Recycling

What Goes Where?

• Paper Materials

  Paper

  • Newspapers, inserts and flyers
  • Magazines and catalogues
  • Telephone books and other directories
  • Writing and home office paper, paper envelopes, and notepads
  • Paper gift wrap and greeting cards
  • Single-use paper party décor (e.g., paper pennants, paper globes and ornaments, etc.)
  • Shredded paper (set shredded paper out for collection in a paper bag or small box and place in your paper collection container) 

  Paper packaging and cardboard 

  • Corrugated cardboard boxes used for shipping, grocery and liquor store boxes, pizza boxes, moving boxes and Banker’s boxes
  • Cardboard and boxboard boxes used for cereal, shoes, tissues, pizza, frozen entrees, desserts, detergent, etc.
  • Cardboard packaging for cannabis product
  • Carrier trays for bulk bottled water, soft drinks, cans, food, etc.
  • Cores for paper towels and toilet tissue
  • Molded boxboard packaging for egg cartons, take-out beverage trays, paper-based plant pots
  • Paper gift bags and boxes
  • Paper bags (also called Kraft paper) and envelopes
  • Multi-layered paper bags for flour, sugar, etc.
  • Compressed paper hangers included with clothing 

  Plastic Containers

  • Paper cups for hot and cold beverages
  • Cartons and boxes for dairy, cream, substitute eggs, broth, sauces, etc.
  • Frozen dessert boxes for ice cream, frozen yogurt, etc.
  • Coated paper plates and bowls. 
• Plastic Materials

  Plastic Containers

  • Plastic jugs with screw tops used for cooking oil, laundry detergent and fabric softener, cleaning solutions, cleaning products, body care products, windshield washer fluid, etc.
  • Plastic bottles with screw caps, spray pump, or pull-up tops for food, dish soap, mouthwash, shampoos, conditioners and other personal care products, pills and vitamins, laundry products, etc.
  • Plastic jars with wide mouths and screw-top lids for peanut butter, jam, nuts, condiments, vitamins and supplements, personal care products, etc.
  • Plastic packaging for cannabis product
  • Plastic clamshells with hinged or click-closed tops for baked goods, fruit, produce, eggs, etc.
  • Plastic black-bottom trays and clear tops for deli chicken, single-serve meals, prepared foods, baked goods
  • Plastic tubs and lids for food such as margarine and spreads, dairy products such as yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream, etc.
  • Plastic cold drink cups with lids for take-out beverages
  • Plastic garden pots and trays for bedding plants, seedlings, vegetable plants, etc.
  • Plastic pails less than 25L for laundry detergent, ice cream, pet food, etc.
  • Microwavable bowls and cups
  • Empty single-use coffee and tea pods; remove lids and do not include lids with recycling
  • Rigid plastic packaging for toys, toothbrushes, batteries, etc.; remove paper backing and recycle separately
  • Plastic straws
  • Plastic stir sticks
  • Plastic utensils
  • Plastic plates, cups, and bowls
  • Non-durable plastic food containers
  • Rigid plastic gift bags or boxes
  • Disposable plastic hangers included with clothing
  • Plastic tape dispensers
  • Plastic dental floss containers 
• Steel and Aluminum Materials

  Aluminum containers  

  • Aluminum cans and lids used for food
  • Aluminum foil
  • Aluminum foil pie plates and baking trays
  • Aluminum take-out containers
  • Empty aluminum spray containers (non-flammable)

  Steel Containers

  • Cans and lids for food, pet food, etc.
  • Metal spray containers
  • Thin-gauge metal tins (e.g. cookie tins) 
• Not for the Blue Bin

  Any cart that contains not accepted items may not be collected.

  • Bagged or bundled/nested recyclables – leave recycling items loose
  • Wood
  • Electronics
  • Clothing
  • Air filters
  • Flammable/Hazardous Waste
  • Car oil containers
  • Sporting Goods
  • Napkins/paper towels
  • Yard Waste 

Collection Calendar, Resources and Guides

• Resources for multi-unit building and curbside program.

  Click to download:

  • 2025-2026 Collection Calendar
  • Curbside Recycle Brochure
  • Multi-family Recycle Brochure
  • Airbnb Recycling Poster

  If you’re part of a group, strata or multi-family development that would like to pick up the new materials, email solidwaste@penticton.ca for further information.

  Translated guides:

  • Recycling Guide: Chinese 
  • Recycling Guide: Farsi 
  • Recycling Guide: French 
  • Recycling Guide: Korean 
  • Recycling Guide: Punjabi

Use the Waste Wizard

Recycling FAQs

• What can you do if you miss collection day?

  Recycling collection is a contracted service through Waste Connections of Canada. To report a missed collection, please call them directly at 250-490-3888.

• Can you recycle books?

  No. Books do not go in your recycling or your garbage carts. Recycle BC does not accept hard cover and paperback books, such as novels, text books and reference material. 

  Visit our Books Recycling webpage for a few options

  

• Where can you recycle glass?

  Help us keep glass out of our home recycling carts. These can contaminate an entire load of recycling and pose a safety hazard for staff who are trying to sort through the items.
  
  Here are 3 options of where you can return those glass bottles and jars.

  J&C Bottle Depot
   
  Drop off your wine and beer bottles, plus other beverage containers, for a refund under the Return-In program. They also accept non-refundable glass jars and containers for recycling. The temporary location opens on April 7, 2026, at 310 Dawson Ave. Find more details at return-it.ca or Ph: 250-492-5144.
   
  Return-It Express & GO in Penticton 

  This station offers a quick and convenient option for recycling your refundable beverage containers including cans, juice boxes, milk jugs and bottles. Simply pre-bag your items in a clear bag, print your label on site and drop them off – without the need for counting or sorting. Located at 200 Carmi Ave., with more details at return-it.ca/express/penticton.

  Campbell Mountain Landfill 
   
  The landfill has a bin right at the front entrance where non-deposit glass bottles, sauce containers and jars can be recycled. Located at 1765 Reservoir Rd., with more information at rdos.bc.ca/campbell-mountain or Ph: 250-490-4129.

  

• Where does shredded paper go?

  Got shredded paper you want to recycle? Recycle BC is now asking residents to place shredded paper into a cardboard box or paper bag and simply add it to your home recycling cart or multifamily cart/bin.

  Let's keep all plastic bags out of our recycling carts (soft plastics may be dropped off at a depot to be recycled).

• What can you do with old clothes?

  It's important to keep clothing, fabrics, rugs and other textiles out of your recycling carts. Options for disposing of clothing and textiles include: 

  • If the items are gently used, they may be suitable for donation (see list of local locations below).
  • Some items may be suitable to resell. There are a couple of consignment shops in Penticton, or consider selling them online, through Facebook Marketplace or other online community Facebook groups.
  • If the items are soiled or damaged, they should be placed in the garbage. 

  Local options for donating clothing: 

  • Burdock House, operated by ASK Wellness at 594 Winnipeg Street, is accepting clothing donations, which will be distributed to individuals and organizations in need. Anyone wishing to donate can ring the gate buzzer and let staff know they are there to drop off donations. They are mainly seeking warm clothing and blankets.
  • Care Closet Thrift Store
  • Salvation Army Thrift Stores
  • Value Village 
  • Post on Facebook community groups or Marketplace

  If you have clothing items you’d like to resell, options include selling them online or offering them to local clothing consignment shops. All other materials including sheets, bedding, towels, rags or other textiles that are damaged and cannot be donated should be placed into the garbage cart. 

  

• Where do larger metal items go?

  All finished with your pots and pans, or empty cans of spray paint? Not sure how to dispose of your old propane tank or metal items hanging around the garage?  Do not throw any scrap metal into your home recycling cart. These count as contamination and can cause an entire batch of recycling to end up in the landfill. 

  Here’s what to do with them instead

  Consider donating your items to a thrift store or others in the community. If the metal items are ruined or no longer useable, you can recycle them at the following locations. 

  Campbell Mountain Landfill 
  1765 Reservoir Rd.
  Drop off your pots and pans, metal cutlery and utensils, and any metal scraps including those from residential or automotive parts. 
  Ph: 250-490-4129 
   
  Action Steels Sales
  2356 Barnes St.
  Recycle various forms of scrap metal including aluminum, appliances, batteries, copper wire and stainless scrap. 
  Ph: 250-492-7822 

  Starline Salvage & Metals
  719 Okanagan Ave E 
  This locally owned and operated business is dedicated to scrap metal recycling.  
  Ph: 250-492-0640 

  

• Where do dangerous and hazardous materials go, like batteries and aerosol cannisters?

  

• Where do milk-jugs and plant-based jugs go?

  As of Feb. 1, 2022, a 10 cent deposit is charged on milk jugs and plant-based beverage containers (oat, soy and almond). After this date, you may return these containers to a Return-It site bottle depot for a refund.

  Visit the Return-In website for further information about acceptable beverage containers.

• What can I do with old electronics and small appliances?

  Drop off old electronics and small appliances without charge to the following locations. Items include computers, printers, TVs, fans, blenders, hair dryers and power tools.

  PACE Electronics

  Penticton and Area Cooperative Enterprises (PACE) accepts donations of used electronics, many of which they refurbish and repurpose to sell on-site. You’ll find monitors, computers, laptops or other tech equipment for affordable prices. If you have a computer and are concerned about confidential information, they also provide a service to destroy the computer drive upon request. For a full list of items you can recycle or purchase at PACE, visit pacepenticton.com or phone 250-276-4163. Their e-waste centre is at 105 Martin St. (off Estabrook Ave.).

  J&C Bottle Depot

  This bottle depot accepts used electronics including monitors, telephones, desktops, laptops and other computer accessories. The temporary location opens on April 7, 2026, at 310 Dawson Ave. For more information, visit return-it.ca/electronics or phone 250-492-5144.
   
  Staples

  Staples has partnered with eCycle Solutions to accept end-of-life electronics including computers, computer parts, printer ink cartridges, cellphones, small appliances and more. Simply drop your items off at their Penticton location, 102 Warren Ave. E. For more details, visit staples.ca or phone 250-770-2990.

  London Drugs

  Note that London Drugs only accepts consumer electronics that were purchased in their stores. This includes computers, laptops, cellphones, tablets, printers, chargers and headphones, and they’re located at Cherry Lane Shopping Centre. For more information, visit londondrugs.com/recycling or phone 250-492-4728.

   

• Is there a quick guide to what I can't put into my home recycling?

  

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• Can you recycle soft and flexible plastics, or foam?

  These items won't be accepted by curbside recycling, but you can take these items to various depots, like J&C Glass Depot. Use the Waste Wizard tool (on this page) for more information on these specific items.

Educational Recycling Resources for Download

• Become a Recycle Superhero Activity Book

  Download this activity book for colouring pages and other activities to help educate kids about recycling. 

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• Recycling Tips Sheet

  Download this tip sheet as a PDF to print off

   

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Recycling Regulations in British Columbia

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