October 1, 2026 – Starting October 1, Alberta will fully transition to an extended producer responsibility (EPR) residential recycling program for single-use packaging and paper products (PPP). This marks a major shift in how recycling is managed and funded across the province. The new system will reduce costs for municipalities and taxpayers and enables a more coordinated, efficient recycling system across the province that will help improve recycling rates and environmental outcomes.

Under Alberta’s EPR framework, the producers that supply single-use packaging and paper products, including familiar consumer brands and retailers Albertans interact with every day, are now financially and operationally responsible for collecting, recycling and managing these materials. With this shift, producers now cover approximately $110 million in annual costs that were previously funded by municipalities and taxpayers. The new system is administered by Circular Materials, a not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that supports producers in meeting their EPR obligations in jurisdictions across Canada. Circular Materials is committed to delivering efficient and effective recycling systems that are designed to improve consistency, expand access to recycling and strengthen recycling outcomes.

“Alberta’s transition to extended producer responsibility (EPR) marks a major advancement for recycling and the circular economy in the province,” said Allen Langdon, CEO, Circular Materials. “By shifting responsibility for recycling to producers, Alberta is creating a more sustainable and efficient system that will drive investment in recycling infrastructure, improve recycling rates and help keep valuable resources in circulation. Thank you to government, community partners and leaders who helped make this milestone a reality.”

A total of 287 communities will be a part of the program, including 104 communities that will begin receiving curbside recycling service for the first time. Depots will also continue to be an important part of Alberta’s recycling system, with more than 500 depots across the province, including 33 community depots receiving PPP recycling bins for the first time. Starting on October 1, 97% of all Alberta communities will be participating in the EPR program, and residents in participating communities will have access to an expanded province-wide list of accepted recyclable materials. Alberta residents will be able to recycle the same and even more materials curbside and at depots no matter where they live across the province, making recycling simpler and more convenient. The province’s new recyclable material list will include glass containers, foam packaging, flexible plastic packaging, aerosol containers, and laminated paper and plastic packaging.

“We are proud to work alongside municipalities, producers, Indigenous communities and service providers to deliver an advanced recycling system that increases recycling rates, reduces waste sent to landfill and delivers stronger environmental outcomes for Albertans for years to come,” says Blaire Gaalaas, Managing Director – Alberta, Circular Materials. “We look forward to delivering an efficient and effective system that will make recycling easier for Albertans, helping to advance a more sustainable future.”

“This is an incredible milestone for our province, made possible by partners across government and industry coming together with a shared commitment to building a more robust recycling system and circular economy,” said Ed Gugenheimer, CEO of the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA). “Extended producer responsibility is both an environmental and economic opportunity: better managing materials at the end of their life reduces the burden on taxpayers, creates jobs, supports businesses, and attracts investment.”

In addition, participating communities will operate under a single-stream recycling system, allowing residents to place all accepted recyclable materials into a single recycling container, making recycling simpler and more convenient. To support the single-stream system and expanded material list, Circular Materials is working with partners to develop state-of-the-art preconditioning recycling facilities (PCF) in Edmonton and Calgary, set to open in early 2027. These PCFs will increase material recovery, improve sorting accuracy and material quality, and ultimately ensure more material can be returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging.

Residents can find the new unified and expanded material list and other recycling information at circularmaterials.ca/AB.

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Circular Materials Media Contact: media@circularmaterials.ca

About Circular Materials – Circular Materials is a not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that is responsible for managing Alberta’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) recycling program for packaging and paper products. We support producers in meeting their EPR obligations across Canada. Circular Materials develops, implements and supports effective and efficient recycling programs to advance innovation, deliver improved environmental outcomes and drive value across the recycling supply chain. Together, we are advancing the circular economy where materials are collected, recycled and can be returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging. Learn more at circularmaterials.ca.

Additional Quotes:

“Calgarians have told us they want recycling to be simpler and accept more of the packaging they use every day. These changes give households more opportunities to recycle common packaging while helping create greater consistency across Alberta.”

– Sharon Howland, Leader, Program Management, Waste & Recycling Services, City of Calgary

“We are pleased to work with Circular Materials to bring new curbside recycling services to our residents under the province’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) program. As a rural municipality in Alberta, the Village of Forestburg is proud to be part of this important milestone. This is a system that works for all Albertans to increase access to recycling and improve environmental outcomes, building a more sustainable future for generations to come.”

– Councillor Elaine Fossen, Village of Forestburg

“Congratulations to Circular Materials on the successful launch of Phase 2 of Extended Producer Responsibility in Alberta. Bringing a program of this scale to life requires strong collaboration and dedication from many partners. The City of Lethbridge is pleased to support the rollout as a regional recycling service provider in Southern Alberta and looks forward to working alongside producers, municipalities, and residents to help advance Alberta’s recycling system.”

– Mandi Parker, General Manager, Waste & Environment, City of Lethbridge