Styrofoam, glass, stretchy plastic – there’s a blue cart for that!

What do glass jars, snack wrappers and foam packaging have in common? They can all go in your blue cart! 

As part of Alberta’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program, the City of Lethbridge is excited to announce an expanded list of household recyclables. Starting October 1, Lethbridge residents will have more flexibility with how they recycle at home and at recycling stations.

“This is great news for Lethbridge and our curbside blue cart program,” says James Nicholls, Collections Manager for Waste & Environment. “We are excited to see lots of those items previously not accepted make their way into our blue carts. It gives Lethbridge residents more opportunities to divert waste from our landfill.” 

Along with items already accepted, residents will be able to use their blue carts to recycle:

• Glass 
• Stretchy plastics (plastic bags, film, cling wrap) 
• Paper laminates (to-go cups, pet food bags, ice cream containers) 
• Mixed packaging (snack wrappers, potato chip bags, toothpaste tubes, deodorant sticks) 
• Polystyrene (more commonly known as Styrofoam) 
• Aerosol containers (food spray, hairspray, air fresheners, shaving cream, deodorant) 

“This expansion of acceptable recyclables is a significant milestone for Lethbridge residents and reflects the positive impact of Alberta’s EPR framework,” says Mandi Parker, General Manager of Waste & Environment. “By making recycling simpler and more accessible, we can recover more materials, divert more waste from the landfill and continue building a more sustainable community. We appreciate the partnership of residents, producers and service providers in helping make this transition a success.” 

If you notice your blue cart starting to fill up more quickly, you can take larger recyclables and overflow to any of the City’s three self-service recycling stations. The north, south and west stations are open 24/7 and accept residential recycling only. Recyclables no longer need to be sorted into separate containers. 

Since April 2025, EPR has shifted the cost of recycling single-use plastics, paper and packaging products away from municipalities and onto the producers who create them. 

Residents are encouraged to download the free Lethbridge Loop app for collection day reminders and a full list of what’s in and what’s out. You can also visit lethbridge.ca/recycling for more information about the City’s curbside recycling program. 

For Public Inquiries:  
Call or chat with 311 | Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.