An old hot water tank is heavy, awkward and made mostly of steel. It is also on Metro Vancouver's list of metal appliances banned from the landfill, so it should not end up in the garbage. Most cities have a route for it. Here are the options.
Check your city's large item pickup first
Several cities take hot water tanks through their large item programs. Richmond's accepted list includes hot water tanks, along with stoves, dishwashers, washers, dryers, refrigerators and freezers. Burnaby's program page also lists a hot water tank. Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows residents can book a fee-for-pickup service through Ridge Meadows Recycling, and that service lists hot water tanks among the large recyclable items it picks up.
Each program has a limit on items per year, and you usually need to book ahead. Our guide to large item pickup by city goes through the rules.
Take it to a depot
Richmond's Recycling Depot at 5555 Lynas Lane accepts gas and electric hot water tanks, along with furnaces, for free drop-off for Richmond residents. The depot is open seven days a week from 9:00am to 6:15pm and its phone is 604-276-4010. It allows up to 3 large appliances per day.
Metro Vancouver's page lists the regional recycling and waste centres, and Metro Vancouver Recycles can help locate the one that takes scrap metal near you.
Scrap metal
A tank is steel. A scrap metal recycler may take it, and some may pay a small amount. Call first and ask whether they take tanks and in what condition. Our metal recycling page covers how scrap metal moves.
Before the tank leaves the house
Have a qualified plumber or gas fitter disconnect and drain the tank, especially if it is gas. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. A new tank installer will often take the old one away, so ask when you book the swap.
Where a bin fits
Whether a hot water tank can go into one of our junk bins is something we can tell you when you book. Ask before you load it. If you are replacing a tank as part of a larger cleanout or renovation, the rest of the junk can go in a bin. A 20-yard bin is the common start, and we have a 15-yard bin that is often sold out. We deliver the bin and haul it away. You handle the loading. Our appliances disposal guide has more.
FAQ
Can a hot water tank go in the garbage? No. Metal household appliances are on Metro Vancouver's banned list for garbage disposal, according to the City of Richmond's page.
Does Richmond's Recycling Depot take hot water tanks? Yes. The City lists gas and electric hot water tanks as accepted for free drop-off for residents.
Can I put a hot water tank out through Large Item Pickup? Richmond's and Burnaby's programs list hot water tanks. Book ahead and keep within your item limit.
Can I put a hot water tank in a Trash King bin? Ask us when you book.