New curbside collection begins in 103 and 105 Mile Communities

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District:

The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) will launch curbside garbage and recycling collection in the communities of 103 Mile and 105 Mile starting Friday, October 10, 2025. Curbside totes will begin arriving to 103/105 Mile residential properties after September 22, 2025.

This curbside service is one of the first actions coming out of the CRD’s recently approved Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) and complements other service rollouts across the region.

“Introducing curbside service supports residents in several ways. It cuts down on driving and fuel costs, reduces wear and tear on vehicles, and provides a dependable system for handling household waste. Just as importantly, it helps keep our communities cleaner and promotes stronger recycling practices. This is a practical improvement that will benefit families, seniors, and the community as a whole.” said Al Richmond, CRD Director for Area G.

103/105 Mile residents are encouraged to check their mail beginning September 16th for important information regarding the new service. The CRD’s website www.cariboord.ca/103-105curbside  includes all relevant information about the service including a map, collection days, FAQs and resources for where to recycle hazardous items that don’t belong in the garbage.

Costs & billing

• Annual fee: $99.96, first billed in April 2026.
• Early payment discount: Pay by May 31 to receive 10% off, working out to about $7.50/month.
• Tote ownership: Curbside totes were purchased with grant funding and remain CRD property. Totes must stay with the property if sold.
• Additional totes: Properties zoned for a secondary suite, carriage home, or secondary dwelling may request additional totes.

About the Solid Waste Management Plan

The SWMP was developed with two rounds of public consultation and guidance from the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, which included residents, First Nations representatives, environmental organizations, industry, and local government staff. Learn more at cariboord.ca/swmp

B.C. funding new ways to reduce plastic waste in communities

From the Government of BC:

"More B.C. businesses and organizations are receiving funding to provide innovative solutions to recycle and reuse plastic while supporting jobs for people throughout British Columbia"

A local company on Fox Mountain, a rural unincorporated community in hashtag#CaribooRD Area "D" -- Devle Recycled -- was successful in this funding round of $54,624.00

More info on Devle Recycled can be accessed at https://delverecycled.ca/

BC takes action to recycle more items

Courtesy of the Government of BC:

Electric-vehicle batteries, mattresses, single-use fuel canisters and fire extinguishers are among the products that will be eligible for provincewide recycling as part of a five-year plan to advance recycling in British Columbia.

Other items to be added to British Columbia’s Recycling Regulation and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) strategy include more electronic products such as solar panels, more types of lithium-ion batteries, electric-vehicle chargers and e-cigarettes.

“Expanding the number of recyclable products will mean convenient, free collection of those products and a cleaner environment for British Columbians,” said the Hon. George Heyman, BC's Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “Adding to the product list will reduce the waste that’s now being sent to the landfill or illegally dumped in back alleys or green spaces. This will protect our environment and boost our economy through an increase in recycling operations and re-manufacturing.”

Under the EPR Five-Year Action Plan, the changes will be phased in to give producers time to set up the necessary systems. The Province recognizes the need for timely action and will work with its partners to accelerate proposed timelines where possible. 

EPR requires producers to take responsibility for the lifecycle of their products, including collection and recycling. This shifts the costs and responsibility from local and Indigenous governments and taxpayers to the producers and consumers of products. Since 2004, the Province has regulated through EPR residential packaging and paper, beverage containers, numerous electronics, light bulbs, tires, automotive oil, antifreeze and paint.

Regulating more products under EPR is one part of the new action plan, which builds on British Columbia’s leadership in preventing waste, reclaiming more materials and growing the circular economy. The ministry will also explore how to regulate the recycling of more packaging and paper products beyond residential sources, such as from businesses, stadiums, shopping malls and universities. British Columbia would be the first jurisdiction in North America to do so.  

B.C.’s EPR strategy recovers $46-million worth of materials annually and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The strategy generates an estimated $500 million annually through recycling programs, and collects approximately 315,000 tonnes of plastic from bottles, packaging and electronics.

The Province is preventing waste, tackling plastics pollution and supporting the circular economy by:

• expanding the beverage container deposit-refund system to include milk and milk-alternative containers, and recycling up to 40 million more containers annually, starting in February 2022;
• expanding the number of single-use products (such as disposable dishware, cutlery, stir sticks and sandwich bags) that can be recycled through industry-funded residential recycling programs, effective January 2023;
• piloting new projects to use reclaimed plastic waste in new manufacturing through the CleanBC Plastics Action Fund;
• empowering municipalities to enact their own bans of certain single-use plastics, without provincial approval, by amending a regulation under the Community Charter – allowing them to take immediate action on plastics pollution in their communities. This is in addition to having approved bylaws banning single-use plastics in nine municipalities (Richmond, Surrey, Victoria, Saanich, Esquimalt, Nanaimo, Tofino, Ucluelet and Rossland);
• further working on the development of a legal framework to allow provincial bans on single-use items, such as straws, takeout containers, shopping bags and other priority items;
• supporting the largest shoreline cleanup in B.C.’s history through the Clean Coast, Clean Waters Initiative. More than 550 tonnes of marine debris have been removed from B.C.’s shorelines to date, with much of the debris sent for recycling; and
• partnering with the Canada Plastics Pact to collaborate with industry, government and non-profit organizations from the plastics sector to address plastic waste – keeping it in the economy and out of the environment.

Learn More:

The EPR Five-Year Action Plan can be found at:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/recycling/recycle/extended_producer_five_year_action_plan.pdf

Recycling Regulation amendments and initiatives:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/waste-management/recycling/extended-producer-responsibility/recycling-regulation

Reminder about what NOT to compost at your local Cariboo RD Transfer Station...

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District:

You are asked NOT to compost at the local Cariboo Regional District Transfer Stations:

- cooked foods
- cheese & dairy
- meat & bones
- pet waste
- used tissues & paper towels
- produce stickers
- oils & greases
- glossy or coated paper
- treated or painted wood
- aggressive weeds & grasses
- poisonous or diseased plants

For recycling options in the Region -- click here

To properly dispose of Invasive Plants -- click here

BC Recycles

A new website has been established to be an online "one stop shop" for finding locations near you to recycle your various items including electronics, glass or flammable materials among other items

According to the website - BC Recycles is:

Product stewardship is an environmental management strategy guided by the principle that whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product takes responsibility for minimizing that product’s environmental impact.

By diverting recyclable materials from the landfill, we can reduce the need to develop new landfill sites. The diverted materials can be reused and we can save the energy needed to produce new products from raw materials.

BC product stewards have committed to recycling their products safely and responsibly. By returning your products to the appropriate collection sites, you can guarantee a safe and responsible recycling process.

Their funding comes from two models of:

a) Internalized Cost Model

The internalized cost model is a funding model where the cost of the recycling program is part of the producer’s cost of the product; the producer either absorbs the cost of recycling or internalizes the cost into the product’s selling price. Programs with internalized recycling costs do not charge separate fees to the consumer at the retail point of sale.

b) Eco-Fee Model

The eco-fee model is a funding model where the cost of the recycling program is also part of the producer’s cost of the product, however, the cost (typically referred to as eco-fees) are charged to the consumer at the retail point of sale. Eco-fees are typically applied as a separate charge in addition to the product’s selling price.

You can view the full website here