Burnaby Garbage Day, Green Bin, Recycling & Large Item Pickup Schedule 2026
This guide is written like a Burnaby resident trying to solve pickup day problems: where to find the 2026 curbside calendar, why garbage is not collected every week for houses and duplexes, how to place bins by 7 am, what changes in bear areas, where recycling boxes and yellow bags go, how large item pickup works, and what to take to the Burnaby Eco-Centre instead of leaving it outside.
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Burnaby trash pickup schedule garbage collection is based on the City of Burnaby curbside collection calendar and your collection zone. For houses and duplexes, Burnaby provides weekly curbside collection of recyclables, food scraps and yard waste, while garbage is collected every other week.
Set out recycling, green bin and garbage in the lane or street by 7:00 am on collection day and not the night before. If your property is in a designated bear area, set bins out only between 5:30 am and 7:00 am. Bring containers back onto your property and secure them by 8:00 pm on collection day.
Burnaby Collection Calendar 2026 — Find Garbage, Green Bin and Recycling Dates
For houses and duplexes, the City of Burnaby collection calendar is the first thing to check. Recycling, food scraps and yard waste are collected weekly, but garbage is every other week, so residents must watch the garbage week marking instead of assuming the garbage bin goes out every collection day.
Burnaby’s collection app can also provide weekly reminders, seasonal updates such as snow and ice service impacts, recycling tips and event information. That app is especially useful if you often forget whether this week is garbage plus green bin plus recycling, or only green bin plus recycling.
Open the official houses and duplexes page
Use the City’s curbside collection calendar for the current year. Do not rely on old screenshots or neighbour memory because collection zones and seasonal updates can change.
Check whether the calendar shows garbage that week
Green bin and recycling are weekly for houses and duplexes. Garbage is every other week, so look for the garbage week marking before rolling out the garbage bin.
Check bear-area timing
If your property is in a designated bear area, bins must be set out only between 5:30 am and 7:00 am on collection day.
Use phone reminders
Use the collection app or a phone calendar reminder for 6:30 am on pickup day, not the night before, because Burnaby says not to put containers out the night before collection.
Official schedule: Use Burnaby’s curbside calendar and app for exact dates, weather updates and seasonal notices.
Open Collection CalendarBurnaby Garbage Set-Out Rules — 7 AM, Lid Arrows, 1 Metre Spacing and 3 Metres Clearance
Burnaby’s collection trucks need space around each container. A missed pickup is often not because the truck ignored the home; it can happen because bins were set out too late, placed the wrong way, blocked by a vehicle, too close to other containers, or put out in a bear area too early.
- Set recycling, green bin and garbage out by 7:00 am on collection day.
- Do not place containers out the night before collection.
- Point arrows on the lid toward the lane or street.
- Make sure handles face your property.
- Leave at least 1 metre, or 3 feet, on all sides.
- Leave 3 metres, or 10 feet, of clearance above containers.
- Bring containers back onto your property by 8:00 pm.
- Do not put bins out the night before.
- Do not overfill bins so lids cannot close.
- Do not block bins with cars, fences, snow piles or parked trailers.
- Do not place recycling boxes on top of each other incorrectly.
- Do not place containers under low tree branches, wires or overhangs.
- Do not leave containers in the lane or street after collection day.
Bear-area rule: Burnaby specifically gives a tighter 5:30 am to 7:00 am set-out window for designated bear areas. If you live near greenbelts, ravines or known bear activity zones, check the City’s bear-area guidance before treating normal set-out timing as safe.
Burnaby Garbage Collection — Every Other Week for Houses and Duplexes
Garbage is the container residents should use only after separating recyclable containers, paper, glass, food scraps, yard waste, depot items and large-item pickup materials. Because garbage is every other week for houses and duplexes, getting sorting right helps prevent overflow before the next garbage week.
- Use garbage for non-recyclable and non-compostable household waste.
- Keep food scraps out of garbage and use the green bin instead.
- Keep recyclables out of garbage to reduce overflow.
- Keep lids closed; overfilled bins may be rejected.
- Use the Eco-Centre or regional facilities for items not accepted curbside.
- Missing or damaged garbage or green bin: call 604-294-7972.
- Different size garbage or green bin: submit the receptacle request form.
- Bin exchange service fee is listed by the City.
- Write your address in the container’s white space for easy recognition.
- Record the unique serial number on the front of your container.
Garbage-week habit: On the morning of pickup, check whether the current week is actually a garbage week before rolling the garbage bin out. Green bin and recycling are weekly, but garbage is not.
Burnaby Green Bin Pickup — Food Scraps, Yard Waste, Branch Rules and Extra Yard Waste
Burnaby’s green bin is for food scraps and accepted yard waste. The City says food scraps are banned from garbage because they can be composted into useful products instead of creating avoidable greenhouse gas emissions in landfill. This is not a “nice to do” sorting habit; it is a core part of Burnaby’s waste system.
- Food scraps.
- Grass clippings and weeds.
- Small branches up to 4 inches in diameter.
- Plants and flowers.
- Wooden cutlery such as chopsticks or popsicle sticks.
- Clean wood waste with no plywood or glue laminates.
- Do not use compostable or biodegradable plastic bags.
- Use paper liners or accepted paper options instead.
- Do not overfill the green bin; the lid must close.
- Do not dump green waste in parks or natural areas.
- Do not include tree stumps, dirt, rocks, soil or sod.
- Do not place animal waste or carcasses in Eco-Centre green waste drop-off.
Extra yard waste: If green waste will not fit in your bin, Burnaby residents can drop off up to 100 kg of green waste for free at the Burnaby Eco-Centre with proof of residency. Charges apply for loads over 100 kg.
Green bin guide: Check Burnaby’s food scraps and yard waste page before using bags, bundling branches or dropping extra yard waste.
Food Scraps & Yard WasteBurnaby Recycling Pickup — Blue Box, Grey Box, Yellow Bag and Depot-Only Items
Burnaby’s recycling system is more detailed than “put everything recyclable outside.” Houses and duplexes use curbside recycling containers, while apartments, condos and townhomes may use building-level collection. The common resident mistake is placing depot-only items at the curb.
- Rinse sticky containers before placing them out.
- Flatten boxes and large containers to save space.
- Place the yellow bag between the grey and blue boxes.
- Do not lay the yellow bag on top of the boxes.
- Leave 1 metre between recycling containers and garbage/green bin containers.
- Use more than one blue or grey box or yellow bag if needed, while keeping spacing clear.
- Styrofoam packaging is not accepted for curbside blue box collection.
- Film plastics and soft plastics should go to the Eco-Centre or approved drop-off.
- Flexible plastic packaging such as chip bags and candy wrappers is depot material.
- Compostable or biodegradable plastic containers are considered garbage.
- Electronics, batteries and small appliances should not be treated as normal curbside recycling.
Best sorting move: If the item is flexible plastic, foam packaging, batteries, paint, propane, butane, cooking oil, antifreeze, electronics or small appliances, assume Eco-Centre/drop-off first and verify before putting it at the curb.
Burnaby Waste Video Guide — Sorting Garbage, Recycling and Green Waste
This official Burnaby sorting video is useful because the biggest collection-day mistakes are not only missed dates; they are wrong materials in the wrong container. The video supports the recycling and green bin sections by reminding residents to separate garbage, recycling and organic material properly.
Best for: New residents, renters, apartment residents, homeowners, students, families teaching kids sorting rules, and anyone confused by blue box, grey box, yellow bag, green bin and garbage bin responsibilities.
This video supports the practical guidance in this article. For exact pickup dates, zone colours, snow delays, bear-area timing, large item appointments, Eco-Centre hours, fees and accepted materials, residents should still verify details through the official City of Burnaby links above.
Burnaby Large Item Pickup — Furniture, Mattresses, Appliances and Appointment Rules
Burnaby’s large item pickup program is for eligible households that receive City of Burnaby curbside collection. You must request a pickup using the online form or by calling 604-294-7972. Do not place a couch, mattress or appliance outside first and ask later; the City tells residents to wait until they receive the date, time and location for pickup.
- Large kitchen appliances.
- Large laundry appliances.
- Hot water tanks and air conditioners.
- Large standing BBQs, excluding small BBQs.
- Patio furniture, excluding umbrellas.
- Bed frames, box springs, couches, armchairs and sofa beds.
- Mattresses greater than 4 inches thick, wrapped and sealed in plastic.
- Houses and duplexes can schedule up to 3 items per pickup.
- Apartments, condos and townhomes can schedule up to 6 items per complex.
- Check accepted items before filling out the form.
- Bring items to the confirmed spot only after receiving date, time and location.
- Donate gently used and working items when possible before disposal.
- TVs, computers and electronics.
- Microwaves and lamps.
- Building, demolition and renovation materials.
- Kitchen cabinets, closet doors and cement.
- Baby car seats, suitcases and luggage.
- Mattress toppers, patio umbrellas, fireplaces and fire tables.
- Foosball tables, pool tables, table tennis tables and children’s toys.
Schedule first: Use Burnaby’s official large item pickup form or call before moving items outside.
Large Item PickupBurnaby Eco-Centre Drop-Off — Extra Recycling, Green Waste, Batteries, Foam, Paint and More
The Burnaby Eco-Centre at 4855 Still Creek Drive is the resident safety valve for items that do not belong at the curb. The City describes it as a staffed, self-serve drop-off option for more than 20 types of recyclable materials.
- Mixed paper and cardboard.
- Mixed containers and hard plastic packaging.
- Flexible plastic packaging and plastic overwrap.
- Plastic foam packaging and foam trays.
- Batteries, propane tanks, butane tanks and paint.
- Scrap metal, hard plastics, books and textiles.
- Used motor oil, filters, containers, cooking oil and antifreeze.
- Cell phones, electronics, small appliances and power tools.
- Mattresses.
- Furniture.
- Garbage.
- Animal waste or carcasses in green waste.
- Treated wood.
- Tree stumps or branches larger than 4 inches diameter.
- Plastic bags or compostable plastic bags in green waste.
- Dirt, rocks, sand, soil or sod.
Hours and location: Burnaby’s calendar and Eco-Centre materials list show the Eco-Centre at 4855 Still Creek Drive, generally open Monday to Sunday, 8 am to 4 pm. Always check the official Eco-Centre page before visiting because hours, fees and accepted materials can change.
Burnaby Eco-Centre Map
Burnaby Apartment and Condo Garbage Pickup — Do Not Use House/Duplex Rules Blindly
Burnaby provides weekly collection of recyclables, food scraps, yard waste and garbage for some apartments, condos and townhomes. But the schedule, container setup and building rules can be different from houses and duplexes. Multi-family residents should not assume the curbside calendar app works the same way for their building.
- Ask your building manager which waste streams the building receives from the City.
- Ask where garbage, green waste and recycling containers are located.
- Use the apartment/condo/townhouse recycling guide for sorting.
- Do not leave furniture or mattresses beside shared bins.
- Use the large item pickup process if the building is eligible.
- Call 604-294-7972 for schedule questions if the building receives City service.
- Request educational posters and brochures from the City if residents are sorting poorly.
- Keep waste rooms clear and labeled.
- Plan large item pickup before move-out season.
- Make sure containers can be accessed by the City’s collection fleet.
- Contact the City if your apartment, condo or townhome is interested in receiving City services.
Multi-family warning: If your building has private bins, locked rooms, underground collection, strata-managed waste or a private hauler, follow your building instructions first. Do not copy house/duplex curbside placement rules unless your property actually uses that service.
Missed Garbage Pickup in Burnaby — What to Check Before Reporting a Problem
If your Burnaby garbage, green bin or recycling was not collected, the first job is to rule out common resident-side problems. Check the calendar, check whether garbage was scheduled that week, confirm set-out time, spacing, lid direction, bear-area rules and weather/snow advisories before assuming the truck missed the route.
Check the calendar
For houses and duplexes, garbage is every other week. Green bin and recycling may still be collected even when garbage is not scheduled.
Check timing
Containers should be out by 7 am, not the night before. In bear areas, the set-out window is 5:30 am to 7 am.
Check spacing and direction
Arrows should point toward the lane or street, handles should face the property, and containers need 1 metre on all sides and 3 metres overhead clearance.
Report the issue
Call the Solid Waste and Recycling Division at 604-294-7972 or use Burnaby’s collection app to report a problem.
Snow and ice warning: Burnaby says waste collection may be disrupted during snow and ice conditions, with advisories through City channels and the collection app. In winter, check alerts before reporting too early.
Burnaby Solid Waste Phone Number, Eco-Centre Address and Official Links
| Need | Official Contact | Use This For |
|---|---|---|
| Solid Waste & Recycling | 604-294-7972 | Collection schedule questions, large item pickup, missing/damaged bins, service requests and report-a-problem help. |
| 24-Hour Information | 604-294-7089 | Recorded or after-hours waste information. |
| solidwasteandrecycling@burnaby.ca | Service requests, schedule questions and multi-family inquiries. | |
| BC Recycling Info | 604-RECYCLE / 604-732-9253 | Recycling Council of BC help for community-specific recycling questions. |
| Eco-Centre | 4855 Still Creek Drive, Burnaby, BC | Extra recyclables, yard trimmings, batteries, foam, paint, oil, electronics and depot-only items. |
| City Hall | 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, BC V5G 1M2 | General City of Burnaby government address. |
Official Burnaby Waste Links
Related Trash Pickup Guides — Metro Vancouver and Nearby Collection Help
Use these related trash-pickup.org guides when comparing collection calendars, green bin rules, large item pickup, recycling depots and holiday reminders across Metro Vancouver and nearby Canadian cities.
Burnaby Trash Pickup FAQ — Real Resident Questions Answered
Source Verification and Editorial Note
Independent information guide — not affiliated with the City of Burnaby. trash-pickup.org is a public information resource. We do not operate garbage pickup, recycling collection, green bin service, large item pickup, the Burnaby Eco-Centre, the collection app, bin exchanges or City customer service.
Collection calendar guidance, set-out timing, bear-area set-out rules, recycling spacing, green bin rules, large item pickup limits, Eco-Centre details, apartment/condo/townhouse guidance, contacts and official links were checked against City of Burnaby sources as of May 2026. Collection zones, app notices, snow delays, fees, accepted materials, Eco-Centre hours and service rules can change. Always verify through official City of Burnaby links before acting.
Official Sources — Verified May 2026
- City of Burnaby — Recycling & Garbage
- City of Burnaby — Houses & Duplexes
- City of Burnaby — Apartments, Condos & Townhouses
- City of Burnaby — Recycle It Right
- City of Burnaby — Food Scraps & Yard Waste
- City of Burnaby — Large Item Pickup
- City of Burnaby — Large Item Pickup Request Form
- City of Burnaby — Eco-Centre
- City of Burnaby — Holiday Waste Reduction
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