New types of Styrofoam are able to be recycled at the Mike Mitchell Recycling Depot starting today.
Certain types of soft foam, coloured foam and meat trays are now able to be recycled along with previously accepted clean white packing blocks from electronics, appliances or furniture.
To know for sure if your Styrofoam can have a second life, check to see if it has a #4, #5 or #6 label.
Styrofoam is still not accepted in the blue recycling bag through curbside pickup. Styrofoam placed in blue recycling bags breaks apart easily in the transportation process, making it impossible to recycle and contaminating other materials. Just like glass, we ask that residents bring their Styrofoam to the Mike Mitchell Recycling Depot for proper disposal.
If unsure, residents can also take a photo of the item and email it to [email protected] or download the BeWasteWise app.
In July 2019, the City launched a pilot Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) recycling program which was made permanent in 2020. Since starting the pilot, over 124 metric tonnes of Styrofoam have been diverted from the landfill and the City looks forward to increasing this number even further in the years to come.
When Styrofoam is recycled, it is turned into products like picture frames, baseboards and airplane countertops.
Styrofoam is melted and densified on- site at the depot and the densified blocks are sent away to be turned into useful items.
While the Styrofoam recycling is expanding, things like food take-out containers, packing peanuts and other items labelled with #7 should continue to be placed in the Brown Garbage Cart.
For more information about Styrofoam recycling residents are encouraged to download and print the Styrofoam Recycling Sorting Guide for quick reference as well as learn more about “What Goes Where” at stalbert.ca .
