Calgary is one of Canada’s most conscious and eco-friendly cities. The city is constantly developing waste recycling programs, and sorting garbage has long been a daily habit for most residents. In this article on calgary-name, we’ll talk about how city residents sort their waste, what happens afterward, and the challenges and problems involved.
How the sorting system works in Calgary
Calgary has a simple but very effective waste management system. On the city streets, you can find three types of bins: blue, green, and black. Blue bins are for recyclable waste. This includes paper or various types of packaging. According to the city, the paper recycled through this program saves over a million trees a year.
Green bins are used for compostable materials: food scraps and yard waste. Black carts are for materials that can no longer be used or recycled.
The city also has public recycling drop-off points for waste that is recyclable but doesn’t fit in the blue bin. Here, you can drop off old electronics, furniture, or construction materials. Similar drop-off points are available in almost every neighborhood.
What happens after sorting
After Calgary residents discard their waste, a special city service collects it and sends it to waste processing centers. There, it undergoes further sorting and processing.
Waste from the blue bin is turned into textiles or new packaging. Organic waste from the green bin becomes compost for plant care. Waste from the black bin, which cannot be reused, is sent to special landfills.
Eco-centers at landfills
Large eco-centers are also available at some Calgary landfills. These are self-sorting facilities that accept a variety of materials and items, including styrofoam, car batteries, paint, reusable household items, bulky waste, and more.
Eventually, such eco-centers are intended to become a full-fledged alternative to landfills, but for now, they cooperate with each other to ensure efficient and cost-effective waste separation. Self-sorting facilities can be found at three landfills: East Calgary, Spyhill in the northwest, and Shepard in the southeast.
Problems and challenges
Despite the successes and high level of environmental awareness among residents, the sorting system is not perfect. One of the main problems is that there are still city residents who simply mix up the bins.
Often, food or tea bags, which should be thrown in the green bin, can be found in the mixed recycling bins. Sometimes people throw items into the blue bin that are not recyclable at all, which results in 12-15% of potentially recyclable waste being sent to landfills.
For the system to work effectively, continuous educational work with the community is necessary: explaining the rules, conducting awareness campaigns, and supporting environmental initiatives in schools. The city constantly runs such programs, but changing people’s habits is always a long-term process.
Another challenge is Calgary’s rapid population growth. This creates a need for new processing and transportation capacities, which requires investment and time.
Nevertheless, Calgary demonstrates that a systematic approach to waste management can yield real results. The city is gradually reducing the amount of waste ending up in landfills. There are many problems and many challenges ahead, but Calgary is moving towards its goal – to become one of the cleanest and most sustainable cities in Canada. The most important thing on this path is the consciousness of its residents and their active participation in city life.