Alberta’s Tyre Stewardship programme (Alberta Recycling) was one of the first in Canada and, allowing for the large area and the sparse population, it has been a very successful operation. Started in 1992 the programme has dealt with tyre stockpiles and addressed the needs of Albertans to dispose if their annual arisings of six million ELT in a responsible manner.
Impressive Feat for One of Canada’s Sparser Area
“This achievement shows Albertans’ commitment to protecting the environment is stronger than ever,” says Shannon Phillips, Minister of Environment and Parks. “It means that in every community there is a determination to do the right thing.”
Through the recycling programme, valuable material is diverted from landfills and recycled, creating jobs and new products that come back full-circle into everyday use.
Alberta Recycling chair Bob Barss says the tyres are recycled into sidewalk blocks, roofing tiles and playground surfaces.
“Albertans, municipalities, tyre and vehicle retailers and the province’s recycling industry should be proud of this achievement and their contribution to eliminating tyres from landfills and stockpiles. They have all played a key role in having those tyres recycled,” says Barss.
There are 350 collection sites across Alberta set up by urban and rural municipalities, First Nations and Metis Settlements that accept tyres for recycling. Since 2000, Alberta Recycling’s municipal grant programs have provided over $12 million to communities.
Environmental fees for tyres range from $CAN4 on car and light truck tyres to $CAN9 on large truck tyres, and up to $CAN200 for large industrial tyres. The fees are collected on the sale of new tyres and the funds used to manage the provincial tyre recycling programme. Almost 85 per cent of the money is used to help collect the tyres from every part of Alberta and process them into recycled tyre material and products.
