What happens to my recycling?

The paper, plastic, glass and cans you put in the recycling bins are sorted before being sent for recycling or reuse.  Paper that is contaminated with food or chemicals cannot be recycled.  It is sorted from the recyclable material and thrown away.

• Mixed Paper is first sorted and then baled by type.
  Newsprint/other paper are shipped to Edmonton where it is turned into insulation.
  Regular paper is shipped to B.C .where is turned into tissue paper, paper towel and napkins. 

•  Cardboard is sorted, baled then sent to B.C. or Washing ton.
  Boxboard is used to make more boxboard (e.g., cereal boxes)
  Corrugated cardboard is used to make more corrugated cardboard.

•  Glass is shipped to our local Aquatera Sanitary Landfill as drainage for the new bioreactor.  Some glass, such as mirror glass and crystal, cannot be recycled because of high lead content.

• Aluminum is sorted, baled and then shipped to Edmonton where it is used to make more aluminum, pop cans and even trains, planes and automobiles.  Steel cans can be recycled over and over again.
  
  
• Tin
is baled then made into rebar and more tin.

 
• Plastics are ground down or flaked to be made into materials such as garden furniture and industrial piping.  It is anticipated that by 2010 or 2011 the gasification plant in Edmonton will be completed, which will then allow converting practically all plastic materials into valuable ethanol.

Other unique recycling programs where the environment and our community reap the benefits: 

• Cell phones are sent to the Charitable Recycling Program of Canada.  Phones are donated to shelters for abused adults and children so they may have 911 access.  Cell phones are also given to medical patients who are awaiting organ transplants. 

Some phones are refurbished and redeployed in areas of the world where there are no land (wire) lines, or, where the cost of a new phone is prohibitive.

Aquatera collects used cell phones and Charitable Recycling gives us $1.00 from every cell phone to give to a local children’s charity. 

• Rechargeable batteries are recycled to reclaim reusable metals.  The cadmium is used to make new batteries, while the nickel and iron are used to make stainless steel products such as silverware.  Cobalt and lead are also reclaimed.
   
• Household Hazardous Waste material is collected at the Eco Centre.  They are safely shipped and disposed of at the Swan Hills Waste Treatment Centre.
   
• Fluorescent Lamps are sent to a company in Alberta where they are placed in a crusher and the materials are separated for recycling and reuse.  The metal and glass are recycled, the phosphor powder is reused, and the mercury goes through a triple distillation process and reused.  The result is clean mercury.
   
• Electronic Waste is sorted at the Eco Centre and shipped to GEEP Alberta in Edmonton for processing.  GEEP is recycling the materials and taking them back to their commodity levels so that they are useful for productions of new products.

Email info@aquatera.ca or call (780) 538-0452 for more information.