Commercial Source Separation and Recycling of Waste

Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) waste regulations vary across Canada for retailers and quick-service restaurants. RCC has developed the comprehensive table below to help businesses understand what’s required when it comes to separating waste at the source, along with auditing and reporting to meet compliance standards.

The table breaks down the waste separation and recycling rules for commercial operations, focusing on cities/municipalities with populations over 100,000. It highlights key areas like bin placement, signage, regular audits, and specific waste reduction goals for quick-service restaurants and retail establishments. The information can be filtered by province and downloaded as a pdf for easy sharing.

The source separation of waste supports reduction targets, including recycling rates and landfill diversion, and is designed to improve environmental outcomes. Source separation also supports broader sustainability goals set by local and provincial authorities, encouraging businesses to take a proactive approach to waste management through proper source separation and recycling efforts.

View RCC Waste Separation Summary

wdt_ID Province / Territory / Municipality Overview Materials Needed Source Separation Responsibilities and Targets More Details
1

Province / Territory: Alberta

Regulation: N/A

 N/A N/A

Responsible for Hauling: N/A

Signage: N/A

Education or Training: N/A

Audit and/or Reporting: N/A

Target: N/A

 N/A
2

Province / Territory: British Columbia

Regulation: N/A

 N/A N/A

Responsible for Hauling: N/A

Signage: N/A

Education or Training: N/A

Audit and/or Reporting: N/A

Target: N/A

 N/A
4

Province / Territory: City of Lethbridge

Regulation: Municipal Regulation City of Lethbridge Waste Diversion Strategy
  • Containers for source separation must be provided
  • Must contract waste hauling
  • raining and/or education required
  • Reporting required

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.
  • Paper and cardboard
  • Organic materials (food and yard waste, soild paper products)
  • Recyclable wood
  • Concrete
  • Brick and masonry block
  • Asphalt shingles and pavement
  • Scrap metals
  • Drywall

Responsible for Hauling: Yes

Signage:

Education or Training: Yes

Audit and/or Reporting: Yes - Annually by January 31

Target Yes - 45% ICI waste diversion by 2030

Annual Reporting
Visit the City of Lethbridge Re-TRAC connect (lethbridge.ca/retrac) to complete you business profile and follow prompts to complete your waste report. Waste reports must identify the waste hauler, attach photos of containers with correct signage and provide a summary of how the stafgf were trained on use of recycling and organic containers.
5

Province / Territory: Metro Vancouver Regional District

Regulation: Regional District Regulation Integrated Solid Waste and Resources Management Plan

Covers all local municipalities found within the Regional District

  • Containers for source separation must be provided
  • Must contract waste hauling (varies by municipality)
  • Enforcement and Conditions: Metro vancouver will conduct periodic waste composition audits of landfill loads and can issue fines based on contamination levels.

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.

Landfill ban on:

  • Beverage containers (except mil products)
  • Containers made out of glass, metal, recyclable plastic or composite materials
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Recyclable paper
  • Yard trimmings
  • Food waste
  • Clean wood
  • Expanded polystyrene
  • Product items covered under stewardship programs

Responsible for Hauling: Yes

Signage:

Education or Training:

Audit and/or Reporting:

Target: Yes - ICI diversion target of 70%

Integrated Solid Waste Resource Management Plan Banned Materials
6

Province / Territory: Capital Regional District


Regulation: Regional District Regulation Capital Regional District Solid Waste Management

Covers all local municipalities found within the Regional District

  • Landfill ban on recycling and organics

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.

Landfill ban on:

  • Clean wood
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Kitchen scraps (food waste and soiled paper products)
  • Mixd paper (paper fibres)
  • Newspapers
  • Scrap metal
  • Yard and garden waste
  • Product items covered under stewardship programs

Responsible for Hauling:

Signage:

Education or Training:

Audit and/or Reporting:

Target: Yes - a target on per capita waste disposal set at 250 kg/capita

Rethink Waste

Banned Items
25

Province / Territory: Central Okanagan Regional District 

Regulation: Regional District Regulation. Regional District of Central Okanagan Business Waste

Covers all local municipalities found within the Regional District

  • Landfill ban on recyclables
  • Must contract waste hauling
  • Enforcement and Conditions: Central Okanagen will conduct periodic waste composition audits of landfill loads and apply surcharges to loads found with recyclable items.

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.

Landfill ban on:

  • Scrap metal
  • Ashpalt shingles
  • Cardboard and boxboard
  • Other recyclables (paper, plastic, tin)
  • Large appliances
  • Refundable beverage containers

Product items covered under stewardship programs

Responsible for Hauling: Yes

Signage:

Education or Training:

Audit and/or Reporting:

Target:

Materials Banned Mandatory Recyclables

Banned Materials
26

Province / Territory: Fraser Valley Regional District

Regulation: Regional District Regulation Fraser Valley By-Law 1495, 2018

Covers all local municipalities found within the Regional District

  • Containers for source separation must be provided
  • Signage required
  • Enforcement and Conditions: subject to inspections for compliance

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.

Landfill ban on:

  • Organic materials (food waste, food soiled paper, plant waste, single-use wooden food utensils)
  • Recyclable materials (paper packaging, paper containers, plastic containers, metal items, printed paper, film plastic, glass)
  • Product items covered under stewardship programs

Responsible for Hauling: 

Signage: Yes

Education or Training: 

Audit and/or Reporting: 

Target: Yes - 90% waste diversion target for 2025

Garbage Main Services


By-law
27

Province / Territory: Fraser-Fort George Regional District

Regulation: Regional District Regulation Municipal Solid Waste Tipping Fee and Site Regulation ByLaw No. 3166, Amendment 3187

Covers all local municipalities found within the Regional District

  • Landfill ban on recyclables (cardboard)
  • Enforcement and Conditions: municipal solid waste loads contaminated with >5% cardboard is subject to fines

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.

Landfill ban on:

  • Cardboard
  • Product items covered under stewardship programs

Responsible for Hauling: 

Signage: 

Education or Training: 

Audit and/or Reporting: 

Target: Yes - a target on per capita waste disposal set at 570 kg/capita

Commercial Cardboard Diversion Program
29

Province / Territory: Nanaimo Regional District

Regulation: Regional District Regulation By-Law No. 1812 To Establish Mandatory Waste Source Separation of Municiapl Solid Waste

Covers all local municipalities found within the Regional District

    Landfill ban on recycling and organics
  • Enforcement and Conditions: municipal solid waste loads recyclables (15%) are subject to fines and organics loads contaminated with non-organic waste (20%) will be subject to fines.

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.

Landfill ban on:

  • Recyclable materials (materials managed through existing recycling programs and for which a commercial market exists
  • Organic waste (food scraps and food soiled paper)
  • Product items covered under stewardship programs

Responsible for Hauling: 

Signage: 

Education or Training: 

Audit and/or Reporting: 

Target:  Yes - 90% waste diversion target for 2029

Tipping Fee and Solid Waste Disposal Regulation

Banned Items
30

Province / Territory: Thompson-Nicola Regional District

Regulation: Regional District Regulation Mandatory Recyclables Materials Bylaw 2743

Covers all local municipalities found within the Regional District

  • Landfill ban on recyclables
  • Enforcement and Conditions: municipal solid waste loads contaminated with 10% recyclables are subject to fines

See link for additional information on any enforcement, exclusions or requirements and reporting.

Landfill ban on:

  • Cardboard
  • Product items covered under stewardship programs

Responsible for Hauling: 

Signage: 

Education or Training: 

Audit and/or Reporting: 

Target:  Yes - a target on per capita waste disposal set at 500 kg/capita for 2028

Expansion of Disposal Ban to Help Divert Materials from Landfill
Province / Territory / Municipality Overview Materials Needed Source Separation Responsibilities and Targets More Details

Disclaimer

Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) waste regulations vary across the country for retailers and quick-service restaurants. This table will provide retail and quick-service restaurant establishments with information on what materials require source separation, auditing, and reporting requirements to ensure your business is compliant with ICI waste regulations. 

The information provided in this table is updated periodically by RCC, last update [May/2024]. This table is not exhaustive, and information may be missing. Please ensure to read the relevant linked registry as further clarity may be needed.