Turning the Tide: Recycling Support for Remote First Nations Communities

For most people living in British Columbia, access to the internet, groceries at the store or clean water from the tap are everyday conveniences we rarely stop to think about. However, for many First Nation communities throughout the province, these are not everyday conveniences but rather everyday challenges of living in remote places.

The Dzawada’enuxw First Nation community in Ukwanalis Village is based alongside the Gwa’yi (Kingcome) River on the mainland in a glacier fed river valley, surrounded by tall mountains, across from the Northern tip of Vancouver Island. Like many other coastal First Nation communities, Dzawada’enuxw is accessible only by air or water, meaning that everything the community needs must be transported by helicopter, water taxis or barges.

To add an additional layer of complexity, the community has been under a no drinking water advisory since 2020. Water for drinking, cooking and cleaning must all be brought into the community in plastic bottles. With clean water being so essential, the accumulation of plastic bottles in the community quickly became an overwhelming problem to deal with.

“Being in such a remote area and under a water advisory adds an entirely different set of challenges,” said Diana Dick, E.O.C. Operations Section Chief, Operations and Maintenance. “The community is grateful for the bottled water funded by Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), however the unintended consequences of that is the growing mountain of empty water bottles.”

To help support the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation and others located in remote areas, in 2018 the First Nation Recycling Initiative (FNRI) was formed by Return-It and twelve other stewardship organizations with the simple goal of supporting the recycling of extended producer responsibility (EPR) materials in First Nation communities throughout British Columbia. FNRI acts as a single point of contact for First Nation communities who for various reasons have stockpiles of EPR recyclable material. With a single point of contact working directly with the First Nations, community cleanups, removal and transportation can all be coordinated in the most efficient way possible. Some of the logistical challenges of trying to get material removed from Dzawada’enuxw First Nation include inclement weather patterns, navigating a tidal river and finding a suitable backhaul opportunity.

“We know that in many cases the EPR materials that are in First Nation communities took years to accumulate as they don’t have easy access to traditional recycling facilities,” said Cindy Coutts, President and CEO of Return-It. “At Return-It, we have a shared goal with Indigenous peoples as stewards of these lands, and we are committed to doing our part in supporting the removal of refundable beverage containers.”

In the spring of 2025, after months of planning and coordination, 145 mega bags of material were placed on a barge and removed from Dzawada’enuxw First Nation. After the bags were sorted and counted, 143 large 5-gallon water jugs and 97,675 refundable beverage containers were removed and a full deposit refund of $9,768 was returned to the Dzawada’enuxw First Nation.

“We are extremely grateful for the support from Return-It and that all those plastic water bottles will be recycled and kept out of a landfill,” said Diana. “Receiving the deposit refund is a big bonus and will go a long way when reinvested into the community.”

Return-It and the First Nations Recycling Initiative are committed to support First Nation communities facing accessibility challenges with the removal of refundable beverage containers. Every container returned is a valuable resource reintroduced into BC’s circular economy, creating a bigger impact than many people realize.

Together, we make a measurable difference across BC. Every container returned adds up – towards a better, greener future for all.

Photo supplied by Diana Dick, Dzawada’enuxw First Nation