Glass and flexible plastic recycling coming to Central Okanagan curbside collection in 2026
Be on the lookout for new pink and grey recycling bins
Starting May 2026, Central Okanagan residents with curbside collection will be able to recycle non-refundable glass bottles and jars and flexible plastics — such as chip bags, crinkly wrappers, zipper-lock pouches and bubble wrap in new provided boxes at the curb. To support curbside recycling of these materials, households will receive two new recycling boxes prior to May 2026:
- Grey box for non-refundable glass bottles and jars
- Pink box for flexible plastics
The expansion of services is part of the region’s transition to Recycle BC managing curbside recycling which was presented to the Regional Board on September 4, 2025. RDCO staff collaborated with Recycle BC to enhance service levels for residents which will also include avoiding financial penalties for contamination, expanding materials collected at curbside, maintaining bi-weekly pickup and existing cart programs while controlling costs.
“This new service will provide Central Okanagan residents with a more convenient way to recycle glass and flexible plastics that are currently only accepted at local depots,” said Cynthia Coates, RDCO Supervisor Waste Reduction. “By adding curbside collection of flexible plastics and non-refundable glass, we’re making it easier to recover these materials and take another meaningful step toward the region’s waste reduction goals.”
Recycle BC works with local government and private partners throughout the province to collect residential paper and packaging, including the materials managed in curbside collection programs and the materials managed at depots, such as foam packaging, flexible plastics, and in some communities, non-deposit glass bottles and jars. Residents who receive curbside service for flexible plastics and non-refundable glass bottles and jars will still need to take foam packaging to a local depot for recycling.
Throughout the RDCO, there will be no changes to materials accepted in the blue lidded recycling carts which accept items like metal cans, plastic and paper containers, cardboard, paper, magazines etc. Residents are reminded to keep items like books, scrap metal, hazardous waste, textiles and dirty recyclables out of curbside recycling carts.
Until the new service begins, the Regional District of Central Okanagan encourages residents to continue to separate and take depot-only materials such as glass bottles and jars, flexible plastics and foam packaging to local depots.
For more information about curbside recycling, what goes where and depot locations, visit rdco.com/recycle or recyclebc.ca/centralokanagan.
