History of Waste Management in Edmonton

In just over twenty years Edmonton has travelled from a relatively simple waste management system to one of the most sophisticated in the world.

Learn about Edmonton's past and current leading edge waste practices.

Waste Management Milestones

   Year   Milestone
    1986 Small pilot program tests the feasibility of curbside blue box recycling.
   1987 First annual Toxic Round-Up held to collect household hazardous wastes.
   1988 Blue Box curbside recycling begins. By the end of the year the service is offered city-wide.
   1990 Christmas tree recycling begins.
   1991 First community recycling depot opens. Today there are 20.
   1992 Collection of landfill gas begins at Clover Bar Landfill as a fuel source for electricity.
   1995 First Eco Station for household hazardous waste opens. A second opens in 1999 and a third in 2009.
   1999 Blue Bag curbside recycling program replaces the blue box program.
   1999 Materials Recovery Facility opens to sort recyclables.
   2000 Edmonton Composting Facility opens to compost residential waste.
   2002 Blue Bin recycling program initiated for townhouses, condos and apartments.
   2006 Big Bin Events begin. This service allows for the free disposal of large waste items.
   2007 First permanent Reuse Centre opens.
   2007 GEEP Electronics and Electrical Recycling Facility opens to recycle e-waste.
   2008 Construction & demolition waste recycling begins at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.
   2009 Assisted Waste Collection service begins.
   2009 Ambleside Eco Station opens.
   2009 Integrated Processing & Transfer Facility begins operation at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.
   2010 Construction begins on Greys Paper & Glass Recycling facility at Edmonton Waste Management Centre.
   2010 Commercial Waste Management Services offered to businesses to increase recycling rates in the non-residential sector.
   2010 Ground is broken for the Waste-to-Biofuels facility. Once fully operational in 2014 it will enable Edmonton to divert 90% of its residential waste from landfill.

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