How do I dispose of drywall in Vancouver?+
Drywall (gypsum board) is banned from the regular landfill in Metro Vancouver — it has to go to a dedicated gypsum recycler like New West Gypsum Recycling. You can drop clean, unpainted drywall there yourself for a per-tonne fee; painted drywall and drywall with attached insulation or wallpaper cost more because they need extra processing. If you don't want to sort and haul, we take it directly to the recycler and pass through the tipping fee on your quote.
Can concrete be recycled?+
Yes. Clean concrete, brick, and rubble are crushed and reused as road base or drainage material, and there are several concrete recyclers in the Lower Mainland that accept small loads for a per-tonne fee. The catch is 'clean' — concrete mixed with rebar, wood, or dirt is charged at a higher rate or refused. Small quantities (a few slabs, a walkway break-up) fit in our truck; larger pours are usually better handled with a dedicated concrete bin rental.
How do I get rid of old lumber?+
Clean, untreated wood — 2x4 framing, plywood, subfloor, trim — is one of the easiest reno materials to divert. Metro Vancouver transfer stations have a separate clean-wood stream at a lower tipping fee than mixed waste, and it gets chipped for landscaping or biomass fuel. Pressure-treated, painted, or engineered wood (MDF, laminate) doesn't qualify as clean wood and goes to the mixed load. If you're not sure which is which, don't worry — we sort at the truck.
What construction debris isn't accepted curbside?+
Vancouver curbside garbage is intended for household waste, not renovation debris — most reno materials aren't allowed and will be tagged and skipped. That includes drywall, concrete, tile, brick, ceramic, roofing shingles, large volumes of wood, and any load over the weight or bag limit. It also doesn't take hazardous items that come out of renovations like paint cans with product still in them, asbestos-suspect materials, or fluorescent tubes — those need a hazardous waste facility. When in doubt, send us a photo and we'll tell you where it needs to go.