Programs and events

Education programs

Seasonal programs

Recycling programs and events

Education Programs

Inspire curiosity, environmental stewardship and hands-on learning with our free waste reduction education programs. Designed to complement B.C.’s curriculum, our engaging programs help participants discover what happens to garbage, recycling, food scraps and yard waste in the Central Okanagan.

Get ready to learn and dig deep in our adventurous worm-shop! Discover the amazing adaptations worms use to turn everyday food scraps into nutrient-rich soil!

Learning outcomes:

  • Identify what worms need to survive and thrive.
  • Understand how food scraps can be turned into a valuable resource.
  • Recognize the role of living things in healthy ecosystems.
  • Describe simple actions that help reduce waste at home and school.

Become a Recycling Ranger as you uncover the journey of recyclables, investigate how waste can become something new, and take on a classroom audit to help in our “Quest for Less”!

Learning outcomes:

  • Explain what happens to recyclable materials after collection.
  • Distinguish between garbage, recycling and compostable materials.
  • Analyze waste generated in the classroom and identify opportunities to reduce it.
  • Understand how individual choices contribute to waste reduction and resource conservation.

Join us as a Sustainability Steward and team up to solve real-world waste challenges, design projects that make your school greener, and become the leaders of tomorrow with your own action plan!

Learning outcomes:

  • Examine the environmental impacts of waste generation and disposal.
  • Evaluate waste reduction strategies using critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Develop practical solutions to improve sustainability in school or in the community.
  • Create an action plan that promotes positive environmental change.

Program themes and content can be adapted to suit diverse learners and community groups. Staff are available Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to provide waste reduction education programs.

Bring environmental learning to life! Book a waste reduction education program for your group.

Education program request form

Seasonal Programs

Book recycling

The RDCO book recycling program helps Central Okanagan residents recycle their old books. The goal is to prevent books from getting tossed into curbside recycling carts or going to the landfill.

Two ways to dispose of old books:

1. Is the book damaged or outdated (older than 5 years)? Drop off for recycling at one of these ORL locations:

  • Downtown Kelowna Library, 1380 Ellis Street
  • Lake Country Library inside the Municipal Hall
  • Mission Library located in the MNP Place
  • North Westside Community Library, 516 Udell Road
  • Peachland Library, 5500 Clements Crescent
  • Rutland Library in Plaza 33
  • West Kelowna Library inside the Municipal Hall

2. Is the book gently used? Donate or sell it:

  • Donate to an Okanagan Regional Library branch. For details visit ORL.bc.ca
  • Drop off at a used bookstore or a thrift store
  • Sell on-line or host a garage sale
  • Drop off your book at a "Little Free Library" located throughout the community. A list of locations can be found on their website: Little Free Library

What kinds of books are considered outdated and should be recycled rather than donated?

  • Material in poor condition (yellowing or ripped pages, broken spines, musty smelling)
  • Textbooks
  • Encyclopedias
  • Dated information, particularly in the sciences (older than five years)
  • Old government publications
  • Old map books

What happens to the books dropped off for recycling?

Books dropped off at designated collection bins will be picked up and transported back to the Planet Earth  Recycling depot in West Kelowna. All books will get a final sort through and good books will be removed and resold. The rest will have the bindings cut off and the paper recycled.

Christmas tree chipping

Don't chuck it, chip it! If you have a real Christmas tree, it can be dropped off free of charge for chipping from December 26 through January 31. Remove all tinsel, decorations and bags used for transporting and leave your tree at one of several convenient locations.

If you've missed the free tree chipping drop off, trees can be cut into pieces and added to your curbside yard waste cart for pick up once collection resumes March 1, or dropped off for a fee at the Glenmore Landfill or Asquith Road Transfer Station.

City of Kelowna

Glenmore Landfill
2710 John Hindle Drive, Kelowna

Open Monday to Sunday, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Closed December 25, 26 and January 1

Accepts 3 trees per vehicle for free - load must be tarped.

Trees mixed with other yard waste are subject to fees.

Ben Lee Park
In parking lot at Houghton Road, Kelowna

Cook Road Boat Launch
At Cook Road and Lakeshore Drive, Kelowna

 

City of West Kelowna

Asquith Road Transfer Station
2640 Asquith Road, West Kelowna

Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:50 p.m.
Closed December 25 and January 1

District of Lake Country

Jack Seaton Park (parking lot)
1950 Camp Road, Lake Country

District of Peachland

Peachland Community Centre
Peachland Fire & Rescue Service

11th Annual Christmas Tree Chipping Charity Event (by donation)
Saturday, January 3, 2026

For a minimum donation of $5, the Fire Department will come to your home and pick up your tree for disposal. Please contact the Peachland Fire Department to arrange pick up 250-767-2841 or email fireclerk@peachland.ca.

Community cleanup

In April (Community Cleanup month), the RDCO encourages residents to get involved by doing some light spring cleaning in local neighbourhoods. Cleanup events can be organized at any time of the year. We support cleanup projects by providing gloves, bags and arranging pick up of litter filled bags when you are done.

April is Community Cleanup Month

  • Choose an area to clean, near your home or in your neighbourhood.
  • Complete the registration form to confirm how many people are in your group, where you will be going and if you require pickup of your litter-filled bags.
  • Pick up supplies (bags and gloves), available at:
    • RDCO - main office, 1450 KLO Rd
    • City of Kelowna - City Hall, 1435 Water St
    • City of West Kelowna - West Kelowna Recreation and Culture Department, 2760 Cameron Rd 
    • District of Lake Country - Municipal Hall, 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Rd
    • District of Peachland - Municipal Hall, 5806 Beach Ave

Cleanup project registration form

Composters

Every March, RDCO offers subsidized backyard composters for sale exclusively for Central Okanagan residents. This initiative supports local waste reduction efforts by providing an affordable tool to divert organic materials from the landfill. 

An estimated one third of household waste in the Central Okanagan is made up of food waste that can be composted in a backyard composter. Composting at home can significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill and help produce nutrient-rich soil for gardens and lawns.

Holiday waste campaign*

*Concept and creative "Create memories, not garbage" courtesy of Metro Vancouver.

Get in the spirit of the holiday season by creating memories rather than garbage with your gift and wrapping choices.

  • Gift planning: Memorable gifts start with thoughtful planning. Find out what your gift recipients need/want before you make impulse purchases.
  • Low waste gift ideas: Give the gift of experiences, plan an activity together or offer your services. Consider donations with a symbolic gift (e.g. buy a star), useful items (e.g. sports equipment), or eco-friendly products (e.g. reusable to-go cutlery).
  • Wrap wise: Instead of buying wrapping paper to use once, give a second life to materials you already have by wrapping in newspapers, old maps or last year's calendars. Or try reusable materials like fabrics, boxes and gift bags.
  • Recycle shipping and wrapping materials: There are all types of shipping packaging and wrapping materials. If you can't reuse, do you know how to recycle them properly? Visit the RecycleBC website to learn what goes where.

Gift giving ideas

  • Give experience gifts, like event tickets, or items that last, like camping gear and cast iron cookware.
  • Make your own gifts, like a family recipe book, photo album, baked goods or homemade jewelry.
  • Shop for second hand gifts and give something a new life, or search for antiques and other one-of-a-kind gifts.
  • Pass along family heirlooms or share your favourite book.

For a full list of great gift ideas, creative wrapping tips and create your own custom coupon for that unique experience gift visit Metro Vancouver - Create memories, not garbage.

Videos

Recycling programs and events

Household hazardous waste collection events

Many household items can be dangerous to human health and/or the environment if disposed of improperly. Products that contain toxic, flammable, corrosive or reactive components are considered household hazardous waste (HHW).

We host annual HHW collection events at the North Westside Road Transfer Station and Traders Cove Transfer Station, for residents who use those facilities: 

North Westside Road Transfer Station HHW collection event:
Saturday, July 18, 2026 | 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Traders Cove Transfer Station HHW collection event:
Saturday, June 13, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Kelowna Recycling (aka Battery Doctors) is our region’s year-round depot for HHW. Fees may apply.

  • 1972 Windsor Road
  • Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
  • Phone: 250-860-2866

Pop-up recycling depots

The Regional District hosts pop-up recycling depots for residents in Lake Country and Peachland. These pop-ups provide an opportunity for residents to drop off depot-only recyclables not accepted in curbside carts.

Staff are available at these events to answer questions and accept depot only recyclables such as glass, Styrofoam, plastic bags, flexible plastics, electronics, small appliances, batteries, light bulbs and light fixtures. For residents that do not have curbside collection, containers, paper and cardboard are also accepted. Residential recyclables only please, no commercial material is accepted.

One Saturday per month in March, April, July and October from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the District of Lake Country Municipal Hall parking lot, 10150 Bottom Wood Lake Road, Lake Country, BC

  • March 28
  • April 25
  • July 25
  • October 17

Residents will also have a chance to enter a draw to win a prize at each monthly pop-up they attend.

One Saturday per month in March, April, July and October between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Peachland Community Centre visitor parking lot (4450 6th Street, Peachland, BC).

  • March 14 (Location change for this date only: Beach Avenue Boat Launch Parking Area)
  • April 11
  • July 11
  • October 3

Residents will have a chance to enter a draw to win a $50 gift card from a Peachland business at every recycling pop-up they attend.

Waste reduction
1450 KLO Road
Kelowna, BC, V1W 3Z4

Send an email to waste reduction

Phone: 250-469-6250