Landfill's cleanup claims questioned by drone footage
ECCO Recycling says it removed 13,600 tonnes of waste, but video shows material may be relocated rather than hauled away.
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A Calgary landfill and recycling facility claims it has removed 13,600 tonnes of waste from a massive pile along 24th Street S.E. in the Shephard Industrial area. But drone footage obtained by Postmedia appears to show trucks moving the material to another part of the property rather than hauling it away.
ECCO Recycling and Energy Corp. previously said it aimed to remove the pile by the end of May. On June 1, company president Alec McDougall said the pile had been reduced by about 50 per cent, with around 40 truckloads per day carrying material away. Drone video captured May 29, however, shows trucks dumping the material elsewhere within the site along the southeast portion of its landfill mound.
The waste pile has raised concern among nearby residents and businesses over garbage and debris blowing into surrounding communities. A June 2, 2025, ruling from the Land and Property Rights Tribunal prohibits ECCO from accepting and disposing of waste on the landfill portion of the site — it's unclear whether relocating material internally violates that order.
Meanwhile, Gary Wilson, a former general manager who worked at ECCO from 2012 to 2014, says non-compliance stretches back over a decade. He discovered a large section of the property was being landfilled without necessary municipal approvals or proper zoning designation.
ECCO has not yet responded to requests for comment.