New Recycling Facility Cuts Construction Waste Going to Landfill

March 05, 2012

City opens mixed construction and demolition (C&D) recycling facility

Edmonton will divert more waste from landfill with the opening of the City’s mixed construction and demolition (C&D) recycling facility at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre (EWMC). 

The $4.3 million facility uses mechanical and manual sorting to separate mixed loads of material into various re-usable commodities. According to Alberta Environment and Water, C&D waste makes up about one quarter of all municipal solid waste sent to landfill in Alberta. It is estimated only 10 to 15 per cent of C&D waste is currently recycled in Alberta.

“Edmonton is a leader in waste management, and this new mixed C&D recycling facility will help us meet our goal of diverting more non-residential waste from landfill,” said Councillor Don Iveson. “Recycling C&D material is just one of the steps we are taking to make our city more sustainable.”

The C&D recycling facility can process 100,000 tonnes of mixed construction and demolition material per year. The facility is expected to recover up to 70 per cent of the material for recycling.

“More companies are choosing to build green each year, and we have received a very positive response from industry about this new facility,” said Mike Koziol, General Manager of Infrastructure Services with the City of Edmonton. “By accepting mixed loads of construction material, the C&D recycling facility makes it much easier for industry to divert waste from the landfill and to meet the waste diversion credits for LEED projects.”

To qualify as a mixed load, at least 75 per cent of an individual load must be made up of wood, metal, drywall, asphalt/concrete, asphalt shingles, cardboard and paper. The 2012 rate for mixed C&D loads at the EWMC is $60 per tonne versus $75 per tonne for other commercial waste.

 

For more information:

Jodi Tauber

Title	Communications Officer
Telephone	780-495-0276 780-405-2304 (cell)