Recycling Centre

Daily processing of 50,000+ beverage containers year-round supports a population of 600 to 700 recycling collectors in Vancouver’s inner-city community. The organization employs roughly 80-90 people in part-time and full-time jobs and refunds annually more than $900K to its daily customers. Walk-ins are welcome! Recycling all returnable containers is one of the easiest ways for your family, organization, or event to demonstrate its environmental commitment.

Household Battery Recycling

Why Is It Important to Recycle Batteries?

• Protect the Environment:

Every year, millions of batteries end up in landfills, where they can leak harmful chemicals that contaminate soil and water. Recycling batteries helps prevent this pollution and protects our ecosystems.

• Ensure Battery Safety:

Even when they’re no longer in use, batteries can still hold a charge. If disposed of improperly or stored with other batteries or metal objects, they can spark and potentially cause fires. Recycling batteries safely reduces this risk.

• Support a Circular Economy:

When you recycle household batteries, you help recover valuable materials like rare metals, which can be reused to make new products. This reduces the need for mining new resources and supports a more sustainable, circular economy.

At United We Can, we understand how important battery recycling is. That’s why we’ve partnered with Call2Recycle to serve as a battery recycling collection point. Our goal is to protect the environment and make recycling easy for our community.

Bring in your used household batteries—we’ll take care of the rest.

We Accept the Following Types of Batteries:

• Single-Use Batteries:

A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, and button cells.

Common types: Alkaline, Zinc-Carbon, and Lithium.

• Rechargeable Batteries:

A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, button cells, and larger rechargeable batteries weighing less than 5 kg.

Common types: Lithium-Ion, Nickel Cadmium, Nickel Metal Hydride, and Small Sealed Lead Acid (SSLA).

Examples: Cordless power tools, cordless phones, digital cameras, and other small electronic devices.

If you want to learn more about battery recycling, visit: www.recycleyourbatteries.ca

Household Lights & Light Fixtures Recycling

Why Is It Important to Recycle Light Bulbs?

• Protecting the Environment:

Fluorescent bulbs—especially compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)—contain mercury, a toxic heavy metal. When these bulbs are thrown in the trash and end up in landfills, the mercury can seep into the soil and water, causing environmental contamination. Recycling prevents this by safely recovering the mercury for reuse.

• Reducing Landfill Waste:

Our landfills are reaching capacity. By recycling light bulbs, we can divert waste and recover valuable materials like glass and metal. These materials can be repurposed into new products, reducing the strain on landfill space and conserving resources.

• Protecting Human Health:

When light bulbs containing mercury are broken or improperly disposed of, they can release toxic vapors that pose health risks. Recycling ensures bulbs are handled and processed safely, minimizing any risk of mercury exposure.

• Saving Costs & Supporting Sustainability:

Recycling can reduce waste disposal costs for businesses and demonstrate a commitment to environmental responsibility—something that more and more customers care about. It’s a smart, sustainable choice for both individuals and organizations.

At United We Can, we know how important it is to recycle light bulbs responsibly. That’s why we’ve partnered with Product Care Recycling to serve as a drop-off location for light bulb and lighting fixture recycling.

Do your part for the planet—bring your used household light bulbs to us for safe and sustainable recycling.

If you want to learn more about light recycling, visit: www.productcare.org

Children Car Seats Recycling

Why Is It Important to Recycle Children’s Car Seats?

Child car seats are built for safety—but they don’t last forever. Most have expiration dates ranging from 5 to 8 years, after which they may no longer meet safety standards. Additionally, if a seat has been involved in a car accident, it should never be reused, as its structural integrity may be compromised.

Recycling your child’s car seat responsibly keeps it out of landfills and helps reduce environmental waste. Instead of adding to the growing volume of automotive waste, these seats are dismantled and their components—plastic, metal, and foam—are repurposed into new materials and products.

Due to their complex structure, car seats cannot be recycled through regular curbside programs. Specialized recycling programs ensure that these materials are safely and properly processed.

If your car seat was involved in a collision, ICBC may reimburse the recycling cost with a valid receipt. Visit ICBC’s website for details on how to submit your receipt.

By choosing to recycle your car seat, you’re helping support the circular economy—a system focused on reducing waste and reusing resources. This helps conserve energy, reduce the need for raw materials, and lower production costs—important steps toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.

At United We Can, we understand the importance of children’s car seat recycling. That’s why we’ve partnered with Reclaim Plastics to serve as a collection point for used car seats. Our goal is to do our part for the environment and make it easier for you to recycle responsibly.

Please bring your used children’s car seats to us for recycling.

Recycling Fees:

• Booster Seat – $16 + tax
• Convertible or All-in-One Seat – $22 + tax
• Infant Seat – $22 + tax

If you want to learn more about light recycling, visit: https://reclaimplastics.com/recycling-services/car-seat-recycling/