What are Flexible Plastics...and why can't they go in the curbside recycling bin?

Plastic bags and other flexible plastics are not compatible with curbside recycling programs in British Columbia. When flexible plastics are collected from the curb with other recyclables, they cannot be easily separated at the sorting facility. They wrap around machinery and impair the recyclability of other recyclables. Please note that styrofoam and other foam packaging can also not be collected at the curb for the same reasons.

What are flexible plastics?

“Flexible plastics” refers to plastics that can be easily crumpled or manipulated. They are included under the “Other Flexible Plastic Packaging” category of recyclable.

Flexible plastics include: plastic bags of all types, plastic overwrap, crinkly plastic, stand-up and zipper lock pouches, flexible packaging with plastic seal, woven and net plastic bags, protective and squishy cushion packaging, and any other type of plastic film.

You’ll find flexible plastics everywhere in your day-to-day life. They are most commonly used for packaging, especially food products, and in protective packaging for shipping. Sometimes flexible plastics can be sneaky, so here’s a list of common flexible plastics you may encounter:

Chip Bags
Snack, Candy and Granola Bar Wrappers
Pet Food/Treat Bags
Orange and Avocado Net Bags
Bubble Wrap
Bubble/Padded Shipping Envelopes
Deli Meat Container Lids and Other Soft-Peel Lids
Plastic Grocery Bags
Plastic Overwrap (over, for example, a bulk package of tissue boxes, water bottles, or toilet paper)

Plastic Kitchen Wrap
Plastic Sandwich Bags with a Seal
Bread Bags
Plastic Drop Sheets/Coverings
Pouches for Dried Fruit and Other Food Items
Woven Plastic Rice Bags
Squishy Cushion Packaging (Polyethylene Foam)
Protective Shipping Plastics like Air Pouches

So if flexible plastics aren’t compatible with the curbside program, where can you take them?

The 412 Helen Street Recycling Depot (behind Arrow Mountain Carwash) collects the “Other Flexible Plastic Packaging” category. Here, they are collected as one stream, meaning you can sort all your flexible plastics together and place them in the same bin at the depot. These types of plastic can be collected this way because they are compatible when being recycled together. The depot’s hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Depots can collect “other flexible plastics” while curbside programs cannot because depot recycling is already sorted and the flexible plastics can’t contaminate other recyclable materials at a sorting facility.

What’s not included in depot collection of “other flexible plastics”: Plastic-lined paper or paper-lined plastic, plastic strapping, flexible/soft 6-pack rings, plastics labeled biodegradable, compostable, or oxo- degradable. With our current recycling program, these must go into the garbage.

If you are unable to take your flexible plastics to the depot, they can be thrown in the garbage.

A few flexible plastics can be reused. For example, clean plastic bags can be used around the house to store and carry items.

Please note that the Creston Landfill does NOT accept flexible plastics or styrofoam as part of their recyclable collection as they are only a satellite depot.

If you are unsure about where to put an item the following resources are here to help you out:

Creston Recycles Web and Mobile Phone App provides residents with their curbside collection schedule, reminders, Town notifications, and what-goes-where (Wizard) tool. The Wizard tool can be used for any type of material. Creston Recycles provides information on how to properly dispose of different types of waste and the location of local drop-off sites. You can download this app for free onto your mobile device from your App Store or access it here at: https://creston.ca/2429/Curbside-Collection---Garbage-Recycling- on the Town of Creston website.

Prohibited and Accepted Waste Schedules outline which items are allowed in the curbside collection program. There is lots of valuable information and more specifics on regulations which can be accessed at the following links on the Town of Creston website: https://creston.ca/DocumentCenter/View/3133/Schedule-A---Accepted-Waste https://creston.ca/DocumentCenter/View/3184/Schedule-B---Prohibited-Waste

When in doubt, throw it out! If you’ve exhausted all your resources and still can’t figure out where to put your item, throw it in the garbage. This prevents contamination of recycling and compost.