Where Does My Garbage Go?

Between your curbside tote and its final destination, garbage collected in the CVRD travels a lot more than you might think. Because the CVRD does not have a regional landfill, any material that is not recovered in the recycling process or other waste diversion process is shipped out of the region.

To get an idea of the scope of this journey, check out the distance that your garbage travels between your house and its final destination:

• Once your garbage is collected from the curb it is brought to the Bings Creek transfer station located in North Cowichan (+/- 40km)
• From Bings Creek, it is packed into large trailers destined for Duke Point ferry terminal, Nanaimo (50km)
• These trailers are then barged over to Vancouver (77km)
• From Vancouver, the trailers are loaded onto railcars for their final destination in Washington state, where it is ultimately landfilled (564 km)

This journey (+/- 730km) has resulted in one of the highest tipping fees and disposal costs within British Columbia. What's more, is that 4-5 truckloads (25 tonnes) make this journey each week. This not only highlights the importance of waste reduction for our environment, but it also shows how reducing waste can save on shipping costs and protect local waste management jobs. For some tips to reduce your waste, visit our Waste Management Education page.