Government makes changes around disposal rule of toxic household waste

VANCOUVER — The B-C government says it’s changing the rules to make it easier for people to properly dispose of toxic household waste.

Environment Minister George Heyman says British Columbians, regardless of where they live, should be able to dispose of moderate-risk materials safely to keep harmful materials from landfills and the environment.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy says materials covered under the amended regulations include things like lead-acid car batteries, propane tanks, oil paints and motor oil.

The ministry says the changes will make it easier for those in rural and First Nations communities to safely dispose of hazardous waste, and also reduce illegal dumping by allowing collection facilities to accept and transport the materials.