Building A Cleaner, More Sustainable Alberta

Waste in Canada

Let’s talk about something we all care about, recycling.

We’ve all seen the blue, green, and black bins at the end of the driveway, an initiative to make recycling a normal part of everyday life. Yet, recycling in Alberta isn’t always straightforward. Many Albertans avoid the tedious process of sorting and organizing their garbage, and support systems for recycling aren’t always as accessible or effective as they could be.

This challenge doesn’t stop at home. Across the province from residential neighbourhoods to large industrial and northern worksites, the same question emerges: how can we create real, sustainable change that extends beyond everyday recycling habits and deeper into issues we can't yet see, like the cleanup of Alberta’s northern lands?

How Recycling Works in Canada

Here’s a quick breakdown:

In Canada, waste reduction and management responsibilities are shared across all levels of government - federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal. Collections are typically arranged by municipalities or private waste management companies, which handle the recycling and disposal of residential and non-residential solid waste.

Provincial and territorial authorities set policies, manage waste reduction programs, and oversee waste disposal operations.

Despite these efforts, Canada faces ongoing challenges. As a country, we generate over 3.3 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, much of which still ends up in landfills.

“Only around 16% of total plastic waste is recycled in Canada. Canadians make up less than 0.5% of the global population but use approximately 1.4% of all plastic produced.”
— Made in CA, Recycling Statistics

Learning from Other Models

Some regions in Canada are experimenting with more effective recycling strategies. One such example is the “cradle-to-grave” model, which has been adopted in several European countries and parts of Canada.

In this system, producers take responsibility for the full life cycle of the products and packaging they introduce into the market. Businesses pay fees to help cover the cost of recycling the materials their packaging creates.

This model emphasizes shared accountability, reducing the burden on municipalities while encouraging companies to design products and packaging with recyclability in mind.

A Northern Perspective

Alberta is well known for its resource-driven industries, but what’s less often discussed is the growing awareness of waste reduction and recycling efforts in northern regions.

Having been involved in industrial operations, our team has witnessed the gradual buildup of recyclable materials on worksites, materials that are often overlooked but have significant potential for reuse.  

Environmental stewardship, including land reclamation and site restoration, plays a key role in maintaining Alberta’s environmental health. These processes involve soil reconstruction, revegetation, re-seeding, and erosion control, essential steps toward restoring disturbed land to its natural state.

This declaration for land reclamation was introduced in 1990 at the Alberta Reclamation Conference '90. 

Read more here: https://www.cclmportal.ca/sites/default/files/2024-06/Tuttle.pdf

Casper’s Recycling Goal

At Casper Equipment, our focus has always been on providing effective equipment solutions across North America. Now, through our recycling branch, we’re expanding that mission; supporting cleaner, site reclamation practices across Alberta. We're calling it Demolition Recycling - and don't forget it because this is gonna become something more and more important as the years drag on. 

We recognize that large projects often have hidden by-products - piles of unused or discarded material that accumulate over time, it's simply the nature of the work. But beneath the snow or behind the fences, these materials are waiting for a new life, and rightly they deserve one. Just as we give second life to heavy equipment through our consignment platform, we aim to do the same for recyclable materials; helping create a cleaner, healthier Alberta for the future.

How You Can Help

We’re currently looking to partner with recycling facilities internationally that share our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

If you or someone you know owns or operates a plastics recycling facility, we’d love to connect and explore how we can work together to move Alberta toward a cleaner tomorrow.

References: 

https://madeinca.ca/recycling-canada-statistics/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/b-c-reycling-explainer-1.5089661

https://madeinca.ca/recycling-canada-statistics/

https://www.cclmportal.ca/sites/default/files/2024-06/Tuttle.pdf