Inside Lethbridge's Material Recovery Facility (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By Justin Goulet

City to implement mandatory recycling program for local businesses

Mar 4, 2020 | 1:01 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The City of Lethbridge is boosting its recycling program.

Recycling will soon be mandatory for businesses.

“It means that there will be three materials for now that are required in 2020 coming [up] this July that will have to be recycled at businesses,” said Alex Singbeil, Waste Reduction Consultant for the City of Lethbridge’s Waste & Recycling Services.

Singbeil explained that “businesses” constitute institutions, industrial and commercial operations.

“Basically, everything that’s not residential,” he noted.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

The three materials that will have to be recycled at businesses are cardboard, paper and wood.

“Those materials represent on average probably around 20 percent of the waste that’s generated by the businesses. In some cases, some business have tremendous amounts of wood, others don’t have any pallets, like an accounting office,” Singbeil said.

“It’s critical that the businesses and the residents work together on this. That’s part of our overall strategy to reduce waste going into the landfill.”

Singbeil said overall, businesses are doing a great job already when it comes to recycling and implementing the mandatory recycling program will help take Lethbridge “to the next level”.

He said in all, response regarding recycling has been mostly positive from local businesses. However, he did note a concern the department has heard.

“There’s some challenges especially where businesses are really tight together and don’t have a lot of land, there can be some issues having bins and containers and things like that [on their property],” he said.

July 1, 2020 is the target date for implementing the mandatory recycling program for businesses.

There will then be a three-month grace period in order for businesses to obtain the proper requirements needed for the program.

The City of Lethbridge will host an information event for businesses at City Hall between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 5.