Recycling
Oversized Items
What are Oversized Items?
Also called “Bulky Waste” oversized items include discarded furniture, appliances, boats, vehicles, tires and other items that do not fit in a garbage bag or bin.
Environmental Impact
Discarded vehicles contain battery fluid, antifreeze, lead, mercury and fuel which pose a risk to the surrounding environment.
Best Practice Examples
- Circulate easy-to-read guides for oversized items that can be recycled.
- If possible, provide periodic pick-up or removal of oversized items to avoid littering or stockpiling (stockpiling can increase the risk of pollution, and can also make it more difficult and costlier to remove).
- Periodic pick-up can include additional items that are not suitable for household garbage or weekly recycling (e.g. light bulbs, smoke alarms etc.)
- See the following example household guide for periodic pick-up service:
Lil’wat mattress recycling
As a community of over 465 households, Lil’wat Nation receives hundreds of mattresses every year at the transfer station.
To reduce the transport and disposal cost of discarded mattresses, the Lil’wat Nation disassembles mattresses into its component parts including metal, wood, foam and fibre, which can be recycled, reused or disposed at less cost.