Richmond gives residents two main ways to deal with things that do not fit in the cart: the Recycling Depot and the Large Item Pick-Up program. This guide shows what each one takes and where the gaps are, using the City's own pages.
Richmond Recycling Depot
The depot is at 5555 Lynas Lane, Richmond. The City lists the phone as 604-276-4010. It is open seven days a week from 9:00am to 6:15pm and closes on statutory holidays. The City asks drivers not to queue on Lynas Lane before it opens at 9:00am.
Richmond's page says residents and business operators can drop off 1 cubic yard of recyclables and 3 large appliances at the depot per day. Items listed as accepted for free drop-off for residents include:
- Batteries, light bulbs, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and fire extinguishers (up to 5 per day)
- Electronics, small appliances and power tools
- Paint, solvents, pesticides and gasoline, each with a size limit
- Propane tanks and butane cylinders
- Motor oil, antifreeze and empty automotive containers
- Cooking oil and animal fat, in sealed containers
- Scrap metal, aluminium, furnaces, hot water tanks and large appliances
- Tires, passenger and light duty truck
- Grass, leaves and plant trimmings, with the first cubic yard free for residents and $25 for each additional cubic yard
- Upholstered furniture such as couches and armchairs, as long as they stay dry
- White and coloured polystyrene, with the exception of packing chips and peanuts
What the depot does not take
The depot's not accepted list matters just as much if you are planning a trip. It includes asphalt, gypsum drywall, home demolition and construction materials, household garbage, mattresses and box springs, sod, soil and dirt, window glass and wooden furniture such as tables and chairs. It also lists styrofoam packaging chips, peanuts, foam noodles and blue or pink foam insulation board.
Wooden furniture is a common surprise. The City's depot page does not take it. You can look at the Large Item Pick-Up program for those pieces.
Large Item Pick-Up
Richmond's program covers up to six large household items per year. It applies to single-family homes and townhomes with City garbage collection or Blue Box service, and to multi-family complexes with City garbage collection.
To book, call Sierra Waste Services at 604-270-4722 or use the City's online form. The City says to make arrangements by 4:00pm on the Thursday of the week before your next garbage collection day. Then you set items out before 7:30 a.m. on the scheduled day, or after 8:00 p.m. the night before.
Accepted items include furniture, appliances, hot water tanks, bed frames, outdoor furniture, tires, suitcases and weight training equipment. Mattresses and box springs are accepted only if they are dry, wrapped in plastic and sealed. Lumber, demolition and renovation materials, tree stumps, carpets, propane tanks, gas lawnmowers and hazardous waste are not accepted.
Where a bin fits
Neither option is built for a renovation or a full cleanout. The depot refuses demolition and construction materials, and the pickup program stops at six items. When the job is that size, a bin does the work. You handle the loading, and we handle the drop-off and the haul away. A 20-yard junk bin is the usual first choice for a cleanout in Richmond. We also have a 15-yard bin, but it is commonly sold out, so ask when you book. You can see how delivery works on our Richmond page.
Putting the bin on your own driveway needs no permit. A bin on the street or lane needs a City of Richmond permit, so apply with the City and give us your dates.
FAQ
Where is the Richmond Recycling Depot? The City lists it at 5555 Lynas Lane, Richmond, phone 604-276-4010.
What are the Recycling Depot hours? Open 7 days a week from 9:00am to 6:15pm. The City says it is closed on statutory holidays.
Does the depot take mattresses? No. Mattresses and box springs are on the depot's not accepted list. They can go through the Large Item Pick-Up program if they are dry, wrapped in plastic and sealed.
How many items can I book through Large Item Pick-Up? Up to six large household items per year.
Can I take renovation waste to the depot? No. Home demolition and construction materials are not accepted at the depot.