Programs and events

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

Book recycling program

After a successful trial, 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 Is the book damaged or outdated (older than 5 years)?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
Rutland Library in Plaza 33
Downtown Kelowna Library on Ellis St
West Kelowna Library inside the Municipal Hall
Lake Country Library inside the Municipal Hall
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What kinds of books are considered outdated and should be recycled rather than donated?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 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. Trees can also be cut into pieces and added to your curbside yard waste cart for pick up once collection resumes March 1.

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. Bags and gloves are also available at West Kelowna Recreation Department, Peachland Municipal Hall, Lake Country Municipal Hall.

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 for Transfer Station Users

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 - July 19, 2025
Traders Cove Transfer Station - June 14, 2025

Where to dispose of HHW year round?

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.

Pop-up depots

The Regional District hosts pop-up recycling depots for residents in Lake Country and Peachland. These pop-ups provide an opportunity to 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, no commercial material will be accepted.

Lake Country pop-up depot events

Fourth Saturday of the month, March to October, at the parking lot at the corner of Main Street and Hill Road
(3165 Hill Road), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

March 22
April 26
May 24
June 28
July 26
August 23
September 27
October 25

This year, you have a chance to win one of two prizes at each monthly pop-up you attend, plus an end of season grand prize draw for an e-bike.

Peachland pop-up depot events

Second Saturday of the month, March to October, at the Community Centre parking lot on Sixth Street (4450 6^th Street), 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

March 8
April 12
May 10
June 14
July 12
August 9
September 13
October 11

This year, you have a chance to win a $50 gift card from a Peachland business at every recycling pop-up you attend.