After a move, a big purchase or a renovation, the foam piles up. Styrofoam is bulky, it does not fit in curbside carts and not all of it can be recycled. Sorting it into three groups makes the job much easier.
What can be recycled at a depot
Recycle BC accepts two kinds of foam packaging, and only at a depot, not curbside:
- Foam food containers and trays, such as meat trays and take-out containers
- Foam cushion packaging, the moulded foam that holds electronics and appliances
Clean it first. Metro Vancouver's United Boulevard centre says food residue, labels and tape must be removed. Both white and coloured foam are accepted, and Metro notes that squishy foam packaging should go in with flexible plastics instead.
What cannot
Recycle BC's not-accepted list includes foam peanuts and packing chips, blue or pink foam board insulation, protective and squishy cushion packaging, foam noodles, furniture cushions, liquid-absorbing pads from meat trays and napkins or cutlery. Metro Vancouver's centre also lists insulated foam coolers as not accepted for white foam.
Foam board insulation is the one that surprises people on renovation jobs. It is not accepted with foam packaging. Our what not to put in a bin post covers what happens to mixed loads.
Where to take it
- Richmond Recycling Depot, 5555 Lynas Lane, 604-276-4010, accepts white and coloured polystyrene, including packaging foam, take-out containers, foam plates and meat trays, and drink cups for white. All of it must be clean, and peanut chips are not accepted.
- Burnaby Eco-Centre, 4855 Still Creek Drive, accepts plastic foam packaging for residents, along with foam trays, plates, bowls, cups and take-out containers.
- Metro Vancouver's United Boulevard Recycling and Waste Centre, 995 United Boulevard, Coquitlam, accepts foam packaging for residents, for free.
Recycle BC's website has a depot finder where you can search your address.
Curbside, large item pickup and the garbage
Do not put foam in the green bin. Burnaby's guide lists plastic foam packaging (Styrofoam) as unacceptable there. Abbotsford says foam packaging is not accepted at the curb in the recycling cart. Surrey's large item pickup list says Styrofoam is not accepted. Metro Vancouver bans expanded polystyrene packaging from disposal. Loads with more than 20% of it face a surcharge of 100% of the tipping fee.
Packing material in a cleanout
If you are clearing a garage or storage room with a lot of foam in it, pull out the packaging and trays first. Our household garbage page and our plastics recycling page cover the rest. Bulky foam fills a bin by volume rather than weight, so ask when you book about a bin size.
FAQ
Does Recycle BC take foam packaging curbside? No. It is accepted at depots only.
Are foam peanuts recyclable? Not through Recycle BC. Peanuts and packing chips are on its not-accepted list.
Can I recycle blue or pink foam board insulation? Recycle BC does not accept it as foam packaging.
Does foam have to be clean? Yes. Remove food residue, labels and tape.