Garbage Disposal in Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge Dump - aka. Cottonwood Landfill - RMRS Historic PhotoAs you may be aware, the system used to deal with household waste in Maple Ridge is unique in Metro Vancouver.

In 1972, before most municipalities started recycling, Ridge Meadows Recycling Society began working with residents to recycle their newspaper, cardboard, glass, and metals and divert these items away from Maple Ridge’s Cottonwood Landfill.

From the beginning, Maple Ridge council wanted to be clear about the distinction between recycling (a reusable commodity) and garbage (costs $ to bury or burn).

 
Landfill Garbage facilities in the Lower Mainland are part of Metro Vancouver’s Solid Waste Management Plan and include six transfer stations, where people and garbage companies can drop off their garbage. Trucks then haul the garbage to an incinerator in Burnaby, the Cache Creek Landfill, or the Vancouver Landfill.
 
Focused on reducing the amount of items ending up being burned or buried, Maple Ridge has developed a homegrown solution over the years that now includes:

Since Metro Vancouver’s Organics Disposal Ban came into effect in 2015, companies must pick up organics (food waste) separately from regular garbage. Ideally, organics would be picked up weekly to reduce odours and since there is so little garbage left after removing recyclables and organics, garbage can be picked up once every two weeks (biweekly).

Some of the companies that provide garbage and organics pickup services in Maple Ridge include:

       *search “Maple Ridge Garbage” for more options

This system is designed to make consumers more aware of the cost of garbage and the value of recycling, and encourages them to make choices when purchasing products to produce less waste and recycle as much as possible.

 
Metro Vancouver LogoMetro Vancouver now charges a minimum $50 surcharge, or up to 50% of the tipping fee, for garbage loads containing recyclable items. Check out Metro Vancouver’s list of items banned from the landfill. To contact Metro Vancouver with questions about their Maple Ridge Waste Centre, phone 604-681-5600
 
Through this unique system, Maple Ridge residents have the opportunity to benefit in a number of ways.

RCBC LogoIf you are unclear whether an item is recyclable or not, call us at 604-463-5545, or contact the Recycling Council of BC who can answer questions specific to your community through the Recyclepedia search, phone, text, chat, or email.

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