Waste Sorting in the Public Space

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As part of the Corporate Waste Transformation project, the City of Edmonton is implementing sustainable waste management practices in City-owned and operated facilities and major outdoor attractions.

A three-stream waste sorting program (recycling, food scraps and garbage) has been in place in 240 facilities, major outdoor attractions and amenities since the end of 2021. This supports the implementation of the Council-approved 25 Year Waste Strategy (2019), which establishes a zero waste framework and sets a target of 90% diversion across residential and non-residential sectors.

Sorting Stations Locations

City Attractions

Facility Name	Address
Sir Winston Churchill Square	Sir Winston Churchill Square
City Hall Water Fountain	City Hall Plaza
Edmonton Valley Zoo	13315 Buena Vista Road
Fort Edmonton Park_{^{(operated by the Fort Edmonton Management Company)}}	7000 143 Street NW
Heritage Amphitheatre	9330 Groat Road NW

Golf Courses

Facility Name	Address
Riverside Golf Course Clubhouse	8630 Rowland Road NW
Rundle Park Golf Course Clubhouse	2902 118 Avenue NW
Victoria Golf Course	12130 River Valley Road NW

Recreation Centres and Pools

Facility Name	Address
Borden Natural Swimming Pool	7615 Borden Park Rd NW
Fred Broadstock Outdoor Pool	15720 105 Avenue NW
Queen Elizabeth Outdoor Pool	9170 Walterdale Hill NW
Rundle Park Family Recreation Centre	2909 113 Avenue NW
Wîhkwêntôwin Outdoor Pool	10315 119 Street

Picnic Sites

Facility Name	Address
Borden Park - Bookable Picnic Sites	7507 Borden Park Road NW
Coronation Park - Bookable Picnic Sites	11425 - 142 Street
Dawson Park - Bookable Picnic Sites	10298 89 Street
Jackie Parker - Bookable Picnic Sites	4540 50 Street NW
Victoria Park - Bookable Picnic Sites	12030 River Valley Road NW
ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW) River Lot 11∞ Indigenous Art Park	10380 Queen Elizabeth Park Road

River Valley/Neighbourhood Parks

Facility Name	Address
Jackie Parker Park Pavilion	4540 50 Street NW
Capilano Park Amenity Building	109 A Avenue 50 Street NW
Gold Bar Park - Bookable Picnic Sites	10955 50 Street NW
Government House Park - Bookable Picnic Site	9938 Groat Road NW
Hermitage Park - Bookable Picnic Site	2115 Hermitage Road NW
Kinsmen Park - Bookable Picnic Site	9100 Walterdale Hill
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park - Bookable Picnic Sites	13221 Buena Vista Road NW
Victoria Park Pavilion	12030 River Valley Road NW
Whitemud Park - Bookable Picnic Site	13204 Fox Drive NW
Whitemud Park Alfred H Savage Centre	13909 Fox Drive NW

Sorting Stations: What Goes Where

Sorting in public space containers is very similar to sorting at home. These are some common examples of what goes where.

Recycling

Recyclable Materials

Beverage cans and bottles
Cardboard
Stretchy plastic bags

For barrel sorting stations, remove the plastic topper/lid if you need to (for example: to fit a pizza box in the recycle bin).

If you aren’t sure where something goes, check WasteWise.

Food Scraps

Leftover food
Fruit Peels
Food soiled napkins

For barrel sorting stations, remove the plastic topper/lid if you need to.

If you aren’t sure where something goes, check WasteWise.

Garbage

Chip bags/candy wrappers
Single use items like plastic utensils and coffee cups.
Bagged dog waste

For barrel sorting stations, remove the plastic topper/lid if you need to.

If you aren’t sure where something goes, check WasteWise.

Sorting Stations

The design of the waste sorting stations is based on research and consultation with other cities that have successfully implemented outdoor food scraps and recycling programs. It is also consistent with the design of the residential waste program.

The design communicates proper sorting to users in multiple ways: full colour compartments that correspond to each respective waste stream (blue: recycling, green: food scraps, black: garbage), waste stream labels, and icons of accepted items in each waste stream. Even the shape of the opening can indicate what waste stream it is.

This design is intended to cue the users to make a decision about which container they should use before they reach the sorting station.

All of these design elements work together to make sorting decisions easier, and ultimately increase sorting and reduce contamination.

The recycling, food scraps and garbage will be taken to and processed at the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.

We'll continue to review and improve the public space waste sorting stations throughout the city.

View our Waste Container Placement Criteria

The angled portions of the door also allows the icons to be clearly seen to pedestrians coming from different directions.

You will start seeing three-stream barrel sorting stations at bookable group picnic sites. A number of garbage barrels in our parks have been converted into three-stream sorting stations using colour-coded barrel toppers and decorative wraps that serve as signage.

Program Goals

The waste sorting stations support our ongoing zero waste initiatives
They aim to reduce the amount of food scraps and recyclables that end up in our landfill and improve the cleanliness of our public spaces

An integral part of becoming a zero waste Edmonton is ensuring that we all have the opportunity to reduce and recycle materials both at home and while we are out enjoying our vibrant parks, streets and communities.

Reducing Your Waste In Public

Littering is a bylaw offence on public and private property.

Managing Your Litter and Pet Waste

Information about managing your waste in public spaces.

Resources/Related Information

For more information on education and enforcement of littering and illegal dumping, the City of Edmonton has the following resources available.

Waste Sorting in the Public Space

Sorting Stations Locations

Recycling

Food Scraps

Garbage

Sorting Stations

Program Goals

Related Links

Litter (Bylaw Complaints)

Illegal Dumping

Related Documents

Public Spaces Bylaw 20700

Community Standards Bylaw 14600