TIRE RECYCLING PROGRAM
Eligible Products and Fees
The environmental fees Albertans pay when purchasing new tires, ranging from $4 – $200, are used to help fund the cost to recycle them. And when buying new tires, they usually leave their old ones behind. This is because 2,200 vehicle and tire dealers and auto repair shops play a dual role—selling new tires and being a primary collection point for scrap tires destined for recycling at registered recycling facilities in Alberta.
More Detailed Information
For more detailed information (including which tires are excluded from the program) please see the Table of Fees for Tire Products published April 1, 2022.
Passenger and light truck tires (including spares), designed for use on passenger cars, light trucks (consumer or commercial under 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight) and multipurpose passenger vehicles (MPVs), including sport and crossover utility vehicles (SUVs and CUVs) - $4.00
Specialty, industrial and other tires with a rim diameter of 8" up to and including 24" such as trailer tires e.g. boat, recreation/travel; motorcycle (on and off-road), ATV, golf cart, lawn tractor, skid steer, forklift, and mini-loader - $4.00
Medium truck tires, for example, those used on larger commercial freight trucks and passenger buses - $14.00
OTR is used in construction, road building, forestry, mining, oil exploration, and other industries - either $40, $100 or $200 depending on the rim size
Frequently Asked Questions
Not only are discarded tires ugly to look at, they also pose a number of health risks. They present a fire hazard that can produce toxic fumes. When left out in the open, they collect water and become a breeding ground for mosquitoes including those carrying West Nile Virus. The good news is, while tires are nasty when they’re discarded, they’re a valuable source of material that can be turned into new products and new jobs.
Alberta Recycling works closely with municipalities, tire and vehicle dealers, tire shops and registered tire processors across the province to ensure tires are recycled safely and responsibly.
Almost every type of tire can be recycled in Alberta. The most common are those found on your car or truck. However, Alberta's tire recycling program includes off-road tires and specialty tires that are used on construction and industrial equipment. The six million tires Albertans discard every year are diverted from landfills, made into shred or crumbs, and put to good use once again as new products.
All vehicle tires, as well as construction, industrial, and off-the-road tires are recycled right here in Alberta.
The scrap tires are picked up from tire shops, vehicle dealers, automotive repair shops or municipal collection sites (recycling depots) across the province by the registered tire processors. The tires are run through a shredder, which is the final stage of processing for almost half the scrap tires generated in a year, and the other half of the tires are processed into crumb rubber.
Recycled scrap tires are turned into:
- Drainage material in municipal landfills, replacing expensive washed rock
- Playground surfaces
- Sidewalk blocks, matting products and roofing tiles
- Mulch for landscaping
- Whatever innovative Albertans will think of next!
You can normally take your tires to a collection site near you—use our Depot Finder—however, you can contact your local 4-H Alberta who will collect old tires and electronics from farms, acreages, and residences. You can also contact one of our registered processors to arrange a pick-up if you have a large volume of tires—typically 100 or more.
Yes. Since 2007 bicycle commuters and casual cyclists have been able to recycle their used bicycle tires at a number of locations throughout the province. "Bike tire cages" have been set up in the parking lots of various sporting goods stores, cycle shops or recycling depots.
A list of locations accepting bicycle tires is available on our Bicycle Tire Recycling page.
Albertans are champion recyclers. In 2016 we celebrated the recycling of 100 million tires. That is enough to wrap around the equator twice! To date, 137 million tires have been recycled.
Approximately 50% were processed into crumb that was used by manufacturers to make recycled tire products such as playground surfacing, roofing shingles and sidewalk blocks, to name a few. The other half was processed into shred for use by municipalities as drainage material (in place of washed rock) in their landfills.
Please refer to the list of processors for product information.
Please visit Municipal Grant Program for an update on the grant program.
Yes. The tires brought in from other countries will one day be recycled as part of Alberta’s tire recycling program and are subject to the same environmental fee charged on every new tire in Alberta.*
*Tires with a rim size less than 8 inches (20 cm) are exempt.
Environmental Fee Info
The environmental fees Albertans pay when purchasing new tires helps fund the cost to recycle them.
Albertans are some of the most dedicated recyclers in the world. Alberta residents and businesses have helped to ensure 137 million tires have been recycled since 1992.
Recycled scrap tires are turned into:
- Drainage material in municipal landfills, replacing expensive washed rock
- Playground surfaces
- Sidewalk blocks, matting products and roofing tiles
- Mulch for landscaping
