Calgary blue cart recycling expands October 1 to include aerosols, tubes, foam packaging
New items eligible for curbside pickup include hairspray, deodorant tubes, chip bags, egg cartons and meat trays under the provincial Extended Producer Responsibility program.
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Calgary's blue cart recycling program expands October 1 to accept aerosols, tubes, foam packaging, and certain snack packaging—part of Alberta's Extended Producer Responsibility policy that has already reduced households' monthly blue cart fee by approximately $7 since its April 2025 rollout.
Eligible aerosols include hairspray, dry shampoo bottles, shaving foam, sunscreen, cooking spray, and whipped cream. Eligible tubes are toothpaste, deodorant, and lotion tubes. Eligible snack packaging covers chip bags, packaging wrappers, and pouches. Eligible foam packaging includes egg cartons, meat trays, and takeout containers. All recyclables must be empty and clean before going in the blue cart.
The expansion is part of provincial Extended Producer Responsibility legislation introduced in 2022, which makes manufacturers responsible for managing recycling in Alberta. Blue carts are collected at the curb and transported to GFL's recyclables sorting facility in Rocky View County. The facility recently made upgrades and technology changes to accommodate the new materials. The full list of eligible recyclables is available at calgary.ca/recycling.
The facts
When does Calgary's blue cart recycling program start accepting aerosols and foam packaging?
October 1, 2026. The expansion will allow residents to place aerosols like hairspray and sunscreen, foam items such as egg cartons and meat trays, tubes including toothpaste and deodorant, and snack packaging like chip bags in their blue carts.
How much has the blue cart fee dropped since Alberta's Extended Producer Responsibility program launched?
Calgary households have seen their monthly blue cart fee reduced by approximately $7 since the program's rollout in April 2025.
