Zero waste recycling stations expanding at Vancouver beaches

June 27 2019 – 

 

 The City, in partnership with the Vancouver Park Board, is expanding public area recycling by adding 20 new zero waste stations at park concessions throughout the city. The new stations support the City’s ongoing zero waste initiatives and public realm cleanliness.

The zero waste stations at the park concessions include at least one bin for recycling, organics, and landfill. The stations are colour-coded and have prominent signage to make it easy for users to properly sort their waste.

Concessions support the Single Use Reduction Strategy

City Engineering Services and the Park Board worked closely together to ensure that the majority of the food service packaging provided at the concessions could be composted or recycled in the program. Park Board-operated concessions have taken early steps to embrace the City’s Single Use Reduction Strategy.

Some of the initiatives undertaken at concession stands include:

• Eliminating the distribution of plastic straws
• Switching to lids with a sip portal
• Switching to wooden cutlery
• Using paper-based compostable food packaging
• Offering 25 cent cup discounts to patrons who bring their own mug 

 

Reduce and recycle

An integral part of becoming a zero waste community is ensuring that we all have the opportunity to reduce or recycle materials both at home and while we are out enjoying our vibrant parks, beaches, streets, and communities.

As Canada Day and summer festival season kicks off, visitors to public spaces and events in the city are encouraged to make use of reusable items wherever possible and adopt the pack-in and pack-out approach to help us preserve these spaces and the environment as a whole.

Public area recycling programs are notoriously challenging to manage due to contamination. We are asking residents and visitors to do their part — when you see one of the new recycling stations, please take a moment to sort your items properly and help keep recyclables out of the landfill.

Learn more about the program, including the location of new zero waste stations