Garbage & Recycling

Whitecourt's community wide celebration of reducing, reusing and recycling!

What is it?

Take It or Leave It is like a community wide garage sale - without the sale.  This campaign will offer residents the chance to reuse unwanted household items, and help diver waste from our landfill.  This event will take place immediately before the Free Clean Up Week.

Getting Involved

During the Take It or Leave It weekend, place unwanted but reusable items at the front of your property by the curb.  Residents from across the community are then welcome to take these items to reuse - for free!

Mark your items with the word FREE using masking tape or stickers so that people know what's available for the taking.

Taking Items

• Take only the items marked FREE.
• Respect one another's properties;  please do not drive or park on lawns.
• Do not discard unwanted items on another resident's lawn.

The Whitecourt Transfer Station is located at 3209 41 Avenue (1.2 kilometres east of 35 Street).

The Whitecourt Transfer Station accepts household waste, as well as items for recycling and composting.  The Transfer Station does not accept wood, metal, furniture, or mattresses for disposal.

Hours of Operation

• 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. every day of the week
• Closed on statutory holidays

Residents will be required to show proof of residency in order to drop off waste/material at the Transfer Station.  Requiring proof of residency will ensure that residents from surrounding municipalities are appropriately charged for using Whitecourt waste disposal facilities, and will also increase the longevity of our facilities.  For those with utility accounts that pay the Landfill Recovery Fee, you are asked to use your Waste Facility Access Tag.  If you do not have a tag, or forgot it, you will be asked to provide identification with your home address to verify that you are a Whitecourt resident.

For more information on the Transfer Station call 780-778-5157.

Recycling

For County residents, multi-family dwellings, and mobile home park residents who currently do not partipate in the residential curbside recycling program, bring your blue bags filled with recyclable items to the Transfer Station.  Accepted items include all items listed in for the Curbside Recycling Program below.

If you are unsure if an item is recyclable, or for more information, please contact the Town Office at 780-778-2273.

Electronic Recycling - Expanded Program launched fall 2020

The Town of Whitecourt is participating in an expanded electronic recycling pilot program.  In addition to electronic material, batteries, and fluorescent lights that was accepted previously, over 600 new items are now being accepted.  

Some of the materials accepted are as follows:

• televisions 
• printers
• CD players
• desktop computers
• cables
• small home appliances - such as microwaves, toasters, etc.
• telephones/cell phones
• laptops
• speakers
• fax/copiers
• keyboards
• fax/copiers
• pagers
• audio video equipment (VCRs, DVDs)
• power tools
• gaming equipment
• solar panels
• musical instruments
• toys with batteries or power cords

(Large appliances are accepted at the Whitecourt Regional Landfill only.)

Household batteries can be recycled at the following commercial locations:

• Staples -  4223 52 Avenue

Composting

The annual Grass Clippings Composting Program allows residents to easily and conveniently dispose of their grass clippings at the Transfer Station or at the green bin located at 4138 42 St (GFL Shop in the Hilltop Industrial Area). Leaves and other garden waste (excluding branches and weeds) are also accepted in the program. The program runs from May to the end of October, weather dependent.

Grass clippings and yard waste collected as part of the program are turned into nutrient-rich compost, which is available to residents free of charge. Residents can pick up compost from the Transfer Station between 10 Am and 6 PM daily. Please note that buckets and shovels are not provided.

All residents are encouraged to participate in the Grass Clippings Composting Program – it’s a free and easy way to keep your yard clean and get free compost, all while helping the planet!

Household Hazardous Waste, Antifreeze and Paint

Help keep toxic materials out of the sewer systems and the landfill by taking your household hazardous waste, antifreeze, and paint products to the Whitecourt Transfer Station for safe disposal.

Examples of materials accepted at the Transfer Station include:

• aerosol paints/sprays
• acetone
• air fresheners (aerosol)
• ammonia
• all-purpose cleaners
• antifreeze
• barbecue starters
• rust remover
• brake fluid and lining
• butane fluid
• car (lead-acid) batteries
• degreasers
• car waxes/polishes
• disinfectants
• drain cleaners
• gasoline
• insecticides
• furniture polish / wax
• kerosene
• lacquers
• oven cleaners
• nail polish / remover
• smoke detectors
• photographic chemicals
• paint thinners
• paint
• spa / pool chemicals
• turpentine
• wood preservatives / finishes varnish
• waxes
• fluorescent tube lights

Commercial and industrial hazardous waste is not accepted.  

The Whitecourt Regional Landfill accepts used oil and filters, emptied DEF and oil containers up to 20 litres.

Donation Boxes

Donation boxes in support of Diabetes Canada and the Whitecourt Community Lunchbox are available on site.  Clothing and toy items are accepted on behalf of Diabetes Canada; and recyclable beverage deposit containers are accepted in support of Whitecourt Community Lunchbox.

Located 17 kilometres east of Whitecourt on Highway 43.

Winter Hours (October 1 to March 31)

• Monday to Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Closed on Sundays and all statutory holidays

Summer Hours (April 1 to September 30)

• Monday to Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Closed on Sundays and all statutory holidays

Proof of residency is required when using the Whitecourt Regional Landfill.  If you have a utility account, and pay the landfill charge on your monthly bill, you will be given one Waste Facility Access Tag to ensure quick and easy access to the landfill and transfer station.  If you do not hold a utility account, or pay the landfill fee, you will be asked to show your driver's licence or other ID that proves you are a resident of Whitecourt.

Fee Schedule

• Whitecourt Regional Landfill Fee Schedule

Electronic Recycling - Expanded Program

The Town of Whitecourt is participating in an expanded electronic recycling pilot program.  In addition to electronic material, batteries, and fluorescent lights that was accepted previously, over 600 new items are now being accepted.  

Some of the materials accepted are as follows:

• televisions 
• printers
• CD players
• desktop computers
• cables
• home appliances - such as fridges, stoves, microwaves, toasters, etc.
• telephones/cell phones
• laptops
• speakers
• fax/copiers
• keyboards
• fax/copiers
• pagers
• audio video equipment (VCRs, DVDs)
• power tools
• gaming equipment
• solar panels
• musical instruments
• toys with batteries or power cords

Tire Recycling

Tires are accepted for recycling at the Whitecourt Regional Landfill.

Oil, Oil Containers and Filters

The Whitecourt Regional Landfill accepts used oil and filters, emptied DEF and oil containers up to 20 litres.

To help you in your recycling efforts, the Town of Whitecourt offers a Residential "Blue Bag" Recycling Program for residents.  The best part?  There is no need for sorting! Fill a blue bag with all of your recyclable products and place it on your front curb every Friday before 7 a.m.  There is no limit to how many bags you can place out each week.  Blue bags can be purchased almost everywhere you buy garbage bags.

The following products are accepted:

• Mixed paper/paperboard: magazines, flyers, newspaper, catalogues, office paper, envelopes, craft paper, books with front and back cover removed (please bundle shredded paper individually in a separate bag for ease of sorting)
• Cardboard (must be flattened and placed under your blue bag for collection)
• Wrapping paper and greeting cards (no foil, decorations removed)
• Aluminum and tin cans, pie plates and containers
• Hard plastic containers, tubs and bottles symbol 1 through 7 (no lids or caps) - detergent, condiment, shampoo bottles; margarine and yogurt containers, ice cream pails, clamshells
• Deposit items: mix containers, pop & beer cans and bottles, tetra paks

All items must be clean and free of foods, liquids and dirt.  All items must be left curbside by 7am in a blue or clear bag for collection.

The following products are NOT accepted:

• Glass jars and bottles
• Styrofoam
• Plastic bags
• Straws/plastic utensils
• Coffee/Plastic cups
• Hazardous Waste

If you have questions or are unsure if an item is accepted under the program, contact the Town Office at 780-778-2273.

Household waste is collected on a weekly basis, and must be set out by 7:00 a.m. on your designated collection day. 

Our community is growing and in an effort to enhance collection services for garbage, the Town of Whitecourt recently moved to a 3 day/week collection schedule. 

• Hilltop waste - Tuesdays
• West Valley Area waste - Wednesdays (west of Mink Creek Road and Flats Connector)
• East Valley Area waste - Thursdays (east of Mink Creek Road and Flats Connector)

The automated waste collections service only applies to Town of Whitecourt utility customers that are charged for garbage on their monthly utility bill.  

If you live in a mobile home park, four-plex, or apartment building it is recommended that you talk to the facility manager for information on waste collection. 

Reminders about automated waste cart collection:

• Waste carts must be set out by 7:00 a.m. for collection on your designated pick up day.
• The automated collection service requires the cart to be at least 1 metre from any obstacles (i.e. cars, fences, etc.) and the wheels of the cart must be in the curb with the arrows on the lid facing the road (otherwise the cart may be damaged during collection).
• The lid must also be closed on tightly in order to be collected.  If the lid does not close properly, waste will not be collected.
• Every household in Whitecourt has been provided with a standardized waste cart.  The carts are large enough to hold over two bags of garbage, and have two wheels for easy handling. 
•  An attached lid will help keep out insects and stray animals, and provide for a cleaner environment with less litter.
• Waste carts are to remain at the current property, and should not be moved.  Each cart has a code which is associated to the residential address to which it was delivered.  
• If you move, empty the cart and leave it at this residence.  Ensure that it is in a secure location, such as a garage or shed.
• Don't forget, you can drop off excess household waste at the Whitecourt Transfer Station or Whitecourt Regional Landfill during hours of operation.

The Town of Whitecourt accepts concrete for recycling.  The material is crushed, and used as a base or subbase layer for driveways, trails, roads and parking lots.

Concrete Rubble Disposal Fee:

For further details on concrete recycling contact the Infrastructure Services Department at 780-778-2705.