Where to recycle batteries, cell phones and more in Vancouver

Recyling is not always easy.

While local cities will pick up  household garbage, grass clipping and paper and plastic recycling, people are left to find  recycling locations for other materials on their own.

Items such a cell phones, computers, paint, oil and batteries are some of the major items that will not be picked up at the curb. They can, however, be recycled.

BATTERIES

According to a 2007 report by Environmental Canada, Canadians will throw away over 495 million batteries by 2010, all which could have been recycled. Inside landfills these batteries will leak into the soil and release heavy metals that may eventually make their way into water systems. This poses a health risk to local citizens. According to the report, only two percent of batteries are recycled. Recycling facilities can separate these metals, and use the material to create new batteries or other metal products. The following locations will take your used batteries for recycling:

• Vancouver Batteries: 2192 West Broadway

• London Drugs: Most Locations

• Leos Camera Supply: 1055 Granville Street

• Mountain Co-Op Equipment: 130 West Broadway

• WCS Recycling: 1493 Dominion Street

• Ikea: Coquitlam and Richmond

CELL PHONES

Due to constant technology changes, cell phones are frequently discarded, and can easily end up in landfills when their materials are recyclable. According to an article by CBC, over 40,000 cell phones are discarded daily. The following locations will recycle your old cell phone:

• Rogers: Most Rogers locations

• Staples Business Depot: 1322 West Broadway

• Salvation Army Thrift Store: 1900 West 4th

• London Drugs: Most locations

PAINT

According to Statistics Canada, 38 percent of Canadian still have old paint in their household, simply because they didn’t know how to dispose of it. Paint cans are made of recyclable aluminum material that can be melted down to create new metals, and many locations even collect used paint to recycle old paint into usable paint. The following locations will recycle your paint:

• Go Green Bottle Depot and Recycling: 7 east 7th Avenue

• Pats Recycling: 476 East 38th Ave

• East Van Bottle Depot: 2605 Kaslo Street

• Many paint stores will also take your used cans for recycling

MOTOR OIL

Used motor oils, like batteries, can cause soil contamination, poor and/or dangerous water quality, and hurt wildlife. The following locations will recycle your used motor oil.

• Salvidge Automotive: 1636 4th Avenue

• Carter Honda: 1502 West 3rd Avenue

• Mr.Lube: 2850 Arbutus Street

• Canadian Tire: Most locations

• Grandview Tire and Auto Centre: 2886 Commercial Drive

• VAP Brake and Clutch: 2098 Commercial Drive

Electronics

The following locations will recycle your electronic devices:

• London Drugs: Most Locations

• Salvation Army: Most locations

• Fresh Start Recycling and Disposal: 1271 Howe Street

• Value Village: 1820 East Hastings