How to be More Sustainable During Renovations

SustainabilityRenovation Tips
Written By Leah Penner

Let's take a minute to recall the demolition phase of any renovation project you've ever been a part of, or have seen happening around town. There is always that horrendously massive bin in the driveway, and every single thing that is coming out of the house goes straight into it. From wood and drywall to the workers' garbage from lunch, that bin holds it all. And where does it go? You guessed it, the landfill.

There are many ways we can be more sustainable during this phase of a project in an affordable way. Sure, it might take a little bit more time, but it's worth it knowing that you are contributing to the circular economy (we promise). It all starts before any demo begins: walk through the space and note all items that can be recycled or reused. For more information on how to salvage and reuse, check out this resource from the City of Vancouver. There are many companies throughout the Fraser Valley that take most materials for recycling, and some that will even come onsite to collect them! We have curated a list of resources below for you to check out, and hopefully remember, next time you decide to do a renovation.

This is a working list that will continue to be updated! Please leave other resources in the comments below if we've missed something.

Delta

Tsawwassen Return-It Centre

5636 12 Avenue, Tsawwassen, BC

Telephone: 604-943-7661

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Textiles

  • Smoke Detectors

  • Small Appliances

  • Lighting

  • Paint

  • Packaging

Ladner Bottle Depot

1930 Elliot Street, Ladner, BC

Telephone: 604-966-0309

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Textiles

  • Smoke Detectors

  • Small Appliances

  • Lighting

  • Paint

  • Packaging

Vancouver Landfill

5400 72nd Street, Delta, BC

Free Recycling:

  • Cardboard

  • Textiles

  • Electronics

  • Small Appliances

  • Packaging

  • Large Appliances

  • Smoke Alarms

Surrey

Regional Recycling Cloverdale

5534 176th Street, Surey, BC, V3S 4C3

Telephone: 1-855-701-7171

 Accepts:

  • Scrap Metal

  • Electronics

  • Lighting

  • Smoke and CO2 Alarms

  • Small Appliances

  • Paint

  • Packaging

Semiahmoo Bottle Depot

#28, 15515 24th Avenue, White Rock, BC

Telephone: 604-531-7669

Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Lighting

  • Smoke and CO2 Alarms

  • Small Appliances

  • Paint

  • Packaging

  • Outdoor Power Equipment

SCOTT 72 Bottle & Return-It Depot

#102, 7743 128th Street, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-590-8482

Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Small Appliances

Jenill Recycling

 #1, 13140 88th Avenue, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-596-1751

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Small Appliances

  • Packaging

 Fleetwood Bottle Return Depot

15093 Fraser Highway, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-585-3544

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Textiles

  • Small appliances

  • Paint

  • Lighting

 Guildford Bottle Depot

 #100, 14727 108A Avenue, Surrey, BC
Telephone: 604-588-4489

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Textiles

  • Packaging

Emterra Environmental

6362 – 148th Street, Surrey, BC V3S 3C4

Telephone: 604-599-8151

Emterra has a circular economy business model that works to convert materials into high value recycled products again and again. They provide solutions for both residential and commercial waste that diverts more material from the landfill, improves our environmental footprint, and saves money on disposal fees.

Panorama Village Return-It

Unit 112, 15157 Highway 10, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-579-0208

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Lighting

  • Small Appliances

  • Paint

  • Packaging

Newton Bottle Depot

13245 72 Avenue, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-596-9266

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Small Appliances

  • Packaging

Scott Road Bottle Depot

#2, 12111 86th Avenue, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-543-0606

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Small Appliances

  • Paint

  • Packaging

Sur-Del Bottle Depot

8962 120A Street, Surrey, BC
Telephone: 604-837-0497

Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Small appliances

 Surrey Central Return-It Centre

 13845 104 Avenue, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-588-7790

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Large Appliances

  • Textiles

  • Small Appliances

  • Lighting

 Bridgeview Bottle & Return-It Depot

 Unit 118, 12332 Patullo Place, Surrey, BC

Telephone: 604-587-5557

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Textiles

  • Small Appliances

  • Packaging

 Pitt Meadows

 Pitt Meadows Bottle & Return-It Depot

 19090 Lougheed Highway, Pitt Meadows, BC

Telephone: 778-895-8625

Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances 

Maple Ridge

Ridge Meadows Recycling Depot

 10092 236 Street, Maple Ridge, BC

Telephone: 604-463-5545

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Lighting

  • Small and Large Appliances

  • Paint

  • Textiles

  • Packaging

 Fraser Valley Metal Exchange

 23359A Fisherman Road, Maple Ridge, BC

Telephone: 604-467-7878

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Metal

Haney Bottle Depot

#2, 22935 Lougheed Highway, Maple Ridge, BC

Telephone: 604-463-6233

 Accepts:

  • Lighting

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

Maple Ridge Bottle Depot

 Unit #15, 20475 Lougheed Highway, Maple Ridge, BC

Telephone: 604-465-8900

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Packaging


Langley

Willowbrook Recycling

 19641 60th Avenue, Langley, BC

Telephone: 604-532-0225

 Accepts:

  • Paint

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

Walnut Grove Bottle & Return Centre

 Unit 6-8, 20280 97 Avenue, Langley, BC

Telephone: 604-513-0420

 Accepts:

  • Paint

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

Aldergrove Return-It

 27482 Fraser Highway, Aldergrove, BC V4W 3N5

Telephone: 604-856-2992

 Accepts:

  • Paint

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small and Large Appliances

Fraser Valley Bottle & Return-It Depot

 #108, 22575 Fraser Highway, Langley, BC

Telephone: 604-533-8807

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

Langley Bottle Depot

 20137 Industrial Avenue, Langley, BC

Telephone: 604-530-0131

 Accepts:

  • Paint

  • Electronics

  • Small Appliances

Mission

Mission Recycle Centre

 7233 Park Street, Mission, BC

Telephone: 604-820-1830

 Accepts:

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

 Abbotsford Mission Recycling Program

 7229 Mershon Street, Mission, BC

 Accepts:

  • Packaging

  • Lighting

  • Scrap Metal

  • Paint

  • Smoke and CO2 Detectors

  • Electronics

  • Small and Large Appliances

Abbotsford

Regional Recycling Abbotsford

750 Riverside Road, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 7P6

Telephone: 1-855-701-7171

 Accepts:

  • Scrap Metal

  • Electronics

  • Lighting

  • Smoke and CO2 Detectors

  • Small Appliances

  • Paint

  • Packaging

Abbotsford Bottle Depot

 33236 Walsh Avenue, Abbotsford, BC V2S 1Z8

Telephone: 604-853-7770

 Accepts:

  • Paint

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

Abbotsford Mission Recycling Program

33670 Valley Road, Abbotsford, BC

 Accepts:

  • Packaging

  • Lighting

  • Scrap Metal

  • Paint

  • Smoke and CO2 Detectors

  • Electronics

  • Small and Large Appliances

Chilliwack

 Emterra Environmental

 44255 Yale Road, Chilliwack, BC V2R 4H2

Telephone: 604-795-7795

 Emterra has a circular economy business model that works to convert materials into high value recycled products again and again. They provide solutions for both residential and commercial waste that diverts more material from the landfill, improves our environmental footprint, and saves money on disposal fees.

Chilliwack Bottle Depot

 45934 Trethewey Avenue, Chilliwack, BC

Telephone: 604-792-9572

 Accepts:

  • Paint

  • Electronics

  • Smoke Detectors

  • Lighting

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

Bailey Sanitary Landfill Recycling Depot

 5940 Matheson Road, Chilliwack, BC

Telephone: 604-793-2907

 Accepts:

  • Gypsum wallboard

  • Major household appliances

  • scrap metal and tin

  • wood and yard waste for composting (maximum 360 mm diameter limb size)

 Parr Road Green Depot

Operated by BioCentral https://www.biocentral.ca/about, this depot is a sustainable operation that processes and distributes biosolid materials. This approach benefits land rejuvenation and has less impact than disposing of materials through incineration.

 Accepts:

  • Yard Waste

  • Sorted Construction and Demolition Wood Waste (free of paints, stains, and treatments, nails and screws ok)

  • Plywood

  • Oriented Strand Board (OSB)

  • Particle Board

 Sardis Bottle Depot

 45635B Lark Road, Chilliwack, BC

Telephone: 604-858-9177

 Accepts:

  • Paint

  • Electronics

  • Packaging

  • Small Appliances

Leah Penner https://rangerdesignco.com
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