Options for taking large trash items to a landfill before moving in Metro Vancouver

So let’s say you’re about to move within Metro Vancouver and you’ve finished cleaning out your old house. It’s clear that not everything is worth moving, and in many cases not even worth giving away. And to top it off, many Metro Vancouver city garbage services will not pick up large items such as mattresses, large appliances and furniture. What do you do then? You need to taketrash to a landfill.

Where can you throw large items away in Vancouver before moving into a new house?

Assuming you live in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, you can check with Metro Vancouver, which is the organization responsible for waste disposal in Lower Mainland cities like Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond. Their site lists several landfill locations around Vancouver where you can bring large unwanted items that are too big for garbage services to pick up.

You’d probably do well to check where your closest transfer station or landfill is. Transfer stations are facilities where municipal waste is unloaded and taken by long-distance transports to landfills or disposal facilities like the Metro Vancouver waste-to-energy facility.

One thing to keep in mind is that dumping is not free. Each station has different fees and stipulations for depositing garbage.

There is often a $5 transaction fee for each load of garbage, plus additional fees based on the size of each load. There are also usually time-based fees. For example, some stations charge minimum fees when unloading garbage during peak hours, which are often between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

There are also different charges and regulations for disposing materials such as food scraps, mattresses and asbestos. Check the Metro Vancouver site that we linked above to figure out the details. Also take note that there are some materials that are banned. Make sure you familiarize yourself with this list to avoid penalties.

It’s also good to keep in mind that some transfer stations such as North Vancouver waive fees for residents who are recycling certain materials, up to a limit. This includes plastic bottles, newsprint, metal cans, lead acid batteries and small metal appliances.

What to do if you don’t have time to bring stuff to a landfill before moving into a new house

Sometimes your schedule will just be too crazy — getting ready to move into a new home is time-consuming business! If you can’t afford to take a lengthy trip to a landfill or transfer station, don’t fear! There are still options available for you.

You can always enlist the help of a liquidation service in Vancouver. These companies typically stick to buying overstock inventory, but some have been known to take stuff from just about anyone, provided the items can sell — every liquidator is different. Call them and ask if they will accept old items from you.

There are also junk removal services in Metro Vancouver such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK, which will pick up items for a fee. You can take a look at their website to figure out if their services work for you.

If these services don’t suit your needs, no fear — there’s also Craigslist. Craigslist Vancouver has a free section that allows people to literally just give away items. This can be a perfect solution if you can’t find a junk removal company who is willing to take your stuff. And one of the perks of listing items here is that pickup is free! Of course there are other classified and barter sites in Vancouver you can use – Craigslist is just one of them.

Explore the possibilities before making a big move in Vancouver

Try to figure out what service or method works for you! Everyone has a different needs to take care of when they are moving, so be creative! Contact each service and try to get a feel for what they offer. At Ferguson Moving, we have plenty of experience helping people get rid of excess stuff that they don’t want when moving to a new Vancouver home. Call us at 604-922-2212! If we can’t help directly, our staff can at least give you a good suggestion.

For all your moving & storage needs, whether you’re moving within Vancouver or moving abroad, contact Ferguson Moving and Storage at 604-922-2212 and find out more about us online!