Recycle BC, the not-for-profit organization responsible for residential packaging and paper product recycling throughout British Columbia, has released its 2024 Annual Report, marking over a decade of leadership in building a more effective and accountable recycling system. Now in its 12th year of operations, the organization continues to lead with innovation, collaboration, and measurable progress. The latest report outlines key achievements from 2024, including expanded household access, growth in community partnerships, improved recovery rates and increased percentage of material going to North American recycling end markets.
“We’re now in our 12th year of operations and it all began with a goal to create a more effective, accountable and innovative recycling system for residential packaging and paper in British Columbia,” said Sam Baker, executive director, Recycle BC. “Since launching in 2014 as North America’s first full Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for packaging and paper, we have steadily grown and expanded our services. With the release of our 2024 Annual Report, we’re proud to highlight significant progress: increased household access to recycling, more communities benefiting from the program, expanded collection of flexible plastics – including first-time service for some multi-family homes – our partner conference fostering collaboration and strengthened support for Indigenous engagement. Moving forward, we remain focused on innovation and collaboration with partners and communities.”
Annual Report Key Highlights:
- Overall, Recycle BC services more than two million households, or 99.5 percent of households, across B.C. through curbside, multi-family and/or depot service.
- In 2024, B.C. residents set out 31,362 tonnes of plastic packaging for collection; 98 percent of that was managed by recycling and more than 99 percent of the plastic Recycle BC collected was processed in British Columbia.
- 208,484 net tonnes were collected as part of the packaging and paper program in 2024, an increase from 201,033 in 2023.
- Recovery rates jumped to 83.3 percent in 2024, up from 79.6 percent in 2023.
- Paper recovery rates increased from 88 percent in 2023 to 92 percent in 2024.
- Plastic recovery rates increased from 43 percent in 2023 to 45 percent in 2024.
- 80 percent of material was sent to North American recycling end markets, an increase from 73 percent in 2023.
- 62 First Nations participated in Recycle BC’s program.
- In July 2024, Recycle BC permanently established segregated flexible plastics collection for multi-family buildings in the District of West Vancouver, making it the first community in Recycle BC’s program with this service.
“Ongoing investments and collaboration with our recycling network partners ensure high-quality material is sorted to industry-set specifications and marketed domestically as much as possible,” added Sam Baker, executive director, Recycle BC. “In 2024 we sent 80 percent of marketed material to North American end markets and 43 percent of marketed material stayed in Canada. We are extremely proud that due to our collective efforts, over 99 percent of plastic managed by recycling remains in B.C.”
Published October 2025
