Waste Sorting Infrastructure

Recycle Transfer Station

Our award-winning Recycle Transfer Station (RTS) helps us reduce and divert the U of A's waste more efficiently.

The RTS has three large compactors and two large roll off bins. Each day we use a hybrid truck to collect recyclable material on campus. Once collected, we bring the recyclables to our RTS and sort them into the appropriate compactors.

We also have a rolling cart wash system on campus to make sure our carts stay clean, reducing odor and pests.

Using our own hybrid truck to collect recyclable and organic materials limits how many large trucks we need on campus, reducing labour, traffic, noise and emissions. Each week a contracted waste hauler empties the compactors, taking the recycled materials to a local materials recovery facility or to the Edmonton Waste Management Centre.

Organics Compactor

The latest addition to our RTS is a 24-cubic-yard organics compactor. We collect and process organics the same way we do recyclables, using a hybrid truck to collect them and transport them to our RTS where we deposit them into our organics compactor.

Organics are collected and processed in our 24-cubic-yard compactor.

Solar Trash Compactors

If you've visited North Campus, you may have noticed our solar trash compactors. Powered by the sun, these compactors have five times the capacity of a regular trash can the same size.

These cans use the power of the sun to compact trash.

In-Ground Containers

These waste and recycling containers may look ordinary, but they actually extend about three metres underground! The weight of the deposited waste makes them self-compacting.

Did you know these self-compacting containers extend 3 metres underground?