‘Can’t be good’: Southeast Calgary residents anxious over garbage, dust from recycling plant

Ecco Recycling says it is making progress in removing material that has been blowing into a southeast Calgary neighbourhood.

Those living in several southeast Calgary neighbourhoods are concerned about an increased volume of dust and garbage blowing toward their homes from a nearby recycling plant.

They’re worried that the situation could get worse because Ecco Recycling, the facility’s operator, is still accepting trash, without a permit and against an order from the city.

“It’s a major concern for the communities of Douglasdale and Riverbend,” said Darwin Flathers, who lives in the area.

“As you can see here, it’s a continued operation. We do not know what is happening other than it can’t be good.”

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According to the neighbourhood’s landowner association, Ecco’s development permit says that no material should be accepted at its landfill as of the end of 2024.

However, residents say garbage is still coming and Ecco is stacking it up in an adjacent parking lot.

They’re concerned that the uncovered waste, which includes woodchips, plastic and other material, could be swept toward businesses in the community, including two daycares.

Flathers says the City of Calgary told Ecco to cease operations, but the company appealed to the Land and Property Rights Tribunal.

That panel upheld the city’s order in June 2025, but the company has since been dumping material into the adjacent lot without a permit.

‘Little more time’

Ecco Recycling, in a statement to CTV News on Monday, June 1, said it has been working to remove the backlog of waste stored at the site and it is abiding by its order to not accept any more material at its landfill.

“We currently have approximately 40 truckloads per day leaving the site, seven days a week, using 53-foot trailers to move material efficiently and safely. To date, we have removed more than 13,600 tonnes - or 13.6 million kilograms - of material from the property,” said Ecco’s president Alec McDougall.

“We want our neighbours to know we hear their concerns and respect what they are saying.

“Recycling construction waste is part of a system that is typically immediately processed through our materials recovery facility (MRF), an approved operation that got backlogged. We ask for a little more time and patience as we continue work.”

The company says it has been in operation in Alberta for more than 30 years and processes more than 200,000 tonnes of construction and demolition material annually.

Its efforts have diverted approximately 80 percent of its collected waste from the landfill.