Calgary has a great recycling program that allows residents to recycle a lot of things.
Sometimes though, our recycling sorting facility receives items that it isn't designed to handle - like a rubber hose, a coat hanger, or propane tanks; these materials can seriously injure a worker or get stuck in the equipment and shut down the entire facility.
Learn more about what can and cannot be recycling by viewing our Recycle Smart video.
No! Common items that cannot go in your blue cart
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No hazardous materials - Aerosol cans
- Car batteries
- Cleaning products
- Gardening products
- Helium tanks
- Lighters
- Oil
- Paint cans
- Products for your vehicle
- Propane tanks or canisters
- Smoke detectors
- Thermometers
- Other products with a hazardous symbol
Take these items or empty containers to a year-round household hazardous waste drop-off location.
Please note: If a container has both a hazardous materials symbol and a recycling symbol bring it to a household hazardous waste drop-off. |
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No scrap metal - Aluminum siding
- Car parts
- Electrical wire
- Pots and pans
- Shelving racks
- Wire coat hangers
Scrap metal is not accepted in the Blue Cart program or at community recycling depots. To recycle your scrap metal, check out the  Calgary A to Z Disposal Guide to find out where to take it. |
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No Polystyrene Polystyrene packing materials, cups, food containers and trays, even if it has a recycling symbol #6, must be placed in the garbage. |
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No construction materials - Bricks
- Concrete
- Drywall
- Nails
- Tile
- Wood
These items must be taken to a City landfill. Alternatively, certain materials may be brought to the Spyhill Landfill for waste diversion. |
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No electronics - Computer monitors
- CPUs
- Printers
- TVs
The City has partnered with industry to provide several drop-off locations for the recycling of old and unusable electronics, free of charge. |
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No black garbage bags Anything in a black garbage bag will be assumed to be garbage. Put recycling into the cart loose and use clear bags to hold other plastic bags or shredded paper. |
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No houseware items - Ceramics
- Dishes
- Drinking glasses
- Garden hoses
- Light bulbs
- Mirrors
- Small appliances
- Utensils
If these items can be donated, check out the Calgary A to Z Disposal Guide to find out where to take them. If they cannot be donated, they should be placed in the garbage. |
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No toys, sporting goods, shoes or clothing If these items can be donated, check out the Calgary A to Z Disposal Guide to find out where to take them. If they cannot be donated, they should be placed in the garbage. |
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No mixed packaging - Deodorant sticks
- Toothpaste tubes
- Foil from yogurt containers
- Frozen juice containers
- Items made from more than one type of material
Place these items in your garbage. |
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No food or yard waste Food, grass clippings, leaves and branches can be composted in your backyard composter. Grass clippings can also be left on the lawn. During the fall, leaves and pumpkins can be taken to a temporary Leaf & Pumpkin drop-off location for composting. Alternatively, these items can also be placed in the garbage. |
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No plastics that are not a container, even if they have a recycling symbol. - Forks and spoons
- Laundry baskets
- Pens
- Plastic knives
- Straws
- Tupperware™ containers
These items should be placed in the garbage. |
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No dirty items Materials need to be free of food, liquids and other residue.
Tip: After you've finished washing the dishes in the sink, rinse out your recyclables with the same dish water. |
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No drinking cups Disposable coffee cups and other paper or plastic drinking cups should be placed in the garbage. |
