When you’re moving, you’re probably also purging. There may be junk you need to get rid of. You could pay a junk removal company to come and take it all away – and that may be your best bet for various types of junk and a big load. Here are some ideas on how to utilize Municipal Junk Removal Services in Metro Vancouver
But did you know that many Metro Vancouver cities offer free pick up or junk clear out? They are limited though, so don’t think you’ve hit the jackpot! There is a reason junk removal companies in Vancouver are so abundant.
In this article, we’ll let you know a few ways you can have your junk removed by city services, which you may already pay taxes for.
Corporation of Delta yearly spring clean up:
If you are moving within or out of Delta, and if moving day is in the spring, you could plan to get rid of a lot of your junk for free. While there are limits to what the corporation will take, you can use this opportunity to throw out broken furniture, useless toys, old couches, BBQs and stuff that can be bundled up, as long as it doesn’t violate the ‘not accepted’ terms. Mattresses are not accepted – keep that in mind!
See more info below:
https://www.delta.ca/services/garbage-recycling/spring-clean-up
Burnaby large item and appliance pick up program:
If you are a Burnaby resident, you can ask the city to come to your curb to pick up the ‘big things’ that you need to throw away. Mattresses are eligible, unlike Delta’s spring clean up rules. But, they do require you call them beforehand to make sure they will take your item. If you live in an apartment, you may have to make arrangements to move your large item to a special area, which can involve some heavy lifting.
See more info below:
https://www.burnaby.ca/City-Services/Garbage—Recycling/Large-Item—Appliance-Pick-Up.html
New Westminster fee-based disposal pick up service:
Ok, this one is not free. And there may be some restrictions on what the city could pick up for you. But if you live in New Westminster, this may be worth looking into, especially if you only have one big thing you need to get rid of. Then, compare that fee with the price of having a local junk removal company come to get it.
See more info below:
https://www.newwestcity.ca/services/garbage-and-recycling/special-pick-up-sercixw
City of Richmond large item pick up:
Like in Burnaby, residents of Richmond can take advantage of the city’s large item pick up service. However, this is clearly limited to only “four large household items per year.” And there are restrictions. But for the most part, your furniture junk should be ok. They do make a note that mattresses have to be kept dry and wrapped in plastic, so keep that in mind. They also have an online form to fill out if you don’t want to call in, so that may be a convenience to try.
See more info below:
https://www.richmond.ca/services/recycling/garbage/largeitem.htm
City of Surrey large item pick up:
Similar to Richmond’s program, the City of Surrey offers residents – seemingly only from Newton – to dispose of up to 4 large items per year. And mattresses are accepted. You do have to call in to schedule a pick up. Also, only some apart buildings are eligible for this service: https://www.surrey.ca/city-services/21317.aspx
See more info below:
https://www.surrey.ca/city-services/4550.aspx
City of Coquitlam large item pick up:
Again, this one is limited to 4 large items per year, and the restrictions are similar to the above programs. They don’t mention anything about apartment dwellers, but their phone number is on their site to find out more.
See more info below:
City of Vancouver bin upgrades:
While the City of Vancouver doesn’t advertise large item pick up, they do allow you to upgrade your bin size to accept more garbage on the regular schedule. This could be a way to accommodate your junk needs all year round, if they accumulate for you. That said, be aware of the restrictions!
See more info below:
https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/garbage-bins-and-green-bins.aspx
Some things to keep in mind about municipal junk removal before moving:
- City junk removal services are not ‘full service’! You will have to sort your waste, and bring it to your curbside. If you can’t do that, it’s best you hire a junk removal company to help you out.
- These services are also not likely going to work on your timeline. If you are trying to have junk removed last minute – especially if it’s actually on moving day – you may be in a rut. So this is something you need to plan for.
- There may be items that are banned from city waste pick up services. You’ll need to handle these yourself by taking them to the appropriate dumping or recycling facilities.
- Most of the time, as you’ll see in your investigations, ‘commercial’ waste is not accepted. So if you’re hoping to use these services for getting rid of your car parts or renovation junk, chances are it won’t work. They’re meant to be residential.
- There are fines for illegal dumping, so don’t try it!
If you didn’t see your municipality listed above, you can google its name with “large item pick up” to see what comes up. And also, keep in mind bylaws can change all the time. So by the time you read this – especially if it is years from the date of publishing – the rules may have changed. Be sure to call your city services to find out more!
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