The City of Kamloops is part of the Recycle BC residential paper and packaging recycling program. Read and click on the resources below to learn more.
View the Recycling Guide to learn what materials are accepted in the curbside recycling program and view the Recycling Drop-Off Information Sheet to learn what items can be recycled at specified recycling depots around the city. For even more convenient help, download the free Waste Wise Kamloops app and use the Waste Wizard tool to look up where hundreds of items go.
Recycling Inspections
As part of our commitment under the provincial Recycle BC program, the City performs regular inspections of recycling carts for both curbside and multi-family recycling. The goal is to educate residents on what is accepted and not accepted in the program. Items that are not accepted in curbside recycling are called contaminants.
During inspections, City staff work in pairs and are identifiable by their high-visibility vests and City ID badges. Together, the pair inspect the cart contents using pickers. They may move or remove some material to see what is underneath.
If contaminants are found, they are removed from the cart and placed into a clear bag that is then attached to the cart along with an OOPS tag recycling reminder. Recycling is still collected, and the tag educates the resident on what specific contaminant(s) were found. This is often a well-intentioned case of items being missorted.
Cart inspections are an effective way to engage in direct communication with residents on potential misconceptions about what is accepted in curbside recycling. It is important to reduce contamination in recycling carts to ensure that everything that can get recycled, does get recycled.
Recycling Enforcement
Unfortunately, some carts have high contamination. These carts contain significant amounts of garbage, hazardous material, or material not accepted in the curbside recycling program.
Heavily contaminated carts are not collected. An OOPS tag is left informing the resident that the cart was rejected for collection, and educational material and a blue recycling tote bag are also left with the cart.
A warning letter is also sent explaining that there is potential for a fine or cart removal if no effort is made to reduce contamination. Follow-up inspections are performed at addresses with heavily contaminated carts.
