Rows of recycling carts

Learn how to sort your waste and recycling.

Contaminated Carts

Only certain materials are accepted in Surrey's recycling carts. Placing unacceptable materials in your recycling cart:

  • pollutes Surrey’s recycling stream
  • results in recycling being sent to the landfill
  • creates more risks for workers
  • can result in the City facing fines that might affect the annual waste collection fees for everyone.

We check individual recycling carts for unacceptable items which can cause contamination. To ensure pick-up, only place acceptable materials in your recycling cart. If your cart is contaminated with unacceptable materials, it might not be picked up.

With your help, we can reduce the waste we send to landfills and reduce our impact on our environment. Learn what is accepted in your carts below.

Waste Wizard

Recycling Cart

Accepted items that can go in the City of Surrey’s blue carts:

  • Paper (newspaper, flyers, magazines, envelopes) but no books
  • Cartons (milk, juice, ice cream)
  • Cardboard (flattened)
  • Plastic clamshells (for muffins, berries, pre-packaged meals, etc.)
  • Plastic food storage containers (Tupperware, etc.)
  • Plastic bottles (water, pop, etc.)
  • Plastic tubs/containers (yoghurt, ice cream, laundry detergent)
  • Plastic jars (jams, sauces, soaps, etc.)
  • Plastic jugs (milk, water, juice)
  • Tin cans (tuna, tomatoes, lentils) 
  • Empty aerosol spray cans 

Not on the list? Use our Waste Wizard tool or download our app.

Items not accepted and how to sort them correctly:

Recycling Depot or Central Surrey Recycling and Waste Centre

  • Plastic bags
  • Styrofoam
  • Film plastics (Ziplock bags, overwrap on paper towels, etc.)
  • Batteries
  • Candy wrappers, chips bags
  • Electronics or small appliances (toasters, fans, cables, extension cords, etc.)
  • Glass jars
  • Propane canisters
  • Scrap metal in poor condition (pots and pans, kettle, clothes hangers, etc.)
  • Lighting products (light bulbs, light fixtures, string lights)

Reuse, Donate and Sell

  • Books
  • Clothing in good condition
  • Scrap metal in good condition (pots and pans, kettle, clothes hangers, etc.)

Garbage

  • Clothing in poor condition
  • Garden hoses
  • Personal hygiene products

Not on the list? Use our Waste Wizard, or download our app.

Organic Cart

Acceptable items:

  • Yard waste 
  • Food waste (small amount of cooking oil*, tea bags, and coffee grounds)

*Larger amounts of cooking oil can be taken to the Central Surrey Recycling and Waste Centre for free disposal. 

Non-acceptable items:

  • Pet waste
  • Diapers
  • Plastic bags
  • Milk jugs

Another way to reduce waste is to compost organic material

Garbage Cart

Only waste that cannot be recycled or composted goes in your garbage:

  • Broken glassware
  • Broken toys
  • Diapers
  • Garden hoses

 

Know Where to Go

Look up where to find proper disposal depots for non-organic or non-recyclable items.

Hazardous Waste

​Batteries, electronics, sharps and other hazardous materials require special handling.

Please visit Product Care Recycling's website, the Recycling Council of BC website, or call the recycling hotline at 604-RECYCLE (604-732-9253) for information about the proper disposal procedure and a facility near you.

Hazardous materials graphic

Waste Sorting Guide

On the move but need a sorting guide? View the PDF version of the Waste Diversion Guide and/or download the Rethink Waste App.