By Alex McCuaig

Redcliff landfill

Regional landfill doubles waste volume, generates cash from out-of-town trash

Jan 27, 2020 | 4:27 PM

Redcliff, AB – The Redcliff-Cypress Regional Landfill is busy these days as the facility has doubled its tonnage of waste intake over the past 12 months, but it’s not due to locally generated garbage.

In the last year, the landfill has brought in approximately 70,000 tonnes of waste compared to a five-year average of approximately 36,000. The majority of that increase is from household garbage generated from other communities in southern Alberta including Calgary and Taber.

Graph presented at Redcliff Council comparing the five-year average of waste inputs against 2019 volume. (Graph courtesy of the Town of Redcliff)

Two of the town councillors who sit on the authority overseeing the landfill say the move to import waste is to offset costs associated with running the facility while ensuring there is funds available for improvements.

“Over the years, the landfill has operated either at a deficit or has been heavily subsidized by the town or the county,” said Redcliff Coun. Cathy Crozier, who also sits on the Redcliff-Cypress Regional Waste Management Authority. “What the authority wants to see is to see the landfill become self-sufficient.”

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Crozier added that this self-sufficiency would allow the town and county to purchase new equipment or establish new landfill cells without the need to borrow funds from the municipalities.

According to fellow authority member, Redcliff Coun. Larry Leipert, the additional household waste is shredded and doesn’t take up too much additional space.

“The tonnage is likely high but the volume that is actually displaced in the landfill – the air volume – is very low and it actually takes the place of dirt we used to use,” said Leipert. “It comes in as shredded pieces of material – six inch or less – and it goes into the void to take the place of dirt. At the end of the day, it takes very little of our actual landfill but the weight of it is high.”

The two councillors didn’t have specific dollar amounts of funds generated by selling space at the regional landfill aside to say its in the millions.

While the landfill is jointly owned by Cypress County and Redcliff, the town administrates the facility. However, it is overseen by a joint commission composed of two representatives from each municipality.