Curbside Recycling

Glass bottles and jars must be kept separate from your other containers. An old plastic tub or pail can be used to contain your clean glass containers.

Cardboard boxes, paper bags or plastic bags are not suitable receptacles for your glass containers.

Pink "Glass Bottles and Jars Only" labels are helpful for designating your glass bin. To request labels, email your name and address to infoline@crd.bc.ca 

It's important to make sure containers are clean when placed at the curb.

• Dirty containers smell and may attract animals, rodents and insects (including wasps and bees).
• Health risks: drivers and processing plant staff could be exposed to airborne pathogens and mold.
• Safety risks: if containers have bleach residue or other potentially dangerous substances.
• Dirt and debris can damage recycling and manufacturing equipment.
• Heavily soiled items may end up being sent to landfill.

To prepare pizza boxes for recycling, compost all food waste, including liners and inserts. Tear off lid or fold in half and place out with your cardboard.

The program provides residents with one CRD blue box and two blue bags per home. If you are a new resident or require a replacement blue box or blue bag, please contact our collection contractor, GFL Environmental, at 236.470.0186 or by email blueboxvictoria@gflenv.com 

Boxes and bags are also available for pick up at the following locations:

• All residents - GFL Environmental 1045 Dunford Ave. 236.470.0186
• Central Saanich residents
  District of Central Saanich - 1903 Mt Newton Cross Road
• Colwood residents 
  City of Colwood - 3300 Wishart Road
• Esquimalt residents 
  Township of Esquimalt - 1229 Esquimalt Road
• Metchosin residents 
  District of Metchosin - 4450 Happy Valley Road
• North Saanich residents 
  District of North Saanich - 1620 Mills Road
• Saanich residents 
  District of Saanich - 1040 McKenzie Avenue
• Sidney residents 
  Town of Sidney - 2440 Sidney Avenue
• Sooke and area residents 
  District of Sooke - 2205 Otter Point Road
• View Royal residents 
  Town of View Royal - 45 View Royal Avenue
• Victoria residents 
  City of Victoria - 1 Centennial Square

The CRD blue box size promotes efficient and safe lifting. If additional receptacles are used, they must be similar in size to the blue box provided by the program. Recycling collectors lift and empty over 2,000 boxes and bags every collection day.

CRD blue boxes are 47 litres (12 gallons) and measure 48 x 40 x 31cm or 19 x 16 x 13" (L x W x H).

Check if your materials have been tagged with a preparation sticker. If there does not appear to be an issue and your items are not picked up by end of day on your collection day, leave materials at the curb and contact GFL Environmental to report it.

There is no limit to the amount of material you may place at the curb.

You can also drop your recyclables off for free at Recycle BC depots [PDF/145KB] in the region.

Wind

• Secure your materials on windy days to ensure your recycling doesn’t litter your neighbourhood.
• Place your blue box on top of cardboard.
• Pinch tops of blue bags by folding down or placing under box.
• Consider placing your items out in the morning (by 7:30am).

Ice and Snow

• Should service be affected by unsafe road conditions, please hold onto your recyclables until your next collection day. There is no limit to the amount of materials you can place at the curb. 
• You can also drop your recyclables off for free at Recycle BC depots [PDF/145KB] in the region.
• Subscribe for service alerts to receive service notifications and reminders through your schedule or by downloading the RecycleCRD app.

Tips to reduce individuals going through your recyclables:

• Do not include deposit/refund beverage containers (which now includes milk containers) with your mixed container stream.
• If you place deposit/refund beverage containers out on collection day, place them in a separate receptacle which is easily identifiable.
• Place your recyclables at the curb in the morning (by 7:30am) on your collection day.

Visit the Return-it program website for a list of deposit/refund locations.

Note: The CRD scavenging bylaw was repealed in June 2021.

Have extra items? Visit our What Goes Where page to find the best way to dispose of your item and locations where it is accepted.

The blue box collection program does not include multi-family dwellings like apartments or condos.

For information on recycling services available to your multi-family residential complex, please contact your strata, property manager or your waste hauler directly.

• Learn more about collection services in the region.
• Additional resources for apartments and condos recycling.

The CRD blue box recycling program is paid for by Recycle BC, a non-profit stewardship organization that represents producers of packaging and paper products in British Columbia.

The BC Recycling Regulation requires producers of packaging and paper products in the province to be responsible for the recycling costs associated with the material, not residential tax payers. Services are provided through a combination of curbside collection, drop-off depots and multi-family residential programs.

• What happens to my recycling?
• Who we are and more videos
• Home recycling resources

Residential packaging and printed paper free drop off locations within Capital Region

Items Accepted

1. Glass Bottles and Jars 
2. Paper and Cardboard 
3. Plastic, Metal and Paper Containers 
4. Foam Packaging (Styrofoam) 
5. Flexible Plastics

Detailed items list at RecycleBC.ca

Residential packaging and printed paper
free drop off locations:

• Bottle Depot Downtown Victoria ALL ITEMS: 655 Queens Ave (Victoria) 
• Gulf Island Recycling Depots ALL ITEMS: Visit RecycleBC.ca for locations 
• Hartland Depot ALL ITEMS:  1 Hartland Avenue (250.360.3030) 
• Island Return-it ALL ITEMS: 935 Ellery Street (Esquimalt) 
• Oak Bay Public Works Yard ALL ITEMS: 1771 Elgin Road (Oak Bay residents only) 
• Sidney Return-it ALL ITEMS: 5-10025 Galaran Road (Sidney) 
• London Drugs ONLY ITEMS 4-5: 3170 Tillicum Road - Tillicum Centre  or 911 Yates Street - Harris Green Village 

*Contact London Drugs ahead to confirm they are accepting materials