MESSAGE FROM THE
CHAIR AND CEO

ARMA proudly stands alongside our registered suppliers, recyclers, municipal and Indigenous collection sites, board, and staff in having administered our recycling programs and our vision of inspiring a future without waste through one of the most challenging years in recent memory due to COVID-19.

Stories have emerged of very busy collection sites with Albertans lining up in their vehicles, waiting to safely drop off their recycling and in particular their leftover paint – 3.2 million litres in 2020 – after completing home renovation projects.  The collection sites noted that the measures they put in place to address COVID e.g., revamping websites with directions for what the public could expect upon arrival, created a safer, controlled user experience.

The expanded electronics pilot project (e-pilot), launched in September 2020, raised the level of excitement for municipalities, Indigenous communities, and Albertans as they welcomed the opportunity to potentially divert up to 24,600 tonnes of additional electronics products from the landfill over the course of the two-year project. ARMA has compiled a significant amount of data with the help of municipalities and Indigenous communities that will help to develop a good understanding of what it takes to collect and recycle this material and administer an expanded electronics program for the long term.

While the processing numbers for tires (6.65 million tires) and used oil (73.3 million litres) were down 7% and 15% respectively over the prior year due to limited travel and business activity resulting from the pandemic, there were still significant developments within each program to continue advancing the circular economy. This includes a new recycler registered in the tire program who is based in southern Alberta. Together with the two existing recyclers in the Edmonton area, Alberta’s 2,900 tire suppliers and over 350 tire collection sites will be well served for timely pick up and processing of scrap tires. The number of registered used oil collection sites has grown significantly since ARMA began managing the program in 2018; there are now over 200 registered sites throughout the province that ensure this hazardous material does not contaminate our water and soil.

The paint program received tremendous support from the province and stakeholders when ARMA implemented the first adjustment in 12 years to the program’s environmental fees. A fee adjustment was essential for ARMA to continue to responsibly and sustainably manage this program that to date has diverted 29 million litres of paint along with millions of containers for recycling. This adjustment also ensured that municipalities and Indigenous communities no longer have to bear the cost of collecting this material and supports harmonization of Alberta’s fees with that of other provincial programs.

Innovation is increasingly becoming a cornerstone of ARMA’s corporate approach to support our vision of inspiring a future without waste. One example is our partnership with other provincial used oil programs whereby funding has been provided to a national registered recycler of used oil containers who is researching a process to make new containers out of old ones – this is a prime example of the circular economy in action.  Innovation is also evident in the approach to our e-pilot project where we are working with industry experts to address solar panels for which there is currently no reuse or recycling program in North America.

ARMA is looking forward to doing all that we can to fulfill our vision of inspiring a future without waste. Approaching our 30th anniversary in 2022, we thank stakeholders past and present for the strong foundation upon which this organization has been built, resulting to date in the diversion of 1.9 billion litres of used oil, over 131 million tires, 29 million litres of paint and 10.6 million electronics from landfills and we are excited about where our collaboration will take us next!

LETTER TO THE
MINISTER

September 30, 2021

Honourable Jason Nixon
Minister of Environment and Parks
Government House Leader
323 Legislature Building
10800 97 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
T5K 2B6

Dear Minister Nixon:

On behalf of the Board, Industry Councils, and staff of the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), we are pleased to present our Annual Report which reflects the fiscal year of April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021. This is presented in accordance with Section 16 of the Designated Material Recycling and Management Regulation (Alberta Regulation 93/2004), under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on Albertans’ lives and livelihoods.  The resilience Albertans have continued to show in recycling and ensuring diversion from landfills has been extraordinary.  Reports from several registered collection sites indicated they were much busier than anticipated as residents completed renovations or general cleanup that generated items such as leftover paint for recycling.  We are grateful that our programs continue to make an impact in the communities they operate in.

ARMA has greatly appreciated your support to enhance our current recycling programs such as the expanded electronics pilot project, and to explore future ones including an EPR program for household hazardous waste, strengthening the foundation of our vision of inspiring a future without waste.

We look forward to continuing the momentum of the work we have accomplished with you and your department to date in diverting more materials from the landfill and seeking innovative ways to advance the circular economy in Alberta.

Sincerely,