It’s happened to almost everyone: standing in front of recycling bins, item in hand, trying to decide - blue box, yellow bag or glass bin? The City of Richmond is asking residents to take extra care when sorting recycling, as contamination levels in curbside and multi-family recycling have risen above the threshold accepted by Recycle BC. The City must reduce recycling contamination levels by 25 per cent by the end of 2026. If the target is not met, the City may face financial penalties that could affect utility costs for residents.

Recycling contamination happens when items are placed in the wrong recycling stream. This can reduce the quality and value of collected materials and make them harder to recycle. With many types of packaging and materials in circulation, it can be easy to make mistakes. Sorting recyclables correctly helps keep more materials in use and out of the landfill.

“Richmond is proud to provide residents with convenient curbside recycling services for paper, mixed containers, and glass bottles and jars,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “As we advance our Circular City Strategy, sorting materials correctly is more important than ever. Higher contamination levels reduce the value and recyclability of items. By recycling properly, residents can help keep valuable resources in circulation and reduce landfill waste.”

Earlier this year, the City was notified by Recycle BC (the provincial organization that oversees recycling for packaging and paper products) that contamination levels had exceeded acceptable limits.

The City collects residential packaging and paper products from curbside and multi-family homes on behalf of Recycle BC and receives financial incentives to support collection service and public education. To avoid potential penalties, contamination from incompatible materials must stay below a three per cent threshold. Currently, Richmond has a contamination rate of 7.3 per cent for the curbside stream and 11.3 per cent for the multi-family stream—both above the allowable threshold.

To help improve recycling quality, the City will begin conducting random visual audits in residential neighbourhoods in July. These audits will assess the materials placed in the blue box, yellow bag and grey glass recycling bin. Residents who recycle correctly will receive a gold star on their recycling bin. Bins containing contaminants will receive an “Oops” sticker identifying the issue and providing guidance on how to recycle correctly.

Common recycling mistakes to avoid:

• Put glass bottles and jars in the grey glass recycling bin, not the blue box.
  
• Place recyclable items loose in the blue box. Do not put recyclables in plastic bags as bagged materials cannot be properly sorted at recycling facilities.
  
• Use the Recycling Wizard if you are unsure (in the free Richmond Recycling app or visit richmond.ca/RecycleSearch). When in doubt, look it up before tossing it in.

Correct sorting helps improve recycling quality, avoids contamination and associated penalties, and supports Richmond’s waste reduction goals.

For more information, contact Environmental Programs at 604-276-4010 or email GarbageAndRecycling@richmond.ca.