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Some common disposable items will soon be recyclable in Edmonton.<\/p>\n
Starting Oct. 1, the City of Edmonton says residents will be able to recycle a variety of additional materials through residential blue bag and bin collection, as well as at recycling depots.<\/p>\n
All plastic packaging, such as coffee bags, chip bags, bubble wrap, snack wrappers, cereal liner bags and plastic gift bags, will be accepted, according to a news release from the city Monday.<\/p>\n
Shawn Gray, a waste outreach co-ordinator for the City of Edmonton, said one of the changes\u00a0 under the new recycling rules means \u201cessentially all packaging, regardless of material\u201d will be accepted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a good rule of thumb: If it\u2019s packaging, it can go into the recycling,\u201d Gray told CBC\u2019s Edmonton AM Thursday morning.<\/p>\n
\u201c[The change] makes it less complex for residents. So it makes recycling more accessible. More stuff is going into your blue bag.\u201d<\/p>\n
LISTEN | City of Edmonton says its recycling program will accept more items starting in October:<\/p>\n
Edmonton AM9:53Edmonton making recycling more accessible to residents<\/p>\n
Take-out containers, to-go coffee cups, plastic packaging. Starting Oct. 1, Edmontonians can toss those items in the recycling bin. Shawn Gray is a waste outreach co-ordinator for the City of Edmonton.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Previously, Gray said the city previously advised residents to do \u201cthe stretch test\u201d to see if plastic packaging could actually be recycled.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf [the bag] had a little bit of give, it could go into the recycling. If it didn\u2019t, it couldn\u2019t,\u201d he said. \u201cNow, all of the plastic bags can go into the recycling.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gray said another major change is that coffee cups and similar to-go cups will now be accepted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose [cups] previously weren\u2019t accepted into recycling and now they are. So that\u2019s a \u2026 change that will probably impact most people.\u201d<\/p>\n
The city said that other items accepted beginning in October include all kinds of takeout containers, as well as foam packaging, such as meat trays and Styrofoam.\u00a0<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1790306291_357_default.jpg\")
Shawn Gray, a waste outreach co-ordinator for the City of Edmonton, discussed changes to Edmonton’s recycling program on CBC’s Edmonton AM on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (CBC)<\/p>\n
Gray said \u201cpart of [these] changes\u201d are not from the city, but actually come from provincial legislation called the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).<\/p>\n
According to the City of Edmonton website, the province passed an EPR regulation in 2022, which is meant to shift the costs of managing recyclable materials and household hazardous waste from municipalities to producers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gray said part of this change is that an organization called Circular Materials \u2014 a national non-profit that helps producers meet their obligations under EPR regulations \u2014 will be responsible for all recycling in the province.<\/p>\n
According to Circular Materials\u2019s official website, it will be responsible for Alberta\u2019s recycling programs, \u201ceither by working with the community or with a service provider to run curbside and depot services.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis [program] means municipalities and taxpayers no longer pay for recycling services as this cost is now paid by producers,\u201d Circular Materials\u2019s website said.<\/p>\n
Gray said as these recycling changes are implemented, Edmonton residents can still check the city\u2019s waste management app, WasteWise, to assess what items will be accepted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re ever unsure of where something goes, you can search it up in WasteWise, and it will tell you if it\u2019s recycling, if it’s food scraps [or] if it\u2019s garbage,\u201d Gray said.<\/p>\n
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