Hazardous waste in Quebec City: what we DON'T take (and where to bring it)

There are materials that no serious junk removal service in Quebec City will take. It’s not that we want to dump work on you — it’s that these materials require specialized, certified channels, sometimes with protective equipment. Throwing them in regular trash = fine + real pollution. Here’s the complete map.

Why these restrictions

Hazardous household waste (called RDD — “résidus domestiques dangereux” — in Quebec) present one or more risks:

• Toxicity (paint, solvents → soil + water)
• Flammability (gasoline, propane → truck explosion)
• Health (asbestos → cancer 20-40 years after exposure)
• Biological contamination (medical waste, syringes)

Garbage trucks compact trash — a can of paint in a compacting truck becomes a vapor bomb. Hence the absolute ban.

Category 1 — Paint, solvents, oils

Examples: latex and oil paint, lacquer, thinner, white spirit, gasoline, used motor oil, antifreeze, transmission fluid, commercial degreaser.

Where to bring:

• The city’s ecocentres (Beauport, Hêtrière, Des Rivières, Jean-Talon) — free for residents, in the closed original container, 20 L maximum per container (addresses and hours)
• Rona, Home Depot hardware stores — often take paint as part of the Éco-peinture program (free)
• Auto garages / gas stations — often take used motor oils

Do NOT: pour in sink, drain, toilet. Latex paint dries in pipes and creates $1,000+ blockages to repair.

Category 2 — Asbestos

Examples: vermiculite insulation (Zonolite type) in attics pre-1985, some kitchen tiles pre-1985, some ceiling tiles, old siding materials.

CRITICAL procedure:

1. Don’t touch anything. Don’t scrape, break, or perforate.
2. Call a certified asbestos removal firm. In Quebec City, main options:
   • Nouvel Air (enr.) — specialty residential asbestos removal
   • IED Décontamination — Quebec-Lévis area
   • Nord-Air Services — extensive experience
3. Preliminary analysis ($100-300) to confirm presence + concentration.
4. Work by pros ($500 to several thousand depending on surface) with sealed equipment, respirators, waste in triple-bagged labelled.

Typical cost:

• Analysis + removal of a small attic sample: $500-1,200
• Full attic insulation removal (100 m²): $5,000-15,000

Warning: junk removal services that “take it anyway” illegally are a legal AND health time bomb. Run.

Category 3 — Batteries

Type	Where to bring
AAA, AA, 9V batteries	Bins at Rona, Metro, IGA, municipal libraries
Lithium batteries (auto, e-bikes, drones)	Ecocentres (under 5 kg) or “Recyclez vos batteries” drop-off points — fire hazard if mixed in trash
Standard car battery	Ecocentre or Canadian Tire (often paid back)
Electronics batteries (tablets, phones)	Rona or Staples (take-back program)

Important: each year in Canada, more than 80 garbage truck fires are caused by lithium batteries in regular trash. Really critical.

Category 4 — Medical waste

Examples: syringes, diabetic lancets, expired medications, soiled bandages, mercury thermometers.

Where:

• Syringes / lancets: pharmacies (provincial obligation to accept free). Ask your pharmacist for a yellow “sharps” container.
• Expired medications: pharmacies only (Health Canada program). NEVER in toilet (water contamination).
• Mercury thermometers: RDD drop-off centre (rare but toxic).
• Bandages: regular trash OK (no special drop-off), but sealed bags.

Category 5 — Tires

Where:

• All city ecocentres (free, outside diameter under 48.5 in.)
• Recyc-Québec collection points throughout CMQ
• Auto garages at seasonal change — often included in package
• Canadian Tire, Monsieur Muffler — accept

Never: burn (toxic gas), bury (decomposes over millennia), throw in woods.

Category 6 — Electronics (WEEE)

Examples: computers, TVs, printers, remotes, routers, game consoles.

Where:

• “Recycler mes électroniques” program (ARPE-Québec) — free, at ecocentres and many retailers
• Staples, Best Buy: take-back programs (sometimes free)
• The city’s ecocentres — accept computers, TVs and phones

Category 7 — Gas cylinders

Examples: propane BBQ tank, lighter butane, helium.

Where:

• Refill centres (Canadian Tire, Home Depot) — they accept old tanks in exchange for a new one
• Ecocentre Beauport (accepts small empty tanks)

Never: throw in trash (EXPLOSION when compactor truck crushes — not hypothetical, happens 2-3 times per year in Quebec).

Category 8 — Fiberglass / mineral wool

Examples: leftover pink or yellow insulation from renovation projects.

Where:

• Ecocentre, in “construction materials” zone — accepted in sealed bags

Never: without mask + gloves. The fiber irritates skin and lungs.

Summary table

Material	Regular trash?	Official channel	Our service?
Paint, solvents	❌	Ecocentres or Éco-Peinture retailers	❌ — we redirect you
Asbestos	❌	Certified firm	❌ — we refuse
AAA-9V batteries	❌	Rona/Metro bins	❌
Lithium batteries	❌	RDD drop-off	❌
Car battery	❌	Ecocentre / Canadian Tire	✓ small amounts with other items
Medications	❌	Pharmacy	❌
Syringes	❌	Pharmacy (yellow bin)	❌
Mercury thermometer	❌	RDD drop-off	❌
Tires	❌	Ecocentre (4 max)	✓ small quantity with other items
Electronics	❌	Recycler mes électroniques / ecocentre	✓ standard (not smashed)
Propane tank	❌	Refill centre	❌
Fiberglass	Yes if bagged	Ecocentre	✓ if properly bagged

What DOES go in regular trash (still)

Many things are still allowed in regular trash:

• Food waste (except where there’s separate organic collection)
• Soiled paper / cardboard (recycling if clean)
• Broken glass / ceramic
• Non-recyclable plastics
• Non-donatable textiles

ByeBazar protocol

When we arrive at your place:

1. We identify materials we can’t take (paint, asbestos, etc.)
2. We tell you exactly where to bring them with opening hours
3. We can even take a detour with you if it’s on our route (rare but happens)
4. We take everything else

Never will we silently take a hazardous material to “slip” into our regular trash. No risk, no fine for you, no environmental damage.

Official resources

• Ville de Québec — Special collections and RDD
• Éco-peinture — paint return program
• ARPE-Québec — Recycler mes électroniques
• Ordre des médecins vétérinaires du Québec — for veterinary medications

When you have large volume + some mixed hazardous materials, call 418 506-0077. We help separate and direct each pile. Zero risk, zero environmental guilt.