The golden rule of blue bag recycling: all recyclables must be clean and dry and contained in a blue recycle bag. The materials in the table below are accepted in blue recycle bags for proper and safe disposal.

Due to changes in the global recycling market, the City of Leduc has made some small changes to its recycling program in order to meet new industry standards. These changes affect what’s accepted in the curbside blue bag recycling program, as well as what’s accepted in the blue bag bin at the Eco Station and the Waste Management Facility. For more information please call the Eco Smart Hotline at 780-980-7107.

Top Three Changes

Please place these items in your waste cart. Do not place in your blue bag.

1. Soft and single use plastic products including caps and lids under 2” (e.g. plastic utensils, coffee cup lids, straws, single yogurt containers)
2. Plastic coated paper products (e.g. ice cream cartons, coffee cups, tetra soup broth containers)
3. Mixed material products (cardboard and plastic or cardboard and foil containers, flexible aluminum containers and foil. E.g. frozen juice containers, cookie dough containers)

Shredded paper should be directed to the green organics cart. Please place in a 100% compostable bag, a paper bag or inside of a cardboard box to prevent blowing when collected. Shredded paper is also accepted at the Eco Station.

Styrofoam and glass should continue to be directed to the waste stream. Clean, clear glass is now accepted for free at the Eco Station for recycling as part of a glass recycling pilot project. Examples include mason jars, baby food jars and pickle jars.

Items Accepted in Blue Bag:

• Rigid plastic containers (e.g. margarine tubs, laundry and soap bottles)
• Tin cans and lids (e.g. soup or canned vegetables)
• Paper products (e.g. newspaper, flyers cards, envelopes, magazines, tissue paper)
• Flattened cardboard (e.g. Amazon boxes, shoe boxes, egg cartons)
  Cardboard must be smaller than 2 x 3 ft. for curbside collection. Please cut up larger boxes.
• Non-glass Beverage Containers (e.g. pop cans, milk cartons, tetra drink containers)
  Beverage containers are refundable at the bottle depot.

  

Preparing Your Recyclables

• Place material loose in the blue bag.
• Break down all boxes so they are flat.
• Cut up larger boxes. The maximum size of cardboard pieces which will be picked up is 2' x 3'.
• Rinse all plastic and tin materials.
• Fold tin can lids inside the can if the lid is still attached, or place detached lids inside the can.
• Never recycle a loose, sharp lid because of the safety risk to sorting staff.
• Rinse metal lids from glass jars.
• Remove hard covers from books.
• The maximum allowable weight of a blue bag out for collection is 26 kg.

Curbside Recycling Program FAQ 

How do I know if a paper item is plastic coated? 

Paper containers that are coated with plastic are typically used in the food and drink packaging industry to ensure leaking of products does not occur. For example, paper coffee cups, cardboard ice cream cartons, fountain pop cups and Tetra pack food containers (e.g. soup broth) are commonly lined with plastic. These items are not accepted in the blue bag and should be placed in your waste cart.

Are paper and cardboard products with glossy finishes accepted in the blue bag?

Yes! Glossy items such as magazines, cracker boxes, paper gift bags (remove the string handle), shoe boxes, or cereal boxes can be placed in the blue bag. Please remember to remove any non-paper inserts or additional packaging before placing it in your blue bag.

What is a clamshell and is it recyclable? 

A clamshell is a container made from soft, flexible plastic, making it not recyclable in our local program. Clamshells are often utilized as take out containers and are commonly used to package berries, bakery goods, and deli salads and sandwiches. These items are not accepted in the blue bag and should be placed in your waste cart.

What are examples of mixed material products and are they recyclable? 

Products that are made from cardboard or paper and lined with aluminum or plastic are not accepted in the blue bag and should be place in your waste cart. Examples include cardboard spiral containers that are used for frozen juice, cookie dough, chips and cleaning products. Clean metal lids from these products are accepted in the blue bag for recycling.

Why can I recycle a soup can or dog food tin, but not a pie plate or aluminum foil? 

Soft, flexible aluminum and tin products such as aluminum/tin foil, pie plates and take out containers are considered single use products and are typically made up of mixed materials, or they are too dirty after use to recycle. Please place them in your waste cart.  Rigid aluminum and tin items such as soup cans, cat or dog food cans or coffee tins are still recyclable, providing they are rinsed and clean. Please place metal lids inside the cans to prevent injuries. Labels on cans are accepted in the blue bag.

What if a plastic item has a recycling symbol? 

Due to ongoing and evolving changes in the global recycling market, local recycling programs do not collect the same materials. A material may not necessarily have a market to be recycled in our local program.

Golden Rule: In Leduc, soft and flexible plastics such as plastic bags, clamshell containers, individual yogurt containers and plastic coffee lids should be placed in the waste cart. Clean, rigid plastics such as condiment containers and laundry soap containers can continue to be recycled in your blue bag.

What do the different numbers inside the recycling symbol represent?

The triangle recycling symbol with a number inside ranging from 1 to 7 is called a Resin Identification Code and represents the different types of plastics present in the material. Generally, Number 1’s and 2’s can be recycled but the code is not always a suitable indicator, as recycling rules vary in different regions.  The presence of a triangle recycling symbol, or a code on a plastic does not necessarily mean it is recyclable. City of Leduc residents should visit leduc.ca/sort-smart-z for our specific recycling rules.  

Questions? 

Call the Eco-smart Hotline at 780-980-7107, email ecosmart@leduc.ca, use the new Recycle Coach app, or view our A-Z sort list.