Here are safe and green ways to dispose of items that can't go in your waste carts.
Please note that improper disposal of certain items, such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries and pesticides, can be very dangerous to human health and harmful to the environment.
Please consider donating your items that are in good conditon.
Habitat for Humanity
Offers a pick-up service, call or schedule a pick-up online.
Visit the Habitat for Humanity Website
Phone: 604.681.5618
Items Accepted:
- Furniture (no mattresses or box springs)
- BBQ's in good working condition. No propane tanks.
- Appliances (must be in full working order, clean and less than 7 years old)
- Framed mirrors in good condition
- Outdoor furniture, lawn mowers, power garden tools in full working order
Salvation Army - Port Coquitlam Thrift Store
Drop off only.
#3190-2850 Shaughnessy Street, Port Coquitlam, BC
Visit the Salvation Army Website
Phone: 604.461.0288
Donation Hours: Monday to Saturday 9:00am - 6:00pm & Sunday's 10:00am - 5:00pm
Items Accepted:
- Clothing in good condition
- Electronics, media, books, textiles & toys in good condition
- Houseware & Seasonal items in good condition
Big Brothers
Offers a pick-up service, call or schedule a pick-up online.
Visit the Big Brothers Website
Phone: 604-526-2447
Call center hours: Monday to Friday 9:30am - 8:00pm & Saturdays 9:30am - 5:00pm
Items Accepted:
- Clothing, footwear and accessories in good condition
- Household items in good condition
- Small tools and small electrical appliances in good condition
- Toys, books, games and video games in good condition
- Décor items (frames, candle holders etc.)
Diabetes Canada
Offers a pick-up service, go online to schedule a pick-up or for drop off locations.
Visit the Diabetes Canada Website
Phone: 1-800-505-5525
Items Accepted:
- Textiles in good condition (accessories, bags, clothing, curtains, shoes & sleeping bags)
- Electronics & sports equipment in good condition
- Household items (bakeware, cookware, cutlery, small household appliances etc.)
Another good resource is listing the items on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist stating the item is FREE.
Do you have items that cannot be donated because they are in poor condition?
Return-It Depots
Multiple locations in the lower mainland offering drop-off only.
2577 Kingsway Avenue, Port Coquitlam
Items Accepted (fees may apply):
- Large & Small Appliances
- Electronics
- Batteries, Florescent lights, plastics
- Office furniture
- Paint
Happy Stan's Recycling
Drop off only.
1603 Langan Avenue, Port Coquitlam, BC
Visit Happy Stan's Recycling Website
Phone: 604.464.0242
Items Accepted:
- Large & Small Appliances
- Electronics - security systems, entertainment equipment, office equipment, cell phones, game systems etc.
- Batteries & Florescent lights
- Plastics, paper, cardboard & beverage containers
- Metals - Toasters, Hand tools, metal utensils, metal hangers, BBQ's, lamps, lawn mowers, faucets, satellite dishes etc.
For items not listed, please contact the Recycling Council of BC at 604-732-9253 or rcbc.ca or visit the Sort it Right page to use the City of Port Coquitlam Sorting tool.
Antifreeze can be recycled at most service stations, antifreeze retailers and radiator shops. Call in advance to confirm.
- Non-rechargeable: Happy Stans Recycling, The Source, Home Depot, Staples Business Depot, Rona, IKEA, PoCo Return-it
- Rechargeable: Happy Stans Recycling, The Source, Home Depot, Staples Business Depot, IKEA, PoCo Return-it
- Vehicle: Coquitlam Recycling and Waste Centre, Happy Stan’s Recycling Services, Canadian Tire, PoCo Return-it
- Note: PoCo Return-it accepts all vehicle batteries, with the exception of electric car batteries.
PoCo Return-It
2577 Kingsway, Port Coquitlam
Tel 604.945.3313
Hours: Visit the Return-It website for summer and winter hours. Closed on stat holidays.
Reuse:
- Give away to family or friends
- Sell at a garage sale
- Try a free online listing on craigslist, freecycle.org or usedvancouver.com
Drop-off locations:
- Salvation Army, 3190-2850 Shaughnessy St, Port Coquitlam, 604.461.0288
- Eagle Ridge Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Shop, 2811 Shaughnessy St., Port Coquitlam, 604.469.3338
- Crossroads Hospice Society Thrift Store, 2780 Barnet Hwy., Coquitlam, 604.949.0459
- SHARE Family & Community Services Thrift Store, 2404 St. Johns Street, Port Moody, 604.941.5510
- H&M, Coquitlam Centre, 945.2781: clothing or textiles, any condition or brand (ask clerk for drop-off location, receive a $5-off voucher). Proceeds donated to charity.
- Value Village, 2739 Barnet Hwy., Coquitlam, 604.464.9279
Pick-up services:
- Big Brothers Clothing Foundation (Schedule a pickup)
- Diabetes Canada Clothesline (Schedule a pickup)
More information:
Call the BC Recycling Hotline (604-RECYCLE or 604-732-9253) or search on-line at Recyclepedia or Metro Vancouver Recycles.
Reuse or Repair:
- Rip up for rags or use for crafts
- Repairs: Search online: Port Coquitlam alterations or Port Coquitlam tailor
- Stain removal: Search online:Port Coquitlam dry cleaners
Drop-off locations:
- Salvation Army, 3190-2850 Shaughnessy St, Port Coquitlam, 604.461.0288: clean and dry worn out clothing and linens for textile recycling
- H&M, Coquitlam Centre, 945.2781: clothing or textiles, any condition or brand (ask clerk for drop-off location, receive a $5-off voucher). Proceeds donated to charity.
More information:
Call the BC Recycling Hotline (604-RECYCLE or 604-732-9253) or search on-line at Recyclepedia or Metro Vancouver Recycles.
United Boulevard Recycle and Waste Centre (995 United Boulevard, Coquitlam) accepts construction wood waste and green waste.
- Salvation Army, 2850 Shaughnessy St, Port Coquitlam, 604.461.0288
- PoCo Return-It Depot, 2577 Kingsway Avenue, Port Coquitlam, 604.945.3313
- Coquitlam Return-It Depot, 2554 Barnet Highway, Tel 604.464.6648
- Happy Stan’s Recycling Services, 1603 Langan Ave., Port Coquitlam, Tel 604.464.0242 – accepts computers, all electronic appliances, including small and large household appliances
- Salvation Army Thrift Store, 2275 Elgin Ave., Port Coquitlam, Tel 604.942.0505
- Other locations: visit the Return-It website.
Refundable
PoCo Return-It
2577 Kingsway, Port Coquitlam
Tel 604.945.3313
Hours: Visit the Return-It website for summer and winter hours. Closed on stat holidays.
Non-refundable
Only glass containers that previously held food or beverage items (broken or unbroken) are accepted at the following locations.
- Hyde Creek Recreation Centre, 1379 Laurier Avenue.
- Corner of Donald & Wilson Port Coquitlam.
- Parking lot at Save-On Foods – 1430 Prairie Ave @ Toronto St
- Parking lot near Safeway – 2850 Shaughnessy @ Lougheed Hwy
- City-wide Garage Sale – Get rid of your old junk: clothing, books, toys and tools. Register your address online to participate.
- Search for charities: Recycling directory
- Junk Removal Services: Consult your yellow pages or newspaper classifieds.
- Thrift Stores, such as Salvation Army at 2850 Shaughnessy St, Port Coquitlam, 604.461.0288
- Diabetic syringes (must purchase container): People’s Drug Mart and Pharmasave
- Unused/expired medications: People’s Drug Mart, Pharmasave, Safeway, and Wilson Pharmacy
- Used needles or syringes may carry a number of diseases or viruses, including the HIV or Hepatitis B virus and should always be handled with care. NEVER re-cap, bend or break off the needles. Information can be found by visiting Fraser Health.
Return motor oil to a return centre near you or a service station that displays the recycling symbol. Service stations can accept a maximum of 20 litres per person per day. Visit the Used Oil Recycling website for more information and drop-off locations.
LightRecycle is a non-profit program to recycle lighting programs. Visit the LightRecycle website for a list of local depots.
PoCo Return-It, 2577 Kingsway (604.945.3313) accepts paints, pesticides and flammable materials free of charge. For full details on accepted items, exclusions and quantities, visit the Product Care website.
- Accepted paint products include interior and exterior latex, deck coatings, varnishes, wood finishing oils, melamine, shellac, textured paints, paint aerosols and empty paint cans. (Limits: 10 containers up to 23 L in size each, or 50 spray paint containers per visit)
- Accepted consumer pesticides have both the poisonous (skulls & cross bones) symbol and Pest Control Product (PCP) number (max. 10 L per visit)
- Accepted flammable liquids must have a flame symbol or phrase such as “keep away from open spark or flame” on the label, and include paint thinners, solvents, camp fuels, and liquid adhesives with the flame symbol. (Limits: kerosene 9 L, other liquids 10 L per visit)
- Gasoline is accepted in approved ULC containers only (max. 25 L per visit)
Flush It
- Dog waste can be flushed in the toilet, and treated at a wastewater treatment plant with other sewage. Don’t put it in a storm sewer (on your street) as these carry rain to natural creeks.
- *Note: Don’t flush any bags. They will clog your plumbing, or the city sewer.
Call a Collection Service
- There are companies that collect dog waste from private and public spaces. This is also a good option in townhouses or apartments where numerous dog owners cost-share. Search the web under ‘dog waste collection’.
Build a composter in your garden
- Dog waste will decompose cleanly and without odour in a composter. City Farmer provides instructions. Allocate a bin to this purpose only. The resulting compost can be used on shrubs.
- *Note: Don’t put the resulting compost, or composter on or near your vegetable garden. If you live near a stream, place your composter away from the stream, as the runoff can contain a lot of nutrients (phosphorous and nitrogen) which are not good for streams. Do not dig below groundwater.
Garbage
- Pet waste is listed as prohibited from the region’s garbage, but small amounts are accepted preferably double-bagged and put in the next pick-up. We want to limit the amount of dog waste going to the landfill. It’s potentially hazardous to staff and it also produces methane, a powerful green house gas. On warm days it smells in bags, the garbage bin and work places. We encourage the alternatives listed above.
Litter boxes
(Hamsters, Rabbits and Similar)
Remove clumps and either flush, compost or put them in the garbage, preferably double-bagged. After clumps are removed, loose litter (sawdust, corn husks, wood shavings, newsprint) can be composted or put in the green cart.
Cats
Cat feces can contain a parasite Toxoplasma gondii linked to the disease toxoplasmosis. It is unsafe for people, especially pregnant women.
Cat feces should not be flushed, handled (always wear gloves to clean a litter box) or composted. Dispose of it double-bagged in the garbage. All litter (even litter sold as flushable) can clog your sewer, or your building or city sewer, and should not be flushed.
Coquitlam Recycling and Waste Centre, 1200 United Blvd., Coquitlam (604.681.5600)
- Unlimited Tire Team
- Big O Tires
- Fountain Tire
- Costco
- Canadian Tire
- Kal Tire
- Yanko Tire and Automotive
- Coquitlam Recycling and Waste Centre, 1200 United Blvd., Coquitlam (604.681.5600) – appliances, bulky items, garbage, recyclables (no charge), car batteries, scrap metal, oil filters, propane tanks etc.
- Happy Stans Recycling, 1603 Langan Ave. (604.464.0242) –appliances, glass, scrap metal, computers, hot water tanks, vehicle batteries, electronic, other recyclables, etc.
- PoCo Return-It, 2577 Kingsway Ave. (604.945.3313) – at no charge, accepts household paint, pesticides, flammable liquids, old gasoline, car batteries (with the exception of electric car batteries), aerosols, paint thinner and solvent. Paint and chemicals must be in original containers with labels intact.