Renovation waste in Metro Vancouver: drywall, asbestos and what a junk crew can take

A renovation produces three kinds of waste, and each one goes somewhere different: ordinary debris like tile, lumber and old cabinets; drywall, which has its own program; and anything that might contain asbestos, which has to be tested and handled by professionals. Getting them mixed up is how a cheap dump run turns into a surcharge, or worse, a health risk.

Step one: if the house is older, test for asbestos first

WorkSafeBC says asbestos was widely used in B.C. as a building material until the early 1990s, that homeowners need to get their home tested for asbestos before renovating, and that only qualified professionals can remove it. Asbestos abatement contractors must be licensed to operate in British Columbia (WorkSafeBC, Asbestos, checked 5 October 2026).

Metro Vancouver adds a warning about drywall in particular: gypsum installed before 1990 may be contaminated with asbestos in the tape and mud, and shouldn't be disturbed or removed without protective equipment (Metro Vancouver used gypsum program, checked 5 October 2026).

We don't take asbestos or anything suspected of containing it. Get the test done before demolition starts, not after the debris is in a pile.

Drywall: a program for homeowners

Drywall can't go in a garbage load; gypsum is restricted at the region's facilities and has its own rate (Metro Vancouver Disposal Ban Program Manual, checked 21 September 2026). Metro Vancouver runs a used-gypsum program for residents:

• Residents only. Drywall from contractors and businesses isn't accepted under the program.
• Double-bagged in the program's clear used-gypsum bags.
• Up to 10 bags of 10 kg per visit, and 5 visits a year.
• Where: Metro Vancouver recycling and waste centres and the Vancouver Landfill. The City of Vancouver's transfer station doesn't take it.

(Metro Vancouver used gypsum program, checked 5 October 2026.) Under Metro Vancouver's 2026 schedule, used gypsum is $210/tonne (Metro Vancouver's 2026 fee schedule, checked 21 September 2026).

We don't haul drywall. A contractor with drywall needs a drywall recycler.

Everything else from the reno

Ordinary renovation debris is what we take: tile, lumber, flooring, old kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and fixtures like toilets and sinks, plus the packaging from your new materials. For anything else, such as a bathtub, countertop or carpet, ask when you book. We also don't take paint, solvents or other hazardous materials.

If you're doing a dump run yourself, construction and demolition residual waste is $194/tonne at Metro Vancouver centres, and soil, concrete and other inert fill over 0.5 cubic metres a load is surcharged (Metro Vancouver's 2026 fee schedule, checked 21 September 2026; Metro Vancouver Disposal Ban Program Manual, checked 21 September 2026).

Bin or crew?

A bin on the driveway suits a long renovation that produces debris every day. A crew suits a reno that produces it in bursts: demolition day, then the end of the job. We load it ourselves and schedule around your trades, so there's no bin blocking the driveway for weeks. Renovation debris removal runs $249 to $899 a load, with dump fees included. See renovation debris removal and our comparison of bins and junk removal.

Reno waste checklist

1. Built before 1990? Test for asbestos before demolition.
2. Keep drywall separate and bag it to the program's rules, or have your contractor send it to a drywall recycler.
3. Set aside paint and solvents for a return depot; they're banned from garbage.
4. Pile the rest (tile, wood, cabinets, fixtures) for a haul-away or a bin.

Planning a renovation? Call 604-348-7640 or get a free quote.

Sources: WorkSafeBC, Metro Vancouver (used gypsum program, 2026 fees, Disposal Ban Program Manual), checked 5 October 2026.