Edmonton Waste Collection
Sorting home refuse using Edmonton's municipal collection system
Recycling (Blue Bag)
All items placed in your blue bags must be clean and dry, otherwise they cannot be recycled.
Paper
Newspaper and inserts, magazines, and catalogues
White writing and computer paper
Greeting cards, non-foil giftwrap
Junk mail, unsoiled paper bags, envelopes, paper egg cartons, paperback and hardcover books (remove hardcover), phonebooks
Shredded paper cannot be recycled in your blue bag, you can take it to a recycling depot or put it in your garbage
Cardboard
Flattened corrugated cardboard boxes
Flattened cereal/food boxes
Juice boxes
Milk cartons (rinse with cold water and flatten)
Flattened shoe boxes
Pizza boxes (remove greasy liner)
Metals
Clean tin cans (no loose lids, trap inside or discard in trash)
Aluminium containers (like pie plates)
Aluminium cans
Empty non-hazardous aerosol cans
Glass
Jars
Bottles
Jar and bottle lids must be removed before recycling. They can be recycled at Re:Plenish using the Pact recycling program
Plastic
All plastics must be empty and clean, lids must be removed and can be recycled at Re:Plenish using the Pact recycling program
Stretchy plastic bags
Household cleaner bottles
Shampoo/conditioner bottles
Beverage bottles
Milk jugs
Detergent or fabric softener bottles
Margarine and yogurt containers
Ice cream pails
Vitamin bottles
Windshield washer containers
Compost (Green Bin)
All solid food waste is accepted in the food scraps cart, which is collected weekly from spring to fall, and every two weeks in the winter. Crumpled newspaper, and BPI/BNQ certified bags can be used to line your cart or food scrap pail. Yard waste and grass clippings can be added to the green bin if you have extra space.
Spoiled food
Scraps and peelings
Meat, fish, and poultry
Bones and eggshells
Dairy products
Coffee grounds and tea
Food-soiled paper napkins and paper towels
All packaging must be removed before putting items into your food scraps cart, this includes "industrially compostable" packaging which must be placed in the trash.
Garbage (Black Bin)
Aluminum foil
Non-stretchy plastic packaging (like plastic clamshells)
Non-stretchy plastic bags (such as cereal bags, pre-washed salad bags, cracker bags, and stand up pouches
Plastic straws
Styrofoam
Plastic stir sticks
Drink/coffee cup lids
Foil or plastic safety seals (like those found on food and beauty products)
Disposable face masks
Paper towels soiled with cleaning products
Paper plates/napkins/cups
Plastic cutlery
Bubble wrap (reuse or drop off at the Reuse Centre if it is in good condition
"Industrially compostable" packaging
Looking for more Edmonton-based eco-resources?
We've made a list below of a few handy resources for you to check out:
A convenient app for composting within Edmonton, visit their website here
What items go into Edmonton’s blue bags for recycling information here
Edmonton’s Re-use centre is reopening, visit their website for more information here
Check out Edmonton’s Eco Station for hard to recycle items here
How/what to compost with Edmonton’s composting program, visit their site here