Plastics recycling

Clean Styrofoam blocks, food trays and containers can be recycled in the SUB recycling station or your office Styrofoam and soft plastics recycling program. 

If your department office does not have a Styrofoam and soft plastics recycling program please contact the Waste Reduction Unit at 250-853-3160 for more details. 

Any labeled, food soiled or coloured Styrofoam blocks, peanuts or containers should be disposed of in the landfill waste bin.

Soft plastics include retail bags, other soft plastic bags (i.e. bags for bread, newspapers, produce or bulk foods), and overwrap (i.e. outer wraps for diapers and feminine hygeine products). These can be recycled in SUB's expanded recycling station or your office Styrofoam and soft plastics recycling program. 

Items must be clean and not soiled with any food products. If your department office does not have a styrofoam and soft plastics recycling program please contact the Waste Reduction Unit at 250-853-3160 for more details. 

Crinkly bags, kitchen stretch wrap, plastic condiment packets or soft packaging for meat, fish, cheese, poultry etc and garbage bags (all colours) are not recyclable.  Also, any dirty or food soiled plastic bags should also be disposed of in the landfill bin.

All single use plastic straws (unless they are compostable e.g. in SUB) should be disposed of in the landfill bin. These items are not recyclable and where possible, should be avoided.

Plastic containers marked #1 (e.g. drink bottles); #2 (e.g. milk jugs and yogurt tubs); #3 (e.g. shampoo bottles, cooking oil bottles); #4 (squeeze bottles); #5 (e.g. ketchup bottles, caps) and #7 (e.g. dvd cases) can be recycled in the mixed containers recycling bin.

Please note that plastics marked #6 (polystyrene) cannot be recycled in this bin.

Departments that have a few leftover transparencies to be recycled can send them via campus mail to the Waste Reduction Unit.  However, if you have a box full of them then please submit a FMIS Self Service request to have them picked up and recycled by the Waste Reduction Unit.

All used condiment packets (e.g. ketchup, mustard, sugar) should be disposed of in the landfill bin.