Programs and events

The Regional Waste Reduction Office has a number of programs throughout the year to promote less waste and a cleaner region.

Book recycling program

After a successful eight-month trial program, the RDCO has extended the book recycling program to help Central Okanagan residents recycle their old books. The goal is to prevent books from getting tossed into curbside recycling carts.

How to recycle books

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 Is the book damaged or outdated (older than 5 years)?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 locations:

- Mission Library located in the MNP Place (Capital News Centre)
- Rutland Library in Plaza 33
- Downtown Kelowna Library on Ellis St
- West Kelowna Library in Westridge Mall
- Lake Country Library inside the Municipal Hall
- Peachland Library in the Village Mall
- North Westside Community Library, 516 Udell Road

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

- Donate to Friends of the Library
- Donate to local thrift shops
- Sell on-line or host a garage sale
- Add your book to a 'Little Free Library" which are 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What kinds of books are considered outdated and should be recycled rather than donated?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 5 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 by Planet Earth Recycling and transported back to their 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 - for free - for chipping from December 26 through January 31. Simply remove all tinsel, decorations and bags used for transporting and leave your tree at several convenient locations.

Where to chip Christmas trees

Kelowna Locations

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

West Kelowna Location

Westside Residential Waste Disposal and Recycling Centre

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

Lake Country Location

Jack Seaton Park parking lot

1950 Camp Road, Lake Country

Community clean-up

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

Organize a community clean-up event

April is Community clean-up month

Here's how it works:

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.
Pickup supplies from the RDCO main office.

Clean-up project registration form

See how it's done

2017 Community Clean Up Month Kickoff
Shaw Okanagan Now story about George Elliot Secondary Community Clean Up

Create memories, not garbage*

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.

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

Tips to help reduce holiday waste

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’s Website.

Videos

Holiday Packaging

Wise Wrapping

Additional information

Educational programs

Book a free, hour-long program for your classroom. Students will learn where garbage, yard waste and recycling go in the Central Okanagan, strengthening their understanding of why it's important to dispose of waste properly. The presentation will be followed by an interactive sorting game to test what students have learned about recycling.

Book a recycling presentation

Our Waste Reduction Ambassadors are available Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for educational programs. To book your group please email recycle@rdco.com with the following information:

Your name
Email
Phone number
Name of school or community group
Group size
Age range
Presentation location

Household hazardous waste collection events

Many household items can be dangerous if disposed of improperly. Products that contain toxic, flammable, corrosive or reactive components are considered household hazardous waste (HHW). We host annual hazardous waste collection events at the North Westside Road Transfer Station and Traders Cove Transfer Station, for residents who use those facilities.

Where to dispose of household hazardous waste

Special events (for residents only):
North Westside Road Transfer Station - summer 2025, exact date TBD
Traders Cove Transfer Station - summer 2025, exact date TBD

Where to dispose of HHW?

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

Safety tips for transporting HHW

HHW requires special handling and disposal. You are responsible for the products you use. Our community's health and environment are at risk.

Keep material in their original containers.
Do not mix chemicals.
Make sure lids are tightly attached to prevent leaks.
Materials in glass jars or containers are not accepted, unless they are pesticides in the original glass container.
Ensure products are labelled as best as possible so staff know what they are handling.
Pack in a sturdy box and place upright in your trunk to prevent spills.
Keep items in the trunk of your car, away from children, pets or food products.
No empty containers (except paint cans). Containers that are empty and dry can go into your regular household garbage or recycling.