Alberta Implements C&D Waste Recycling Program

A new agreement between the Government of Alberta, the Alberta Construction Association and the Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Alberta plans to implement a program in 2010 that will eventually eliminate construction waste from landfills.

“If we divert even 50 percent of construction and demolition material, the amount we send to landfills would drop by 130 kilograms for each Albertan every year,” says Diana McQueen, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Environment. “When implemented, the program will support Alberta’s Too Good to Waste strategy, and will be the first of its kind in Canada making Alberta a leader in waste reduction in the construction and demolition sector.”

The construction and demolition stewardship program would increase recycling of many building materials, including concrete, asphalt, wood and drywall and prevent them from clogging Alberta’s landfills, according to the press release.

“Alberta’s construction industry seeks to improve environmental sustainability of our operations, including reducing waste to landfill,” says Bernal Ulsifer, chairman of the Alberta Construction Association. “This stewardship program has the potential to encourage an increase in capacity of recyclers, which is currently a constraint. A province-wide approach will reduce the costs of compliance as builders will not have to learn a different regime for every community.”