Old cell phone components and charger ready to be recycled

Living in urban communities, we’re continually challenged to find proper ways to dispose of waste. London Drugs has partnered with the Recycling Council of British Columbia to help our province work together toward ecological sustainability by conserving resources and curbing wasteful practices. Waste Reduction Week is on!

Challenge #1, Today, October 21: Take Recycling Beyond the Blue Box

Most people already make it part of their routine to sort their plastics, cardboard, glass and cans into blue boxes. We challenge you to think beyond the blue box and recycle other waste including styrofoam, candy wrappers, plastic packaging and mixed packaging. London Drugs’ Bring Back the Pack program accepts packaging that can’t be recycled through the blue bin program. Over 187,000 pounds of styrofoam have already been diverted from landfills. Instead of tossing out candy wrappers this Halloween, take them to one of the TerraCycle bins at any London Drugs location. Not only will that save them from the dumpster, but for every unit recycled, $0.02 will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society!

Challenge #2, October 22: Reduce E-Waste


Throwing your electronics in the garbage leads to damaging effects on the environment due to levels of lead, mercury, chromium and arsenic, toxic to both humans and wildlife. With 140,000 tonnes of e-waste dumped into our landfills annually, there’s reason for concern. Cell phones can easily be recycled through the national Recycle My Cell program, or via any London Drugs location. For other electronics such as computers and monitors, BC-wide Encorp locations will accept and recycle them for you. Small appliances can also be recycled; check with your nearest Electro Recycle location to see what they’ll accept.

Challenge #3, October 23: Divert and Reduce Beverage Container Waste

Beverage container waste is a problem not only affecting our landfills, but clogging up our oceans with debris lethal to marine life. Floating along the North Pacific, a ‘Trash Vortex’ the size of Texas carries plastic waste in and among marine mammals who ultimately get caught in plastic rings and bottles. You can prevent this harmful waste by switching to green options which avoid the use of excessive amounts of plastic or aluminum. Invest in a reusable water bottle. Sigg’s travel bottles are 100% recyclable, helping to avoid plastic waste. These bottles can also be recycled at an Encorp location – at the end of its long life. Here are a few other eco-friendly drinking container options.

Challenge #4, October 24: Make greener purchase decisions

On your next London Drugs visit, look for ‘What’s the Green Deal?’ signs in the aisles. These signs point to products with real environmental benefits, from recycled content to certified organic production. You’ll find the signs on all kinds of items, such as paper yard waste bags, made from raw, biodegradable materials. Start shopping a little greener.

Challenge #5: October 24: Be #WasteWise365

Being waste wise should be part of your lifestyle, 365 days of the year. We want to know how you plan to help reduce waste year-round. Share with us on Twitter or Facebook using #WasteWise365 for a chance to win a $300 London Drugs gift card so you can start shopping a little greener while saving a little green as well.

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