The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association is encouraged to see the Government of Alberta moving forward with an expanded electronics recycling pilot project. This project will be a welcome opportunity for our urban municipalities. It allows our members to be part of the continuum of returning end-of-life products to the manufacturing process.

Mayor Cathy Heron

Board Member, Alberta Urban Municipalities Association

FAST FACTS

Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) operates provincial recycling programs for used oil, tires, paint and electronics.

ARMA is testing its ability to recycle an anticipated additional 24,600 tonnes of electronics products, annually, through a two -year pilot project.

In addition to the $50 million generated through the current program, an expanded electronics recycling program has potential to inject $30 million annually into Alberta’s economy totally $80 million in economic benefit.

Expansion of the electronics recycling program has the potential to create an additional 360 to the 400 existing full-time jobs, bringing the total to 760 full-time jobs.

Funding for the pilot project is $43 million and is available through ARMA’s current electronics recycling program.

In 2018, the Alberta recycling sector’s annual economic value was estimated at $700 million in gross value add (GVA) and more than 7,500 direct, indirect and induced jobs, from which $180 million and 1,570 jobs are attributed to ARMA specific programs.

Of the $180 million in gross value add (GVA) the recycling industry injects into Alberta’s economy, approximately $50 million and 400 full-time equivalent jobs are attributed to ARMA’s electronics recycling program.

ARMA has recycled 125 million tires since 1992, 1.8 billion litres of used oil since 1997, 26.9 million litres of paint since 2008 and most recently hit the 10 million milestone for recycled electronics in Alberta.