The City of Penticton is reminding residents that items such as propane cylinders, batteries or bear spray cannisters can cause safety hazards if placed in your recycling carts.
RecycleBC is issuing a provincewide announcement after several facility fires were sparked by hazardous materials mixed with packaging and paper recycling.
Examples of hazardous materials showing up this season include items containing batteries such as lanterns and bug zappers.
Other items that should not be added to recycling carts include bleach or aerosol containers with contents remaining, containers for paint or oil, sharps/needles, or pesticides with the words DANGER, WARNING or POISON.
When combined with paper, oxygen and the type of machinery used, sparks can smolder undetected, creating a risk for fires or explosions.
To safely dispose of your hazardous materials in Penticton, drop them off at J&C Bottle Depot, London Drugs or Action Salvage & Recycling. For more information on how to properly throw away hazardous materials, please contact the Recycle BC Hotline at 1-800-667-4321, email info@rcbc.ca or visit recyclebc.ca/hazardous.