Household hazardous waste Recycling
About the Program
HHW remains a voluntary program. Municipalities and Indigenous communities that choose to participate are responsible for the collection of material and selecting a Broker to deliver the material to an approved processing facility.
Municipalities and Indigenous communities work with the Broker to determine the contractual arrangements which will reflect the cost for the Collector to provide service and disposal of HHW. A current list of Brokers can be found below.
DID YOU KNOW?
From April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023, 443,625 kilograms of household hazardous material was safely disposed of and 436,999 aerosol cans were recycled.
ARMA supports the Government of Alberta in their commitment to supporting Albertans with access to appropriate disposal options for HHW and the transition to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) as a long-term solution for hazardous and special products (HSP) management. Click here to learn more about HSP.
In the interim, we will continue to manage the HHW program for the provincial government including working with collectors to identify additional facilities as needed for material treatment and destruction.
FAQ
The Government of Alberta’s HHW Program provides funding assistance to encourage municipalities to separate HHW from the overall municipal waste stream to ensure appropriate disposal in accordance with hazardous waste regulations.
Toxic, flammable, corrosive, and reactive products generated from households.
HHW has at least one of the following properties:
- Toxic e.g. fabric softeners, household pesticides and herbicides
- Flammable e.g. nail polish remover, acetone, gasoline
- Reactive e.g. foam insulation
- Corrosive e.g. oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, bleach
If the above-noted materials are received from a non-household entity such as commercial, industrial, or business generators they are not accepted in the HHW Program.
Other hazardous materials such as lead acid batteries, propane tanks and canisters, etc. are not funded through the program, but HHW Registered Brokers can manage the material based on a fee-for-service basis.
The HHW Program was funded by three entities:
Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) provided funding for two aspects of the Program: (i) material consolidation from municipalities and Indigenous communities, and transportation to the Swan Hills Treatment Centre (contract administered by ARMA) and (ii) material disposal at the Swan Hills Treatment Centre.
ARMA is contracted by AEPA to administer the HHW Registered Brokers program funding. To be eligible for this funding, Brokers register with ARMA and submit claims for the eligible materials in accordance with program requirements.
Alberta Infrastructure subsidized the cost of material disposal at the Swan Hills Treatment Centre.
Municipalities participating in the program funded a significant portion of material collection and often a portion of material transportation.
The Swan Hills Treatment Centre will no longer accept HHW material as of June 1, 2021. The Brokers have identified facilities that can accept HHW for processing and ARMA is working with the Brokers to review and approve these facilities. (HHW requires proper treatment for disposal and therefore must be managed in accordance with applicable waste control regulations.)
AEP will continue to provide funding for the materials consolidation and transportation of material to an approved facility. The cost for disposal of the material at the facility will be assumed by municipalities and Indigenous communities.
We have developed an online learning module to help you educate yourself and your team on the safe handling and collection of HHW materials. Click here to learn more.
HHW Brokers
EnviroSORT Inc.
A Subsidiary of Clean Harbors Canada, Inc.
Contact: Keith Davis
4229 Hewlett
Drive Red Deer County, AB
T4S 2A8
Toll Free: 1.800.567.4209
Phone: 403.342.7823 ext. 112
Fax: 403.343.6287
Email: davis.keith@cleanharbors.com
Website
DBS Environmental
Contact: Chris Nielsen
1430 – 33 Street North
Lethbridge, AB
T1H 5H3
Toll Free: 1.888.328.4833
Phone: 403.328.4833
Fax: 403.328.4729
Email: chrisdbs@telusplanet.net
Website
Nor-Alta Waste & Site Services Inc.
Contact: Sam Fayad
16375 – 130 Avenue
Edmonton, AB
T5V 1K5
Toll Free: 1.888.524.2012
Phone: 780.486.4931
Fax: 780.486.4046
Email: sfayad@nor-alta.com
Website