BANFF – The Alberta government is launching public consultations to transfer recycling costs for plastic, packaging and hazardous household waste from municipalities to producers.
Under an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program, the government seeks to reduce waste going into landfills and shift the cost and management of recycling to businesses directly producing and consuming goods.
Officials say this encourages companies to produce less waste and packaging and come up with innovative ways to recycle more materials.
“Furthering our recycling goals as a province is a win-win-win for the environment, local economies and municipalities,” said Environment Minister Jason Nixon.
Consultation will occur with municipalities, industry experts and Indigenous communities through stakeholder meetings.
The public will be able to give input through an online survey, which is open until April 30.
Officials with the Bow Valley Waste Management Commission (BVWMC) say they will welcome any program that helps member municipalities improve and finance responsible waste management.
"I suspect that this EPR initiative will initially target general consumer waste streams," said Peter Duck, BVWMC’s regional zero waste coordinator.
“Paper, cardboard and plastics sent from construction sites and general use trade waste bins for burial at the Francis Cooke facility remain a challenge for us."
BVWMC hopes this emerging EPR approach eventually extends to construction material waste streams that the commission handles directly, which by weight, comprises 80 per cent of the waste generated by the Bow Valley economy.
Duck said the commission is successful, with cooperation of its industry partners, at diverting material from landfill through programs at the Francis Cooke Resource Recovery Centre.
“But we continue to struggle to maintain effective markets for the resources recovered at our site,” he said.
“Properly designed EPR, or stewardship programs such as established electronics, paint and tire recovery programs have the potential to assist with those challenges, both logistically and financially, by coordinating efforts on a provincial scale.”
According to the Alberta government, a shift to an EPR program would cut emissions by an estimated 72,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually, or the equivalent of taking 120,300 passenger cars off the road each year.
Provincial government figures show Albertans send 1,034 kilograms per person of waste to landfills annually, with packaging and printed paper making up 15 to 20 per cent of waste.
