Calgarians are now able to recycle new, previously unrecyclable materials with the province’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program expansion.
Starting Oct. 1, multi-family property managers will also be able to apply to Circular Materials for free recycling collection services under the newly upgraded rules.
Among the new items accepted, Calgarians can now add foam packaging, like foam blocks, takeout containers and egg cartons, along with food and body aerosols like cooking spray and hair spray. They’ll also take flexible plastic bags like chip bags and granola bar wrappers, and empty tubes of toothpaste and deodorant containers.
“For Calgarians, recycling is part of everyday life, and this change means more of the packaging residents use can now be recycled through the city’s residential recycling system,” said Sharon Howland, Leader, Program Management, Waste & Recycling Services.
“It’s a practical improvement that makes recycling easier and more convenient for households across the city while supporting a more consistent recycling system across Alberta.”
Under the province’s EPR rules, producers are responsible for managing the packaging and paper products that they supply once the materials become waste. The first phase opened back in April 2025. This is the second phase.
With the expansion, producers will take over recycling from municipalities and contribute roughly $110 million towards recycling costs, according to the Recycling Council of Alberta.
“We commend the Government of Alberta for creating the regulation back in 2022 that has led to the implementation of EPR in the province today,” said Jennifer Koole, Executive Director of the Recycling Council of Alberta.
“EPR provides an opportunity for producers to work upstream to design better products and packaging, support reuse, and use less material. It’s about recycling more today while building a system that creates less waste tomorrow.”
The City of Calgary is asking that empty containers be cleared of liquids and food residue, and that they should be wiped out and rinsed before recycling. They want you to place all recyclables loose in the carts to make sorting easier.
Residents will see no change to their current blue cart pickup, nor will there be any change to their Enmax waste and recycling collection bills, the city said.
