Local disposal guide
What Calgary Landfills Won't Take
Some things are kept out of the landfill and out of your bins, for safety or because they can be recycled. Here are the main ones, where each actually goes, and the easy way to have a cleanout sorted for you.
- Responsible disposal
- Recycled & donated where we can
- Free estimates
Not Everything Can Go in the Garbage
The City of Calgary keeps certain materials out of the landfill and out of your black, blue, and green bins, either because they are hazardous or because they can be recycled instead. Put the wrong thing in a bin and it may be left behind; take it to a landfill and it may be turned away. These are the ones that come up most, and where each is actually meant to go.
The main ones
Six Things to Keep Out of the Landfill
Household hazardous waste
Paint, solvents, cleaners, and motor oil can't go in the landfill or your bins, they need a hazardous-waste depot. We can take these off your hands and get them to the right facility for you.
Electronics (e-waste)
TVs, computers, and other electronics can't go in your Calgary bins, and their materials are worth recycling rather than burying. We haul them out and send them to a proper recycler, no trips or sorting on your end.
Tires
Tires can't go in your bin or the landfill, and most people have nowhere to put them. We take them away with the rest of your load and get them into recycling.
Fridges, freezers & AC units
These hold refrigerant that has to be handled by a certified tech. We remove them for you, refrigerant and all, so you skip the surcharge and the extra step.
Mattresses
The city won't take a mattress through your regular garbage pickup, so it just sits there. We carry it out, box spring and frame too if you like, and send it for recycling.
Batteries & propane tanks
Batteries and propane tanks are hazardous and can't go in the bin or landfill. We can take these too and get them to the right drop-off, safely handled.
The authority
Check the City's Full List
The list above covers the materials we are asked about most, but it is not the whole picture, and rules change. The City of Calgary’s What Goes Where tool and its landfill and Eco Centre pages (calgary.ca) are the authority on exactly what is banned, restricted, or charged, and where to take it. Renovation materials like asbestos need specialist handling and are a separate matter again.
Or Let Us Sort It Out
Clearing out a garage, a basement, or a whole property usually means a mix of ordinary junk and a few of these restricted items. When we do the clearing, we sort as we go: appliances and metal to recycling, reusable things to donation, and everything else disposed of responsibly, so you do not have to make separate trips. We can even take the hazardous items, paint, chemicals, batteries, and propane, and get them to the proper depot for you, so nothing is left behind to deal with. For the full picture, see recycling & disposal and what we take.
Common questions
Landfill & Disposal Questions
What can't go in the landfill in Calgary?
The main ones are household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, oil), electronics, tires, appliances that hold refrigerant, mattresses, and batteries or propane tanks. Each has its own recycling or hazardous-waste route. The City of Calgary's What Goes Where tool has the full, current list.
Can I put electronics or a TV in my bin?
No. Calgary does not collect electronics in any of your bins. Take them to a City Eco Centre or an Alberta Recycling depot, or we can carry them out as part of a cleanout.
Do you take hazardous waste like paint?
Yes. We can take household hazardous waste such as paint, solvents, cleaners, and batteries away as part of a cleanout and make sure it reaches the proper depot, so you do not have to make the trip. The genuinely dangerous materials, asbestos, biohazard or medical waste, and explosives, still need a licensed specialist, and we will point you the right way.
What happens to the restricted items when you do a cleanout?
We sort as we go: appliances and metal to recycling, reusable items to donation, and the rest disposed of responsibly, so the restricted items end up where they are supposed to instead of the landfill.
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