Remember that the most cost-effective and energy efficient use for leftover paint is reuse. If you do have paint left at the end of a project, apply another coat to an area which could use extra protection. Mix smaller quantities of leftover latex paint together for use as a primer coat on a larger project. Be sure to keep a small amount of paint on hand for touchups.
If you can't reuse your leftover paint, you probably know someone who can. Offer leftovers to a friend, neighbour, or your local community centre, church, or theatre group.

If you must dispose of unwanted leftover paint, be sure to do so in an environmentally safe manner. The Product Care Association has established depots in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan & New Brunswick to take back leftover household paint, varnish, shellacs and stains free of charge. When returning leftover paint, be sure to keep products in their original containers with labels on. Do not combine leftover paints with each other or with oils, solvents or other products. Make sure paint cans are properly sealed before transporting.

For more information about the Product Care program in your province or to find the paint collection depot nearest you, click here.

To properly store paint, clean the rim of the can to ensure a proper seal. Pour 1/8" (3mm) of solvent on top of oil-based paint, or 1/8" (3mm) of water on top of latex paint to seal the surface, then secure the lid. Alternatively, stretch plastic wrap over the can opening, replace the lid securely, and store paint upside down. This will create an airtight seal to keep the paint fresh until you're ready to use it again. Always store paint away from heat sources at temperatures between 3 degrees and 35 degrees Celsius, and out of the reach of children.

LightRecycle is the new BC Fluorescent Lights Recycling program, brought to you by Product Care. Since July 1, 2010, BC residents have been able to drop off their burnt-out household fluorescent lights and tubes at LightRecycle drop-off locations across BC.

BC is a leader in product stewardship programs (also called "Extended Producer Responsibility" or EPR) where those who make the product, sell the product and buy the product pay for "end-of-life" management - rather than the cost of management being paid by all taxpayers.

Recycling your used fluorescents is easy.  Refer to the Find a Depot page or call 1-800-667-4321 to find the LightRecycle drop-off location nearest you.  Each LightRecycle location will have a box where you can drop off your burnt-out fluorescent lights and tubes, free of charge. 

Remember to handle fluorescent lights carefully.  Do not break or puncture them.   

The BC Recycling Regulation mandates industry to have a recycling  program. Industry develops and manages the program. Government approves and oversees the program. The eco-fees assessed on products are remitted to the program and not to government.

Residential use fluorescent tube lights and compact fluorescents (“CFLs”) are accepted by the program. Fluorescent lights and tubes can be identified by the marking for mercury (Hg) on the base of the bulb.
 

• Compact fluorescents (or “CFLs”) are energy-efficient lights commonly recognized by their spiral or twist shape; however, but they can also be shaped as loops, or  covered by a bulb-shaped glass cover.
• Fluorescent tubes come in various lengths (4 foot is the most common) and are also identified by their diameter, known as T12s, T8s and T5s. Most are straight but they can be curved or shaped. 

The maximum limit for return at one time is 16 compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or fluorescent tubes or a combination of types. If you have more than 16 units that were used in a residential setting to recycle at one time, please contact Product Care Association.

For disposal options for lights that are not accepted in the program, call the Recycling Hotline at 604.732.9253 in the Lower Mainland and 1.800.667.4321 in the rest of BC.

Before this program existed, many fluorescent lights ended up in the landfill.  Some retailers and municipalities have been accepting these products; however, recycling drop-off locations were not wide-spread across the province. 

The program intends to have a province wide collection system and efforts to fill existing collection gaps are ongoing. In the meantime, check with RCBC to see if there are alternative options or hold on to them until a collection site is established in or near your community.

Yes, but only a very small amount. As there is no safe level of exposure to mercury, care must to taken to ensure that materials are handled properly. The mercury from a compact fluorescent light or fluorescent tube is only released if the bulb is broken.

• Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, reducing your electricity bill. Lighting can account for up to 10% of the energy used in a home and every bit helps!
• CFLs and fluorescent tubes benefit the environment by reducing solid waste since they last longer than incandescent bulbs and can now be recycled.
• CFLs help to achieve the BC Energy Plan goal of meeting 50% of new energy needs through energy efficiency and conservation in the province.

Follow these few simple steps to keep mercury out the environment and to safely handle, store and transport compact fluorescent lights (CLFs) and fluorescent tubes:

• Recycle all your CFLs and fluorescent tubes to ensure mercury is not placed in landfills
• Remove and install the CFL only by handling the base of the bulb to prevent any unnecessary pressure on the glass that could cause it to break.
• Store and transport CFLs and fluorescent lamps in containers such as original packaging that help prevent bulbs from breaking.

• When you buy CFLs or fluorescent tubes, you may see an eco-fee on your receipt, passed on to you by the product producers. This is similar to paint, tires and electronics. The eco-fee funds the recycling program so there is no charge when you drop off your used bulbs and tubes.
• This is not a tax and none of the money goes to the government.  The money collected helps to fund the program to ensure that potentially hazardous products are diverted from landfills and processed for reuse or recycling. 
• Producer’s have the option to either absorb the cost internally or pass the fees down the line to their retail customers. 
• Retailers are also given the choice whether to show this fee on consumer receipts.  In some stores you may see the words eco-fee, environmental handling fee, or recycling fee on your receipt. 

LightRecycle is an “industry product stewardship” program required by BC’s Recycling Regulation.  BC now has product stewardship programs for paint, tires and electronics and many other products.  Manufacturers and distributors of fluorescent lights sold in BC pay an “eco fee” to fund the program for every light sold.  The eco-fee may or may not appear on the retail receipt when you buy CFLs or fluorescent tubes. View Fees.

Manufacturers should be held responsible because they have the greatest control over aspects of the products design and the greatest ability to reduce negative environmental implications. 

After bulbs are returned, they will be transported to a processing plant. The processor will crush the light bulbs under controlled conditions and the components will be separated. The glass and metal will be recycled and the mercury-phosphor material will be sent for retorting (a heating process that results in usable mercury). CFL ballasts may include plastic and ceramics and the destination for these materials may vary by processor. The program will strive to reach the target of recycling 100% of the material recovered.

According to Canada Health, "there is no risk to your health when the lamps are unbroken. Even when a CFL is broken, there is a very low risk to your health, unless you mishandle it or store it carelessly."  Refer to Health Canada's website for more information on health concerns associated with fluorescents and proper cleanup procedures to minimize exposure to mercury. 

If you do break a fluorescent light bulb, Health Canada recommends the following cleanup procedures:

• Ventilate the room for at least 15 minutes before you start clean up, removing people and pets from the room.
• Wear disposable gloves, if possible to avoid direct contact with mercury and to prevent cuts.
• Sweep or wipe up the glass fragments and powder using two pieces of stiff paper or cardboard.
• Use sticky tape to pick up more particles and then wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up tiny pieces of glass or fine particles.
• If the bulb breaks on a rug or carpet, use sticky tape (such as duct tape) to pick up small pieces and powder. Vacuuming should be avoided as it spreads mercury through the air. If vacuuming is necessary, remove the vacuum bag or empty and wipe the canister with paper towel after the area is cleaned.
• Place the broken glass and clean-up materials in a glass container with a tight fitting lid or two sealed plastic bags to further minimize the release of mercury vapour.
• Bring the sealed glass container or sealed plastic bags to a collection site.

For more detailed cleanup procedures, please visit Health Canada's website at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/prod/cfl-afc-eng.php or the U.S EPA website at: www.energystar.gov/ia/products/lighting/cfls/downloads/CFL_Cleanup_and_Disposal.pdf
 

LightRecycle is managed by the Product Care Association, the industry-sponsored non-profit agency that manages product stewardship programs in BC for paint, flammable liquids, pesticides and gasoline, as well as programs in other provinces.  For more information on the LightRecycle program:

1-800-667-4321

lights@productcare.org

Place the broken item in a sealed plastic bag or a sealed glass container and take it to a nearby LightRecycle depot. For clean-up instructions, visit Health Canada website or the U.S. EPA website.

AlarmRecycle is a recycling program for used or expired smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms and combination smoke & CO alarms. Since October 1, 2011, BC residents have been able to drop off their smoke and CO alarms for recycling at AlarmRecycle drop-off locations across BC. The program is managed by Product Care Association.

Refer to the Find a Depot page or call 1-800-667-4321 to find your nearest drop-off location. Each AlarmRecycle location has a drop box available for recycling smoke and CO alarms – free of charge. The maximum limit for return at one time is 40 smoke or CO alarms. If you have more than 40 units, please contact Product Care Association and we will arrange to pick them up free of charge.

Products accepted free of charge at drop-off locations:

• Smoke alarms
• Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms
• Combination smoke & CO alarms

For more information, please refer to the Accepted Products page.

The maximum limit for return at one time is 40 smoke or CO alarms. If you have more than 40 units, please contact Product Care Association and we will arrange to pick them up free of charge.

After you bring your smoke or CO alarm to an AlarmRecycle drop-off location, it is transported to a recycler for processing and then broken down into different parts. The resulting materials are then recycled as much as possible. We continue to work with recyclers to maximize the amount of materials
that can be recycled. Any materials requiring special handling are managed according to all applicable provincial and federal regulations.

The program intends to have a province-wide collection system in place and efforts to fill existing collection gaps are ongoing. Please hold on to your used or expired smoke and CO alarms until a collection site is established in or near your community. For other disposal options, call the Recycling Hotline at 604.732.9253 in the Lower Mainland and 1.800.667.4321 in the rest of BC.

The program does not accept devices that perform only the detection function and not the alarm function, e.g. a smoke and/or CO detector unit connected to a building-wide monitoring or alarm system. These types of units are typically installed in commercial buildings and are outside the scope of this program. These types of units are defined by the CAN/ULC-s529 standard.

For disposal options for products that are not accepted in the program, call the Recycling Hotline at 604.732.9253 in the Lower Mainland and 1.800.667.4321 in the rest of BC.

AlarmRecycle is a non-profit program funded entirely by recycling fees (“eco-fees”) applied to the sale of smoke and CO alarms in BC. The fees fund the collection, transportation, recycling and safe disposal of returned products, as well as program administration and communication. The fees may be included in the product price or displayed as a separate charge at check-out. In some stores you may see the words eco-fee, environmental handling fee, or recycling fee on your receipt.

The recycling fee is NOT a government tax. No part of the fee is remitted to the government, though HST is applied to the recycling fee.

The recycling fee covers all program costs, including the collection, transportation and recycling of smoke and CO alarms.

All collected fees stay in the AlarmRecycle program and provide British Columbians with an environmentally responsible recycling option for their old and expired smoke and CO alarms.

The recycling fee is NOT a government tax. No part of the fee is remitted to the government, though HST is applied to the recycling fee.

The recycling fee is not a deposit, so you won’t get a refund when you recycle a smoke or CO alarm. However, there is no charge to drop off your smoke and CO alarms at any AlarmRecycle drop-off location.

For more information on the AlarmRecycle program, please contact Daniela at daniela@productcare.org or 604-592-2972 ext. 216.