Waste Connections of Canada is contracted to carry out the RDOS Curbside Recycling and Garbage program, which services the majority of rural residences in Electoral Areas “A”, “B”, “C”, “D”, “E”, “F”, “G”, and “I”, as well as the Village of Keremeos. The service consists of weekly curbside garbage collection, biweekly recycling collection, seasonal yard waste pickup, and annual pickup of up to two large items per household. 

For missed curbside collection, please contact the curbside contractor, Waste Connections of Canada (provide your address and contact):

• Email: csrpenticton@wasteconnections.com
• Penticton and Area Phone: 250-490-3888
• Oliver & Osoyoos: 250-498-4888
• Other Areas: 1-866-998-4888

Please ensure that curbside materials are placed to the curb before 7:00 am on your day of collection. Please do not leave garbage or recycling at the curb overnight. 

When collections are missed due to poor road conditions, or if the driver missed your address, please contact Waste Connections to learn if they are picking up all curbside materials (garbage, recycling or yardwaste) later that day, the next day, or if all missed collection, or just garbage is to be placed out with your next scheduled curbside collection day. If curbside will be collected the next day, please do not leave curbside garbage or recycling at the curb overnight.  

If missed curbside garbage is to be picked up with the next scheduled curbside collection day, your missed weekly limit garbage and your regular week's garbage will be collected. 

If it was a recycling week, or a yard waste week, and collection was not received, check the curbside calendar for the next collection date, and place out then, unless other arrangements were made with the curbside contractor.

Who is in charge of rural road maintenance, including snow removal and sanding – Roads in rural areas, is contracted to AIM Roads (since 2019) under the Province of BC’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Department to provide road maintenance, snow removal and sanding services for rural roads. During snowfall events highways and emergency routes are prioritized for clearing, followed next by bus routes, and lastly by arterial routes and secondary roads. If collection trucks cannot safely reach certain areas that have not been plowed or sanded, Curbside Collection may be postponed.  Please note that some roads are maintained privately, and not by AIM Roads.

Issues with rural roads, please contact AIM Roads directly by email: aimcommunications.ca@acciona.com or by phone: 1-866-222-4204 

During winter months, when roads are not plowed or are not sufficiently sanded, the curbside truck may not be able to collect. If your curbside has not been picked up by 5:00pm, please collect and contact Waste Connections.  Please do not leave garbage or recycling out over night at the curb. 

Curbside collection times can vary and be any time from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. Reasonable efforts are made to maintain a consistent weekly collection time. 

Please note: if your curbside was not picked by your usual time, before removing items from the curb, please phone or email the curbside contractor and ask if there is a delay (provide address and contact information when leaving a message or sending a email). 

If curbside was not picked up after 5:00 pm, please remove materials from the curb, and email or phone curbside contractor to let them know your address was missed. Provide your address and contact information. Curbside contractor will confirm when they will collect the missed collection. Do not leave garbage or recycling at the curb overnight. 

Curbside Contractor contact - Waste Connections of Canada: 

• Phone: 250-490-3888  Email: csrpenticton@wasteconnections.com 

Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen Solid Waste Department

• Toll Free: 1-877-610-3737 ext. 4129
• Direct: 250-490-4129
• E-mail: solidwaste@rdos.bc.ca

About Curbside Collection Trucks and Winter Roads - Curbside trucks are a split truck and one side (the garbage side) is heavier than the other side.  Even when the commercial truck is not a split truck and although a car/passenger truck is able to drive and control their vehicle on a road with ice/snow, controlling a 260,000 kg commercial truck is very different and cannot always do so. With  the nature of roads not being flat as the surface is angled to assist in the drainage of water, (road camber), this makes for even more difficult driving for commercial trucks when roadways have ice, or unplowed roads.  Getting around corners, and staying straight on sloped roads and corners with ice, or compact snow with ice, has landed trucks in the ditch, even with chains on.  Going is the easy part; it is the stopping and trying to keep a straight line that is difficult.  Sometimes the center of the road is clear, but the wider portion of the road that the trucks need to traverse on is ice and snow covered. Most often when the curbside truck stops on ice, the heat from the vehicle and tires will allow water to form on top of the ice and the truck slides sideways with no means to correct, and if cannot stop, and not connect with snow or dry pavement, the only means to stop it is another vehicle or structure.  Sometimes a road/street is servicable, but the roads to that street/road are not.  Though every effort is made to ensure waste collection services occur throughout the Regional District at the scheduled time, during snowfall events, your waste collection may be deferred to the next regularly scheduled pick-up day.

SIGN-UP FOR WEEKLY CURBSIDE REMINDERS and / or for just CURBSIDE ALERTS

 Click here  To sign up for weekly curbside reminders and curbside alerts:   

•  Under the heading "Curbside Garbage and Recycling" select the calendar icon and enter your address.                                                                         
• When your address appears, click Get a reminder – and choose how you would like to receive that reminder.                                                           

CURBSIDE ALERTS only: If you do not want to receive the weekly curbside reminder, but want to receive just Service Alerts and Informational Updates Only  – under the Get a Reminder - - click on Service Alerts and Informational Updates Only.

Any issues signing up:  please contact RDOS at 250-490-4129 and leave your contact information, address and what the issue is. 

Specifications below - or click on,  Container Details and Curbside Information Sheet

Lifted by Hand - Manual Lift: 

• For curbside that is lifted by hand into the curbside truck - WorksafeBC limits the total weight of any bag, can (no wheels), container (with wheels) to 25 kg (55 pounds).  
• The maximum volume is 95 litres for any can (with no wheels). The maximum volume of a container with wheels is 121 litres or 32 gallons. Cans and Containers must have adequate handles to allow the driver to lift and empty safely, and weight not to exceed 25kg (55lbs). Any can or container that cannot be lifted safely will not be collected. For Garbage collection, bagged garbage is permitted, and maximum volume per bag is 95 litres, and weight of each bag cannot exceed 25kg (55lbs). 
• There is a weekly limit for Garbage - for more specifics, see heading:  Garbage Collection
• For more details on Recycling Collection, and Yard & Garden Waste Collection - see more specifics under each of those headings.

Semi-Automated Lift for Rolling Carts:

• Large rolling carts are designed to be lifted by a machine, must have a metal bar half way up the front side to allow collection. The front bar is located on the opposite side from the wheels and allows for automated lifting of the cart by the collection vehicle. Before purchasing a rolling cart, it is advisable to check with the curbside contractor, Waste Connections, to ensure the bar type works with the truck's semi-automated lift. 
• For Garbage rolling carts please note there is a limit to the amount of garbage that can be collected each week (one-240L rolling cart with a metal bar half way up the front side - weighs no more than 57kg (125lbs).  For more specifics, see 'Garbage Collection'.
• For Recycling rolling carts with a metal bar half way up the front side - any size up to 360L is accepted.  For more specifics, see 'Recycling Collection'.
• For Yard Waste rolling carts with a metal bar half way up the front side - any size up to 240L is accepted.  For Yard Waste rolling carts, do not fill with just heavy yard waste materials such as wet grass, as this is too heavy for semi-automated lift - weight no more than 57kg (125lbs).  For more specifics, see 'Yard Waste Collection'.

Cart Rentals – for Semi-Automated Lift

1. Curbside Contractor, Waste Connections, offers yearly Cart rentals for Curbside Garbage, Recycling, and Yard Waste
2. For more information contact Waste Connections, preferably by email
3. Include in the email your full name, property address, phone number and email
4. Waste Connections email:  csrpenticton@wasteconnections.com or phone 250-490-3888 or 1-866-998-4888

VIDEO - What can go in curbside recycling

VIDEO - Acceptable Recycling Containers

Blue Bags banned as of July 1st, 2020

Residential Curbside Recycling Information Sheet (please note that under the Return-It program,  milkjugs and plant-based beverage containers are now part of the deposit system, and may be returned to Bottle Depots - to learn more, see Return-It website)

Residential recycling, provided by Recycle BC, occurs every two weeks on your regular garbage day as indicated in your collection calendar.

Residents must purchase or rent marked re-usable containers (ie. blue box but cover so papers do not fly around and so rain or snow does not wet items, marked garbage can, recycling cart) for recycling. The RDOS can provide free 'Recycle Only' stickers to help mark a recycling container. Contact the RDOS to have stickers mailed to your home or drop by the downtown Penticton office at 101 Martin Street during business hours. 

Accepted Clean and Dry Items (click on material type for more information):

• Paper, Paper Packaging and Cardboard
• Cartons and Paper Cups
• Containers made of Plastic, Aluminum, Steel
• NO Glass, Foam, Bags, Sacs or Pouches

Place your clean, dry recyclables (click here for more information on accepted items) in the same container                                                                                       (NO Glass, Styrofoam, Plastic Bags or Other Flexible Plastic Packaging accepted for curbside collection!).

On your recycling week place out as many containers of accepted recycling as you like. 

Place out your recycling by 7:00 am on your collection day.

• Recycling pickup occurs on the same day as your garbage collection day every other week (biweekly)
• The collector uses a split truck that allows for the garbage and recycling to be placed in the same vehicle.
• Place all your CLEAN recyclables mixed together.  DO NOT PLACE FLAMMABLES WITH RECYCLING.
• Cardboard can be added to a container or tied secured with tape or with twine (not wire) and placed under your container in dry weather. Bundles should be no larger than 65cm (2') by 1m (3') by 15cm deep (6") to fit into collection trucks.
• Flatten boxes to save space. You don't need to peel off labels.
• Shredded paper may be placed out in one clear or clear blue bag. ONLY shredded paper is allowed in the clear or clear blue bag - Tie closed, and place in your can/container.
• For manual lift for Recycling - Maximum weight per can/container 25kg or 55 pounds. Volume limit is 95 litres for a can (with no wheels), or a 121 litre container (with wheels)  - Cans/Containers must have adequate handles. 

• Semi-automated lift for Recycling – Rolling Carts are designed to be lifted by a machine and  must have a metal bar half way up the front side to allow for collection. Size limit for each cart is up to 360 litres. There is no limit on recycling.  The front bar is located on the opposite side from the wheels and allows for automated lifting of the cart by the collection vehicle. Before purchasing a rolling cart it is advisable to check with the curbside contractor, Waste Connections,  to ensure the bar type works with the truck's semi-automated lift.  

• There's no limit on the number of containers you can place out at the curb
• NO GLASS, NO PLASTIC BAGS, NO STYROFOAM OR BOOKS  (click here for Free Recycling Depots for these items)

• Cart Rentals – for Semi-Automated Lift

1. Curbside Contractor, Waste Connections, offers yearly Cart rentals for Curbside Garbage, Recycling, and Yard Waste
2. For more information contact Waste Connections, preferably by email
3. Include in the email your full name, property address, phone number and email
4. Waste Connections email:  csrpenticton@wasteconnections.com or phone 250-490-3888 or 1-866-998-4888

Food waste is not collected. For more information on home composting click here.

How the Yard and Garden waste collection works:

• Place yard waste in clearly marked reusable containers or in compostable paper bags (no plastic bags). 
• Bundle prunings with string ( not wire, nylon cord or plastic banding) - bundled prunings up to 3 feet / 1 meter in length 
• Unlimited amounts of properly packaged yard waste will be accepted, as long as prepared correctly and not over weight limit. 
• See below for container sizes and weights.

Free "YARD WASTE ONLY" stickers available to place on reusable containers (like a garbage can you want to use only for yard waste). Contact your local government office to get a free sticker.

Materials Accepted include:

• grass clippings
• leaves
• pine needles and cones
• garden plants
• bundled prunings up to 3 feet / 1 meter in length
• Do not place invasive plants or noxious weeds in with yard waste - for more information see Invasive Species Program (How to dispose of invasive plants or noxious weeds, see below)
• Do not place rocks or pebbles in yard waste. 
• Do not place plastic bags in yard waste.
• Yard Waste is chipped and these do not materials damage the chipper, and also means the yard waste cannot be made into clean compost. Invasive Plant seeds can spread or take root, and therefore best not placed in with yard waste.  

Invasive Plants, Noxious Weeds:

• Do not  place invasive plants or noxious weeds in with yard waste - for more information see Invasive Species Program
• Not sure what an invasive plant  and / or noxious weed is?  visit the Oasiss website
• How to dispose of invasive plants or noxious weeds to an RDOS Administered Landfill ?  See Oasiss Information sheet Click here or call and leave a message on the Solid Waste Hotline  250-490-4129 or email solidwaste@rdos.bc.ca                                                                                                                                                                                              

Yard Waste Container Sizes and Weights:

• For worker safety, the maximum total weight of individual cans, bags and bundles is 25 kgs / 55 lbs each.

Manual lifting for YARD WASTE  – volume limit is 95 litres for a paper bag, or a can (with no wheels), or a 121 litre container (with wheels)  – and each bag, can or container is not to exceed in weight 25kg (55lbs). Yard Waste amounts to the curb is unlimited. Cans and containers must have adequate handles. 

Semi-automated lift for Yard Waste - Rolling carts are designed to be lifted by machine and must have a metal bar half way up the front to allow for collection.  Size limit is up to 240 litres - weight no more than 57kg (125lbs). Before purchasing a rolling cart it is advisable to check with the curbside contractor, Waste Connections,  to ensure the bar type works with the truck's semi-automated lift 

Cart Rentals – for Semi-Automated Lift

• Curbside Contractor, Waste Connections, offers yearly Cart rentals for Curbside Garbage, Recycling, and Yard Waste
• For more information contact Waste Connections, preferably by email
• Include in the email your full name, property address, phone number and email
• Waste Connections email:  csrpenticton@wasteconnections.com or phone 250-490-3888 or 1-866-998-4888

Due to concerns with bears and other wildlife, residents within Electoral Area 'D' (OK Falls), Electoral Area 'I' (Kaleden, Twin Lakes), Electoral Area 'E' (Naramata, Falconridge) and Area 'F' (West Bench, Red Wing) may not place unprotected garbage out overnight. Residents in these areas can choose to:

• place out garbage after 5 am on your regular collection day;
• place out garbage in a wildlife resistant container;
• place out garbage in a wildlife resistant enclosure.
• Wildlife Resistant cart or container with lid locks must be unlocked before 7:00am. Those not unlocked materials will not be picked up.
• For size and weights - see details under the heading Garbage and also under the heading Recycling
• To avoid attracting wildlife do not leave garbage or recycling at the curb overnight.

For information on wildlife resistant containers and wildlife resistant enclosures please visit our Wildsafe BC web page.

Check with Waste Connections of Canada to learn if they have for rent residential wildlife resistant garbage carts. For more information regarding this optional rental program contact Waste Connections of Canada at 250-490-3888 or 1-866-998-4888.  Email: csrpenticton@wasteconnections.com

2024 Large Item Collection dates:

• Monday, April 8: Area “C” (rural Oliver), Town of Oliver for properties located north of Fairview Road and Park Drive
• Tuesday, April 9: Area “A” (rural Osoyoos), Town of Osoyoos
• Wednesday, April 10: Area “D” (Skaha East, Okanagan Falls) and Area “I” (Skaha West, Kaleden)
• Thursday, April 11: Area “E” (Naramata), Area “F” (West Bench, Red Wing), and Area “D” (Upper Carmi)
• Friday, April 12: Area “B” (Cawston), Area “G” (rural Keremeos), Village of Keremeos, Town of Oliver for properties located south of Fairview Road and Park Drive
• Monday, April 15 – Friday, April 19: City of Penticton (regular curbside collection day)
• Monday, June 17: Apex

Large Item Curbside Collection information sheet  (click to print or download to your computer)

The Large Item Collection is held on a specific day each spring and allows each home receiving Curbside pick-up to place out two items per year for residential pickup. See the information sheet for more information.

Acceptable items such as furniture, mattresses and appliances are listed below, and in the above information sheet. For the annual pickup date for your area please consult your curbside calendar. 

What is Accepted:

Maximum 2 items per household – maximum weight per item 90 kg (200lbs)

a)       Furniture such as couches, desks, chairs, entertainment centers with shelving, cat towers, bedframe rails secured with tape...;

b)      Mattress and box spring - placing out a mattress and a box spring would count as 2 items;

c)       Appliances accepted - dishwashers, microwaves, stoves, range hoods, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners (no food left in appliances) (no hot water tanks);

a)       Older fridges and freezers with locking doors - for safety reasons, please remove door and shelves and place beside the unit for collection;

b)      Barbeques accepted when hoses, tanks, charcoal, and dripping tray container of oil is removed before placing to the curb; 

c)       Gym equipment accepted;

d)      Area carpets with a bound edge or fringe, rolled, taped securely, under 6 feet (1.8 meter);

e)       Blinds that are taped securely, cords removed, and under 6 feet (1.8 meter).

 Important note:  The Town of Osoyoos Large Item Collection curbside program does not accept items containing Freon (i.e. fridges, freezers, air conditioners).  For residents living in City of Penticton, Town of Oliver and Town of Osoyoos, please check your municipal curbside calendar for more details. 

When to place large item to the curb

• There is one scheduled curbside large item collection per year.
• Check your Curbside Calendar for Large Item Collection Date (generally in April each year).  
• Place out at regular garbage collection area before 7:00 am on scheduled week in a safe area at the curb
• Items will be picked up on the regular day of garbage curbside collection

What is NOT Accepted

• No electronics or small plug-in items such as TVs, computer monitors, or other electronics;
• No vacuums, carpet cleaners, fans, toaster ovens, or other small plug-in items (see Electro Recycle on where to recycle);
• No floor or table lamps (see Recycle Lights BC - Product Care Recycling on where to recycle)
• No renovation or demolition waste, doors, toilets,  bathroom/kitchen cabinets or fixtures;
• No hot tubs or lids, hot water tanks, flooring, heat pumps, furnace or plumbing;
• No room carpets or underlay;
• No gas, battery or electric powered equipment such as lawn mowers, power tools, garage door openers;
• No concrete items (such as blocks, fountains, lawn or garden ornaments), or other random materials;
• No to any item weighing over 90kg / 200lbs.
• Residents may contact the RDOS for information on recycling and safe disposal options for any of these items 250-490-4129

• Please take computers, monitors and TVs directly to free recycling depots. Click here for information and depot locations. The Campbell Mountain, Oliver and Keremeos Landfills will also take all residential electronic waste free of charge. Place in the landfills designated area. 

• For drills, vacuums, fans, power tools  and other small plug-in items see Electro Recycle on where to recycle  Recycle Small Appliances and Power Tools in BC - ElectroRecycle

• Floor or table lamps, lightbulbs see:  Recycle Lights in British Columbia - Product Care Recycling

Large Item Not Picked Up

If you had placed your item to the curb before 7:00 am, and if an acceptable large item is not collected, resident may call and leave a message for Waste Connections of Canada at 250-490-3888, or toll-free 1-866-998-4888, or email csrpenticton@wasteconnections.com  -  Include your address and contact information. 

• For a complete list on what is recyclable in curbside recycling container, see Recycle BC's website: recyclebc.ca
• Residential Curbside Recycling Information Sheet (please note that under the Return-It program,  milkjugs and plant-based beverage containers are now part of the deposit system, and may be returned to Bottle Depots - to learn more, see Return-It website)

Curbside Accepted materials - must be Clean and Dry Items (click on material type for more information):

• Paper, Paper Packaging and Cardboard
• Cartons and Paper Cups
• Containers made of Plastic, Aluminum, Steel
• NO Glass, Foam, Bags, Sacs or Pouches permitted in curbside

Click here for a list of all clean Residential Recycling Materials included within the BC wide RecycleBC program. Materials that are not clean or mixed with non-collectable items will be left at curb. (Please note: Glass, Foam and Plastic Bags and Other Flexible Plastic Packaging is not permitted in curbside recycling or apartment recycling.  These materials are accepted when clean and sorted at  local depots).

For collection from your home you may mix all acceptable materials in the same recycling container. Please note at Depots, residents will be required to sort materials into the proper categories and materials cannot be mixed.

If a service provider notices containers placed at the curb which contain any materials other than those collected, those containers may be left at the curb. If you have any questions regarding the acceptablility of a specific item or material for recycling, please phone the RDOS Curbside Hotline at 490-4129 or toll-free at 1-877-610-3737 ext. 4129, and leave a message with your name and number for a prompt return call. You can also e-mail solidwaste@RDOS.bc.ca

*For information on where to recycle materials not collected through this program please visit our Recycling page for information on other recycling programs.

For a full list on what is recyclable at Depots see: recyclebc.ca

What is accepted at Recycling Depots, and how to sort?  Click here for Depot Recycling Information Handout.

Please keep material types separated.

Unlike curbside collection, Depot recyclables must be sorted. There are separate bins for each material type.  Please read signs at the Depot and sort correctly.  

If not sorted correctly, this contaminates the entire bin meaning a loss of revenue. 

For information on where to recycle materials not collected through this program please visit our Recycling page for information on other recycling programs.

Packaging That Goes To Depot (Plastic Bags, Foam and Glass) - VIDEO

Plastic Bags versus Other Flexible Plastic Packaging - VIDEO

• Extra garbage bags will be collected each week if each additional bag (over your 2 bag a week allowance) has a 'tag-a bag' sticker placed on each bag over the two bag a week limit - bags must not be over 25kgs (55 lbs) each, and maximum volume is 95 litres. 
• Only place tag-a-bag stickers on extra garbage bags! Do not attach stickers to garbage cans.
• Place the bags so that the stickers are visible for the Garbage Collection Contractor.
• The cost of the RDOS Tag-a-Bag garbage stickers is $1.50 each (per bag) and they can be found at:

Hedley
Country Store

Keremeos
Buy-Low Foods
Village of Keremeos office

Naramata
Naramata General Store

Oliver
Buy-Low Foods
Town of Oliver office

Osoyoos
Osoyoos Town Hall

Penticton
Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen office