The province is starting a new program this week, which will help divert recycling from the landfill.
The new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program will begin on April 1, which will reduce waste going to the landfill, as well as improving recycling programs in the province, and saving communities and taxpayers' money.
"This new system will keep more waste out of landfills while saving communities and taxpayers money. And we’re doing it without creating more work or costs for Albertans or making them change their recycling habits," explained the Minister of Environment and Protected Areas, Rebecca Shulz in a media release.
Through EPR, the financial burden of recycling single-use products will shift away from municipalities and to the companies that produce the products and packaging.
Because the producers will now be responsible for the products and the packaging, they will be encouraged to find new ways to reduce waste and design products that are reusable and more suited to be recycled.
Items that fall under this program include single-use products, packaging, and paper, as well as hazardous and special products like batteries and pesticides.
Most municipalities, including the Town of Okotoks and Diamond Valley, and all major cities in Alberta will operate under this EPR program at the beginning of April.
Not only will this program help to reduce the number of items heading to the landfill, but this program will also help Albertans to save a bit of money.
The Towns of Okotoks and Diamond Valley are moving to a bi-weekly garbage collection, and both towns said this EPR program are helping them to make that change.
On top of that, because the financial burden of disposing of these products has been shifted to the producer, residents of Diamond Valley and Okotoks will be seeing savings, as their tax dollars will no longer be required to pay for that service.
Albertans send 1,034 kilograms of waste per person to landfills each year, which is higher than any other Canadian jurisdiction, and the national average is 710 kilograms per year.
To learn more about the Extended Producer Responsibility program, click here.