Recycling can be complicated — curbside pickup won't take everything, sorting is a nuisance, and in Sooke, getting rid of electronics could mean an extra commute and cost. Fortunately, with the expansion of the Sooke Bottle Depot, recycling in the community is now a bit easier.
The Sooke Bottle Depot adopted the Recycle BC program on April 2, introducing the ability to take plastics, glass, electronics and more off Sookies' hands and out of the landfill.
"We are thrilled to offer these expanded services to the Sooke community,” said Matthew Martin, general manager of the Bottle Depot.
“Our goal is to make recycling as easy and accessible as possible while continuing to improve our facility for both customers and team members.”
With the new Recycle BC program, Sooke's bottle depot can now accept cardboard, flexible plastic, mixed containers, non-refundable glass and styrofoam. It will also accept small electronics, including TVs, small appliances, Christmas lights, CPUs and more.
All these products, which are often recycled for a fee, can now be recycled at the Sooke Bottle Depot free of charge.
The change comes on the heels of Bottle Depot's acquisition of the Sooke depot in July 2024, which Martin says has led to substantial improvements, enhancing customer experience and environmental sustainability.
In addition to the range of new materials accepted, residents can now get a full 10-cent refund on all beverage containers.
"Now all your household recycling that gets missed in the city pickup can come to our depot," said Martin.
The change provides new convenience to environmentally minded Sooke residents, who previously had to drive as far as the Hartland landfill to recycle such goods.
"Everybody knows what the Sooke crawl is like in the morning or coming home at night. Either way, having the convenience of our depot means you're saving yourself trips into Victoria or up to Hartland landfill, which really is not as accessible as it should be," said Martin.
"We've got all the things that are happening in the U.S. right now and the challenges that will bring. If you don't have to spend your money on gas and your time taking recycling in, it just makes your life so much easier and saves you money."
So far, the response from residents has been great, with one calling it "a big deal" and "very impressive."
The depot at 2032 Idlemore Rd. is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
