Once a week, New Westminster residents haul blue boxes filled with plastic bottles, glass containers and tin cans out the curb. And once a week, they cart yellow and blue bags full of newspaper and cardboard out as well.

But what about electronics, fluorescent light bulbs and batteries, which are not picked up for recycling by the city?

There are options for getting rid of these items safely.

The provincial government introduced an electronics recycling program in August 2007. Depots accept desktop computers, printers, monitors, televisions, computer spare parts and laptop computers.

Residents and businesses can drop off electronic equipment without charge at the Salvation Army thrift shop at 774 Columbia St. from Monday to Wednesday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., on Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The provincial take-back program -officially known as product stewardship under the environmental protection division - includes tires, pharmaceuticals, car and rechargeable batteries, and used oil, as well as electronics at depots throughout the Lower Mainland.

New Westminster's recycling depot at Sixth Avenue and McBride Boulevard is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday and accepts many of the items listed by the product stewardship program.

These include used motor oil and filters, car batteries and household batteries.

The depot also takes hot water tanks, microwaves, barbecues, refrigerators, empty propane tanks and other appliances, as well as paint.

B.C. Hydro will pick up and recycle fridges that are 10 to 24 cubic feet and still in working condition. Hydro also pays $30 at the time of pickup. For more information, contact the fridge buy-back program at 1-866-516-4357 or visit the B.C. Hydro website: www.bchydro.com.

Businesses in New Westminster and throughout the Lower Mainland act as recycling depots for a wide array of products.

London Drugs' green deal recycling program accepts cellphones, PDAs, rechargeable batteries, alkaline batteries, disposable cameras, ink jet cartridges, laser cartridges, metal film canisters, electronic goods, small appliances that have been purchased at London Drugs, compact fluorescent bulbs and fluorescent light tubes.

London Drugs also accepts packaging from products bought in the store. As long as you have the receipt, you can bring cardboard, plastic, plastic wrap and even Styrofoam back to the customer service counter at the London Drugs at Westminster Centre, at 555 Sixth St.

Best Buy at Queensborough Landing, at 805 Boyd St., accepts MP3 players, cellphones, portable DVD players, portable CD players, batteries, ink cartridges, CDs, DVDs and gift cards for recycling.

Look for the Greentec drop-off bin at Best Buy stores.

The Source by Circuit City at 610 Sixth St. accepts rechargeable batteries and cellphones.

For more information, check the Recycling Council of B.C.'s Recyclepedia for drop off locations: www.rcbc.bc.ca.