Recyclable materials through the Town of Ponoka’s curbside recycling program are collected by the waste management contractor E360S.
See the information below to learn more about where your recycling goes:
Shipping and Sorting
All recyclable materials collected through the Town’s curbside recycling program are taken to the E360S facility in Red Deer where they are transferred to a company in Edmonton that uses an automated sorting system to cost effectively sort large volumes of mixed plastic and other recyclable materials.
Processing and Recycling
Once sorted, the recyclables are then sent to other companies for recycling, where they are processed and turned into recycled products. For example, many plastics (#1 through #7) are melted down and used to produce other plastic products. Cardboard and paper are recycled to make more cardboard and paper, while most tin cans are used to make rebar.
About 90 per cent of the recyclable materials that are sent to Edmonton for sorting and processing are recycled - almost all of it (90 per cent) by companies in North America.
What Doesn’t Get Recycled?
The remaining 10 per cent that is not recycled is sent to landfill due to contamination that prevents it from being recycled. Contamination includes recyclables that are dirty or aren’t included on the list of accepted recyclable products.
This is why the Town asks citizens to please rinse and clean all plastics, cans and foil before placing them at the curb for recycling. Cardboard should be flattened and removed of all plastic, cellophane and waxed paper. Labels should be removed from all bottles, jars and cans, and caps should be removed from plastic containers. This all helps to ensure recyclable material can be recycled into new products instead of being sent to the landfill.
Town Diverts Almost 50 Per Cent of Waste from Landfill
Almost half – 47 per cent – of all waste collected by the Town of Ponoka is diverted from the landfill thanks to the curbside collection program, as well as recycling and composting programs at the Town’s Waste Transfer Station for household and commercial waste.
Place Recyclables and Composting at Curb for Pick-Up
Recyclable materials must be placed in clear or blue transparent bags, which are picked up bi-weekly (every second week) in Ponoka.
To view a calendar that shows waste collection pick-up dates for your zone, please see the 2024 Curbside Waste Collection Calendar and zone map found here.
For a complete list of ‘accepted’ items that can be recycled and composted, or for more information on the Town of Ponoka’s waste management and curbside collection program, please click here.
