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City of Calgary multifamily waste collection services

As per Waste Bylaw 4M2020, multi-family complexes like apartments, condos and townhomes must separate recycling, food and yard waste from their garbage for diversion.

All multi-family complexes are different, and there is not one-size-fits-all solution. Building owners and managers have the flexibility to decide the best way to offer and manage their waste.

Program overview

For more details about what’s required for multi-family recycling and food and yard waste collection, please see the following pages:

Why do we need these programs?

Most of what goes into the garbage is actually recyclable or compostable. Diverting recycling and food and yard waste from the landfill saves resources by giving these materials a second life.

When food and yard waste is buried in the landfill it doesn’t break down or turn into soil or anything useful. It ends up creating harmful emissions like methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) and leachate (a toxic liquid that needs to be treated).

By having a food and yard waste program you keep this material out of the landfill and turn it into high quality compost instead.

To learn more, see our Too Good to Waste Video.

By recycling and composting, we conserve resources by putting them back to productive use. If we don't recycle, we fill up valuable landfill space with materials that could have been given a second life.

Landfills are expensive to operate and when they fill up, it can be hard to get approval to open new ones. By recycling and composting, we can save a generation's worth of landfill space.

Program resources for building owners and managers

We are here to help you in your educational waste efforts to your residents with a variety of material including letter templates, flyer and a variety of signage. Access Waste Bylaw 4M2020, templates to right-size your program for your space as well as other tips to help set up or improve your program.

Visit Multi-family waste diversion resources

For residents

If your building does not have either a recycling and/or a food and yard waste program, ask your building or manager to set one up.

If you have contacted your building owner or manager, but a program still has not been provided for your apartment or condo, please contact us by filling out our online service request or contact 311.

Report my property
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