Surrey celebrates a 19% drop in illegal dumping and record mattress turn-ins as residents embrace free waste programs and new recycling options.
Surrey Celebrates Major Drop in Illegal Dumping
Tired of seeing old mattresses piled up along the roads? So is Surrey — and it’s finally making big strides. This year, the city’s five-month-long free waste drop-off event turned out to be a huge success. From May 5 to September 24, 4,075 mattresses found their way to city facilities instead of sidewalks — that’s a 50% jump from last year’s numbers.
Council members couldn’t be happier. During the October 20 meeting, Scott Neuman, Surrey’s General Manager of Engineering, shared that illegal dumping is down 19% compared to 2021.
“This is a great start,” said Coun. Harry Bains, clearly thrilled. “That’s 1,300 more mattresses kept off our streets! Nothing’s worse than seeing them dumped everywhere. I’m hoping we see another 20% drop next year.”
Why Surrey’s Waste Program Is Working
Part of Surrey’s success lies in accessibility. The city’s newer, more central transfer station gives residents an easy way to dispose of bulky items. Coun. Mike Bose, who has long dealt with illegal dumping near his farm, praised the change. “We can actually see fewer dump sites now,” he said. “People finally have a convenient place to go.”
But not everyone’s on board yet. Coun. Pardeep Kooner pointed out that despite free disposal programs, “some people still load up and dump things on the street.”
Neuman explained that the city’s team often finds dumped mattresses at the end of the month — likely left behind by tenants moving out. To tackle this, the city allows six free large-item pickups per household each year and plans to promote this service in multiple languages.
Tackling the Root Causes
Illegal dumping isn’t just about mattresses. During the pandemic, Surrey saw a spike in small-contractor waste — things like old cabinets and renovation debris. Neuman said the city is working directly with tradespeople to encourage proper disposal at official facilities instead of backroads and fields.
And that’s not all. The city, in partnership with Metro Vancouver, is expanding access even further. A new recycling and drop-off facility is being built in Port Kells, giving North Surrey residents a closer option.
“Having another site up north is crucial,” said Coun. Doug Elford. “Surrey’s massive, and not everyone wants to drive across the city just to dump waste properly.”
Innovation Meets Clean Streets
Surrey isn’t stopping at new facilities. Later this fall, city hall will launch “Surrey WasteBot” — an AI-powered chatbot available 24/7 to answer residents’ waste and recycling questions. The goal? To make waste management as easy and accessible as possible.
Meanwhile, city crews continue curbside pickups and community clean-up blitzes to keep neighbourhoods spotless.
Numbers That Tell the Story
This year’s Waste Drop-Off event saw 23,600 loads — up 9% from 2024’s 21,600. Community participation also grew:
- Fleetwood: 24% (up from 19%)
- Newton: 21% (up from 20%)
- Cloverdale: 17% (down from 20%)
- Whalley: 16% (up from 14%)
- Guildford: 14% (up from 13%)
- South Surrey: 9% (down from 11%)
These numbers show residents are getting on board — and Surrey’s strategy is paying off.
A Cleaner Future Ahead
With record drop-offs, expanding facilities, and tech-driven tools like WasteBot, Surrey is turning a once messy problem into a community success story. If the city keeps this momentum, those eyesore dump sites could soon be a thing of the past.
“Surrey’s on the right track,” Bains said with optimism. “Cleaner streets, happier residents — and hopefully, no more funky mattresses by the roadside.”
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