City of Calgary to roll out a series of recycling, disposal changes

Photo: Sean_Marshall via Flickr

The city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is in the process of implementing new recycling changes for businesses, organization and multifamily dwellings. The changes take place beginning in early 2016 and continue through 2020, the city says.

On Feb. 1, 2016, the city will charge a higher disposal rate for commercial vehicle loads containing paper and cardboard. The city also has informed businesses that beginning Feb. 1, if there is paper or cardboard in their garbage, any company hired to take the garbage to the landfill will be charged the designated materials rate of $170 per metric ton instead of $113 per metric ton (based on 2016 landfill rates).

The city says that paper and cardboard currently make up 35 percent of the garbage that businesses and organizations send to city of Calgary landfills, even though they can be easily recycled instead.

Other pending changes that are part of Calgary’s Waste Diversion Strategy for the industrial, commercial and institutional waste sector include:

• In Sept. 2015, council will consider a bylaw amendment that would require businesses and organizations to separate and recycle paper, cardboard and certain other materials. If the amendment is passed, the bylaw will take effect November 2016.
• By late 2018, paper and cardboard will be banned from city landfills.
• By late 2018, the city’s landfills will charge a higher disposal rate for commercial vehicle loads containing food or yard waste.
• By late 2019, the city intends to ban food and yard waste from landfills.
• A future bylaw amendment could require businesses and organizations to compost their food and yard waste.
   

In Calgary, businesses and organizations receive waste and recycling collection from both private collection companies and contracted city trucks.

Calgary City Council has also approved a bylaw amendment that will require all multifamily complexes to offer on-site recycling by February 1, 2016.

Every complex will have to provide on-site recycling of the materials accepted in single family Blue Cart recycling bins. Each complex can decide how to provide on-site recycling, how and where to store materials, and whether to hire a company or recycle it themselves.