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Delegated Administrative Organizations

Three Delegated Administrative Organizations, operating at arms length from government, report to the Environment Minister. Each one is supported by government regulation, has the authority to generate revenue, has a dedicated fund to operate its program (collected from visible fees) and is managed by a Board of Directors.

1. Alberta Recycling
2. Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB)
3. Alberta Used Oil Management Association (AUOMA)

Alberta Recycling
Alberta Recycling is a multi-stakeholder organization, designated by the Government of Alberta, responsible for managing Tire Recycling Alberta and Electronics Recycling Alberta.

www.albertareycling.ca

Electronics Recycling Alberta (part of Alberta Recycling)
Electronics Recycling Alberta (ERA) oversees Canada's first provincial electronics recycling program.

Televisions, computers and related equipment once going into Alberta's landfills can now be collected, reused, recycled and turned into new products and economic opportunities for Albertans.

It is estimated that in 2004, more than 190,000 televisions and 90,000 desktop computers will be discarded from Alberta households. These electronics contain hazardous materials like lead and mercury that can cause significant environmental and health risks through potential soil or groundwater contamination if they end up in Alberta landfills. However, managed properly, the metals, glass and plastic in these used products can be recycled into valuable products, including the next generation of electronics.

Tire Recycling Alberta (part of Alberta Recycling)
Tire Recycling Alberta (TRA), formerly the Tire Recycling Management Association (TRMA), was established in 1992 to develop a made in Alberta solution for scrap tire stockpiles in the province. Until that time, stockpiles posed a potential fire and health hazard and were taking up valuable space in landfills.

Since 1992, more than 30 million tires have been recycled and approximately three million tires are currently recycled on an annual basis. This effort has lead to the virtual elimination of all the major tire stockpiles in the province.

Alberta's tire recycling industry is a self-suffiencent industry that is the model of environmental excellence and serves as the basis for recycling efforts in other areas.

Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB)
Since 1997, the Beverage Container Management Board has worked to ensure Albertans have an easy-to-use and cost-effective recycling system for beverage containers. The program began as a response to the litter created by disposable beverage containers. Consumers pay a deposit when purchasing applicable containers, and are refunded that deposit upon taking the containers to a bottle depot.

In 2002, more than one billion containers -- over 80 per cent of those sold in Alberta -- were returned to bottle depots and reused or recycled into other valuable products. The BCMB continues to improve the level of public satisfaction, improve system effectiveness, and maximize the recovery of regulated beverage containers. Its vision is to protect Alberta’s environment by minimizing the presence of beverage containers in the waste stream.

Did you know?

There are more than 1.5 billion beverage containers (excluding milk) sold annually in Alberta


• More than 200 independently owned bottle depots operate in the province



• Recycling beverage containers diverts more than 225,000 cubic yards (45,000 tonnes) of material from landfill every year



• Each year, more than 57,000 tonnes of recycled material is produced from beverage containers, including new aluminum cans, plastic lumber, fiberglass insulation, napkins and specialty paper



• Recycling is estimated to conserve more than 189,000 barrels of crude oil (a savings of over $6.5 million per year)

www.bcmb.ab.ca

Alberta Used Oil Management Association (AUOMA)
AUOMA was established to deal with the millions of litres of used oil, oil filters and plastic oil containers that were being improperly disposed of each year. The pilot program was launched in 1993, with the regulation coming into effect in 1997.

Each applicable oil product is assessed an Environmental Handling Charge (EHC) that is paid at the wholesale level. All funds collected are dedicated to the collection and processing of used oil materials. A Return Incentive (RI) is paid to registered collectors for pick-up and delivery of materials.

Every year since its inception, the AUOMA program has increased the volume and percentage of materials collected for recycling in Alberta. Its mission is to continue developing and managing programs that encourage responsible environmental handling and recycling of used oil materials.

• One litre of used oil can contaminate one million litres of water

• In 2002 - 2003, over 66 million litres of used oil, six million oil filters, and one million kilograms of plastic containers were recovered



• All materials collected under the program are recycled or used for energy. None goes to landfills or is used for road-oiling



• AUOMA was the template for development of used oil programs in the other three western provinces, and won an Emerald Award in 2001



• Recycled oil is re-refined and used again as oil, producing highway asphalt and burned for energy; oil filters are recycled into metal products such as rebar, nails and wire, and plastic oil containers are made into new containers, highway guard rails, plastic pipe, fence-posts and patio furniture



• Recycling used oil, filters and containers extends the life of a non-renewable natural resource, removes hazardous substances from the waste stream and reduces the amount of material sent to our landfills

www.usedoilrecycling.com

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