from electronics/furniture. These are sorted as white or coloured.

Styrofoam must be clean and have meat tray liners removed.

We CANNOT accept styrofoam floatation, insulation, and peanuts. Squishy foam is not styrofoam and is unfortunately garbage.

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Thermostats

Thermostats often contain mercury and it is important to keep them out of the landfill. We accept thermostats, both mechanical and electrical. There is no charge for drop-off.

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Tin cans

Steel cans and lids, aluminum cans and lids, aluminum foil, and cardboard wound containers with metal bottoms (e.g., frozen juice concentrate, coffee, nuts, etc.) are all collected together.  Single use, foil coffee pods are also accepted, as long as the coffee grounds have been removed.
Cans should be clean and dry. 

Aerosol cans for everyday household products, such as shaving foam, whipped cream, etc., have their own collection bin near the tin cans.

Coffee bags or other bags that look like aluminum foil, but are actually plastic, belong in the Other Flexible Plastic Packaging category (OFPP, also known as crinkly plastics).

Note - To determine whether an item is foil or OFPP, scrunch it in your hand. If it maintains its shape, it belongs with foil. If it does not, it belongs with Crinkly Plastics.

Pop, beer and bi-metal cans are accepted separately in our refundable aluminum and bi-metal beverage collection containers. 

Plastic lids are collected separately in the plastic packaging bins.

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Tires

We ONLY accept tires during May - which is tire collection month. We accept all sizes and types of vehicle and bicycle tires. If possible, remove rims and recycle as scrap metal.

Tire recycling fees are:

$3 per vehicle tire "off rim" or

$8 per vehicle tire "on rim" 

Bike tires are free to drop off.

We can not accept wheelbarrow tires.