Starting October 1, Alberta will fully transition to an extended producer responsibility (EPR) residential recycling program for single-use packaging and paper聽products (PPP). This marks a major shift in how recycling is managed and funded across聽the province. The new system will reduce costs for municipalities and taxpayers and聽enables a more coordinated, efficient recycling system across the province that will help聽improve recycling rates and environmental outcomes.
Under Alberta鈥檚 EPR framework, the producers that supply single-use packaging and paper聽products, including familiar consumer brands and retailers Albertans interact with every聽day, are now financially and operationally responsible for collecting, recycling and聽managing these materials. With this shift, producers now cover approximately $110 million聽in annual costs that were previously funded by municipalities and taxpayers. The new system is administered by Circular Materials, a not-for-profit producer responsibility聽organization (PRO) that supports producers in meeting their EPR obligations in jurisdictions聽across Canada. Circular Materials is committed to delivering efficient and effective聽recycling systems that are designed to improve consistency, expand access to recycling聽and strengthen recycling outcomes.
鈥淎lberta鈥檚 transition to extended producer responsibility (EPR) marks a major advancement聽for recycling and the circular economy in the province,鈥� said Allen Langdon, CEO, Circular聽Materials. 鈥淏y shifting responsibility for recycling to producers, Alberta is creating a more聽sustainable and efficient system that will drive investment in recycling infrastructure,聽improve recycling rates and help keep valuable resources in circulation. Thank you to government, community partners and leaders who helped make this milestone a reality.鈥�
A total of 287 communities will be a part of the program, including 104 communities that聽will begin receiving curbside recycling service for the first time. Depots will also continue to聽be an important part of Alberta鈥檚 recycling system, with more than 500 depots across the聽province, including 33 community depots receiving PPP recycling bins for the first time.
Starting on October 1, 97% of all Alberta communities will be participating in the EPR聽program, and residents in participating communities will have access to an expanded聽province-wide list of accepted recyclable materials. Alberta residents will be able to聽recycle the same and even more materials curbside and at depots no matter where they聽live across the province, making recycling simpler and more convenient. The province鈥檚聽new recyclable material list will include glass containers, foam packaging, flexible plastic聽packaging, aerosol containers, and laminated paper and plastic packaging.
鈥淲e are proud to work alongside municipalities, producers, Indigenous communities and聽service providers to deliver an advanced recycling system that increases recycling rates,聽reduces waste sent to landfill and delivers stronger environmental outcomes for Albertans聽for years to come,鈥� says Blaire Gaalaas, Managing Director 鈥� Alberta, Circular Materials.聽鈥淲e look forward to delivering an efficient and effective system that will make recycling easier for Albertans, helping to advance a more sustainable future.鈥�
鈥淭his is an incredible milestone for our province, made possible by partners across聽government and industry coming together with a shared commitment to building a more聽robust recycling system and circular economy,鈥� said Ed Gugenheimer, CEO of the Alberta聽Recycling Management Authority (ARMA). 鈥淓xtended producer responsibility is both an聽environmental and economic opportunity: better managing materials at the end of their life聽reduces the burden on taxpayers, creates jobs, supports businesses, and attracts聽investment.鈥�