SPRING INTO SUMMER CLEANING

Spring into Summer Cleaning

By:
Betty|
June 11, 2020

Let’s Spring into Summer Cleaning. The transition from Spring to Summer is such a wonderful time of year! Trees are budding, flowers poke their heads up and everything feels so fresh and new – anything seems possible. Many of us begin to feel a buzz, a calling to freshen up our environments, and give our spaces a deep clean..

This year, our routines have changed, and our daily lives filled with different activities. We’re using our homes differently than in past years, spending our time differently, and if you’re anything like me, some things are beginning to pile up. So, while you are spending more time in your home, why not put a little of your pent-up energy to use and do a little spring & summer cleaning?

Why Jump into a Summer Clean?

It happens to all of us through the fall and winter, and into the holidays – we gather. We not only gather with friends and family, we gather stuff. New toys, new electronics, new clothing – new stuff. But we’re busy and don’t always have the time to deal with the things that have been replaced. So, we also gather bits and pieces of old stuff in the backs of closets & cupboards, in storage rooms (I can barely open the door!), in garages and in other tucked away areas.

Now that you can throw open the doors and windows – it’s the perfect time to give your home, your castle, a clean sweep! Whether you take it all in one shot or chip away over a period of time, the feeling of freeing up space is, well, freeing! 

Spring Cleaning

Check out our handy checklist to help you with this liberating task. And, if you have any ideas please share, we’d love to hear them in the comments below.

Beverage Containers:

Likely you’re accumulating far more refundable beverage containers at home than ever before! And, like many of us, you’re trying to figure out what to do with them.

  • Try our new Fast Drop solution. You can drop off your containers at our depots unsorted, and we’ll pay your full refund within a few days. No more waiting in line and spending time sorting through your countless bottles & cans. Visit one of our participating depots and speak with a team member to get started.
  • We just released a new blog post about all the obscure containers that you may not have known have a refund value associated with them. Check out our Can I Recycle This Container article to learn how you maybe throwing out some hard-earned cash. 
  • You can DONATE your refundable beverage containers to a local community organization at our depots! Every month our Regional Recycling locations provide our customers with the opportunity to donate their empties to a good cause, whether it’s to help an organization feed at-risk children or to support home’s capital campaign. We are currently donating all refunds to Backpack Buddies at participating depots.
  • And, if you can’t get to us, but want to have your empties go to a good cause, why not leave them out for a binner – those folks who make their living by keeping recyclables out of the waste stream. Check out this blog on the Binners Hook by the Binner’s Project. 
Bottle Depot - Bottle Recycling

Electronics and small appliances:

As many of us are staying at home, it’s been reported that there’s been an unprecedented amount of kitchen appliances and household electronics purchased to help pass the time. We handle end-of-life electronic products, which means only those that are non-functioning and beyond repair.

  • If you have any of broken electronics or appliances hanging around your home, bring them down to us to ensure they are given a new recycled life.  
  • If your item still works and could be used again, but you’re looking to get rid of it, we highly recommend donating it to your favorite community group like BC Tech for Learning Society
Free Commercial Recycling Pickup

Please Note: If you have more than 2 pallets of electronics, you may qualify for a free commercial pickup, or a free school recycling pickup.

Electronics Recycling

Gently used clothing:

When warmer spring weather arrives, it’s time to pack away sweaters, coats, and other cold weather clothing. Storing seasonal clothing is easy to do safely if you follow a few simple rules.

  • Make sure that the storage containers and areas are clean, cool, dark, and dry. This will keep clothing in good shape for next winter. 
  • You can donate gently worn business clothes to Dress For Success and Working Gear to support disadvantaged people get a fresh start by making a positive first impression at their next job interview.
  • Less gently-used items – Donate to Big Brothers / Big Sisters – All our locations have bins on our lots that collect clothing for this organization.

Paper Recycling:

If you are like many people, you collect paper & packaging, saving all types of paper to reuse, and, only when it has breathed its last useful breath, it gets recycled.

  • Paper & Packaging is relatively easy these days with blue box programs in most residential-multi units and in residential neighborhoods making recycling these items easy. 
  • If you do not have a blue box paper recycling program, please bring your paper products to us with the rest of your recycling.
Paper Recycling

Books, Newspapers and Magazines:

How is the current state of your bookshelf or magazine pile? Is the pile of “I’m going to read that this weekend” getting longer and longer? If yes, it’s time to create a donation pile. Be vigilant and give it away or swap it with friends who share your literary taste.

  • Libraries are often happy to take well-treated books, as are some schools and care homes. We also have Book Donation Bins on our parking lots. 

Office / School Supplies / Computer Equipment/ Media:

It’s amazing how many of these items we collect in our homes that can be recycled. And now, with more of us at home, it’s likely you are noticing it more. Happy to note that all types of computer equipment and media can be recycled at any of our depots.

Garage/Shed/Storage Room:

Do you have all sorts of stuff laying around your garage like old paint, broken garden tools, and half-finished projects? The garage is a wonderful place to accumulate those often-ignored items.

Using the “touch it once” rule, sort items by categories – donate, recycle or toss.

If you find any of the following, bring it in to us for recycling!

  • Paint & Pesticides  It’s a great time to start a new spring project around the house. You can recycle your old paint and pesticides with us. We also have recycled paint available for pickup for that new flash of inspiration to revitalize your home.  
  • Outdoor Power Equipment  – We’re excited to join the OPEIC network of depots. Learn more about the outdoor power equipment we accept, free of charge.

We hope you have fun and feel a sense of relief with your summer cleaning. At Regional Recycling we will take most of your recyclable items, so load up your truck, your car, your bike or your basket and come on down to one of our 8 locations. Bring all your collected beverage containers to earn some cash along the way!

Enjoy the sunny days ahead. Happy SUMMER-TIME Recycling!

23 Comments

  1. Robin Barnes

    Hi there
    Im trying to find a place to recycle old cosmetic containers and cosmetics
    Where would I do that?

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Hi Robin, You can check with the BC Recycling Hotline for where best and how to recycle these items. Call 604-RECYCLE or visit their Recyclepedia App: https://www.rcbc.ca/recyclepedia/search

      Reply
  2. Sheila thomson

    Could you please tell me where to take old brita water filters

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Hi Sheila, Thanks for checking on this. The Recycling Council of BC will be able to point you in the right direction. You can call them at 604-RECYCLE or visit their Recyclepedia App: https://www.rcbc.ca/recyclepedia/search

      Reply
  3. Lesley

    London Drugs take Brita Filters

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Thanks Lesley. Great tip!

      Reply
    • Anne Van Rhyn

      London Drugs (Surrey, London Station) is not taking any recyclables at this time.

      Reply
  4. Judy S

    Where can I take old plastic laundry baskets and plastic bins to. Cloverdale doesn’t take.

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Hi Judy, none of our locations are able to take those items for recycling. You can connect with the RCBC Recycling Hotline for where you can recycle near you: 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253)

      We look forward to seeing you at one of our depots!

      Reply
  5. Cindy Lentz

    Where and how do you recycle old slides (pictures)?

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Hi Cindy, you can recycle all of your old media items, including slides, at any of our Regional Recycling locations. We look forward to seeing you.

      Reply
  6. May

    Where can refrigerator water filters be recycled?

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Hi May, we recycle large household appliances in many of our depots – Burnaby and Whistler do not take large appliances.

      If it is only the water filter you are looking to recycle you can check your manufacturer’s guide for recycling instructions for the water filter or you can check with the Recycling Hotline: 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253)

      We look forward to seeing you!

      Reply
  7. Thelma Schrock

    You tell us that we should recycle old broken electrical stuff, but you don’t tell us where to take them and I don’t have enough for a pick-up. I live in the West End. Where should I take stuff?

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Hi Thelma. We have locations in Vancouver (960 Evans), Richmond (13300 Vulcan Way), and Burnaby (2876 Norland). All take small electronics. Vancouver and Richmond take large electronics as well. You can see more about each location on this page of our website: https://www.regionalrecycling.ca/locations-hours/ Visit the individual depot pages to learn which products each location takes. We look forward to seeing you at one of our depots.

      Reply
  8. Donna

    Where can I recycle old vinyl records?

    Reply
    • Betty H

      Hi Donna. All of our locations accept vinyl records for recycling. We look forward to seeing you.

      Reply
  9. Barbara Heller

    where can I take old audiotape cassettes and cd’s as well as the plastic covers?

    Reply
    • Betty H

      HI Barbara, thanks for checking on this. All of our depots will accept these items for recycling. You do not need to remove the plastic covers. We look forward to seeing you at one of our depots.

      Reply
  10. Mike

    I have a cast aluminum bbq and live in Abbotsford, can I recycle it and where?

    Reply
    • burnabybottle

      Hi Mike,

      Thanks for checking with us on this. You can recycle your BBQ free of charge at our Abbotsford location – 750 Riverside Road. We look forward to seeing you there.

      Reply
  11. Rick Romano

    Do you take styrofoam

    Reply
    • Betty

      Hi Rick, We do not take styrofoam at our mainland BC locations.

      Reply

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