Blue Cart Changes: Calgary's Recycling Program Is Expanding
Starting October 1, 2026, Calgarians will be able to recycle more of the packaging we use every day. Blue carts and community recycling depots will begin accepting a wider range of materials, including food and bodycare tubes, aerosols cans, flexible plastic bags and wrappers, and styrofoam packaging.
This change is part of a province-wide shift in how recycling works in Alberta.
Why Are Things Changing?
These updates are part of the second phase of Alberta's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework - a provincial regulation that shifts responsibility for managing packaging waste onto the producers (manufacturers and brands) that create it.
Under EPR, residential recycling programs across Alberta are adopting a standardized, expanded list of accepted materials. This means Albertans will be able to recycle the same items, no matter which municipality they live in.
The first phase of EPR took effect on April 1, 2025, making producers responsible for managing their packaging and paper materials once they become waste. As producers began funding more of the program's costs, single-family households in Calgary saw blue cart program fees drop by $7.17 per month.
What's New in the Blue Cart
Beginning October 1, 2026, the following packaging materials can go in your blue cart:
Foam packaging: foam blocks, takeout containers, egg cartons
Food and body aerosols: cooking spray, sunscreen, hair spray, dry shampoo
Flexible plastic bags and wrappers: chip bags, granola bar wrappers
Tubes: toothpaste, deodorant
To make sure these new materials are recycled properly, follow three simple rules:
Empty: pour out liquids and scrape off food residue into your kitchen compost pail before recycling.
Clean: rinse containers or wipe them down with a used napkin.
Loose: place recyclables directly into the blue cart, unbagged.
Multi-Family Buildings Are Also Now Included
As of October 1, 2026, multi-family buildings are also part of the EPR framework for the first time. To take part, buildings need to be registered with Circular Materials.
Registered buildings receive:
Free recycling collection services
Access to the same expanded list of recyclable materials
Property managers and condo boards can register their building and find more information HERE.
Alberta's recycling system is becoming simpler and more consistent, and Calgary residents are set to benefit directly, through more items accepted, lower costs for households, and a program that now extends to multi-family buildings across the city.
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