Food scraps and recycling collection is coming to all apartments and condos between fall 2023 and the end of 2027! Exact timing will depend on the area of the city your apartment or condo is located.
Shortly before food scraps and recycling collection begins at your building, you will receive a food scraps pail, a What Goes Where (Apartment and Condo Collection) poster and an educational booklet to help you get started. A Waste Outreach Educator will also visit your home to answer your questions.
Correctly sorting and setting out waste in apartments and condos is a shared responsibility.
Not sure when your building's collection day is?
Residents and property managers can call Waste Services Customer Support at 780-496-5698.
Getting Prepared
Recorded Information Session
Resident Toolkit
Recycling
Put your recyclables in your building's blue recycling bin. They can be loose or in blue bags. If you do not have a recycling bin, you can take your recyclables to your nearest Recycling Depot or Eco Station.
- Flatten boxes. This saves space in your bin and ensures there is enough room for everyone’s recyclables.
- Recycle the right stuff. Not sure if an item is recyclable? Search for it in WasteWise.
- Keep recyclables clean, loose and dry. This makes them easier to sort and recycle.
- Do not put Styrofoam in your recycling bin. Please put it in your garbage. You can also take large pieces to an Eco Station for recycling.
The Importance of Flattening Boxes
It’s important to flatten boxes before you throw them into the recycling bin.
As you and your neighbours adapt to the three-stream waste sorting system, you should notice more being put into the recycling bin and less into the garbage bin.
Cardboard boxes take up a lot of space. It’s important that you flatten these boxes prior to throwing them into the recycling bin. Unflattened cardboard boxes can cause the bin to fill up quickly and risk the bin overflowing. Overflowing bins cannot safely be serviced by waste collectors and will not be emptied.
Did you know? An unflattened box takes up roughly 10 times more space than a flattened one.
Food Scraps Disposal Options
Put your food scraps in your building's green food scraps cart or bin. If your building doesn’t have food scraps collection yet, you can dispose of your food scraps a few different ways:
- Drop them off at an Eco Station
- Talk to a friend, family member or neighbour about using their food scraps cart
- Compost your food scraps at home
- Continue to put them in your garbage
Moving Out?
Furniture and large, bulky waste needs to be taken to an Eco Station or the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. Waste dumped beside bins will not be picked up by collectors, and may lead to missed collections or extra costs to property managers.
If your unwanted items are in good condition, give them away, list them online, or check the Reuse Directory to find a local organization that accepts them.
Damaged Food Scraps Pails
If your City-provided pail is damaged from normal household use, bring it to an Eco Station or to the Reuse Centre, and we’ll exchange it for free.
- Your pail must be clean and include all parts: body, lid and handle
- Replacement food scraps pails can also be purchased at Eco Stations for $10 each
Report a Problem
If you see something wrong with your building’s waste collection, like an overfilled bin or a vehicle blocking access to your property’s bins, please contact your property manager.
If you see someone illegally dumping waste, record as much information as you can and report it through 311. Large items placed beside a bin will not be collected.