The Government of Alberta’s HHW Program provides funding assistance to encourage municipalities to separate HHW from the overall municipal waste stream to ensure appropriate disposal in accordance with hazardous waste regulations.

Toxic, flammable, corrosive, and reactive products generated from households.

HHW has at least one of the following properties:

• Toxic e.g. fabric softeners, household pesticides and herbicides
• Flammable e.g. nail polish remover, acetone, gasoline
• Reactive e.g. foam insulation
• Corrosive e.g. oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, bleach

If the above-noted materials are received from a non-household entity such as commercial, industrial, or business generators they are not accepted in the HHW Program.

Other hazardous materials such as lead acid batteries, propane tanks and canisters, etc. are not funded through the program, but HHW Registered Brokers can manage the material based on a fee-for-service basis.

The HHW Program was funded by three entities:

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (AEPA) provided funding for two aspects of the Program: (i) material consolidation from municipalities and Indigenous communities, and transportation to the Swan Hills Treatment Centre (contract administered by ARMA) and (ii) material disposal at the Swan Hills Treatment Centre.

ARMA is contracted by AEPA to administer the HHW Registered Brokers program funding. To be eligible for this funding, Brokers register with ARMA and submit claims for the eligible materials in accordance with program requirements.

Alberta Infrastructure subsidized the cost of material disposal at the Swan Hills Treatment Centre.

Municipalities participating in the program funded a significant portion of material collection and often a portion of material transportation.

The Swan Hills Treatment Centre will no longer accept HHW material as of June 1, 2021. The Brokers have identified facilities that can accept HHW for processing and ARMA is working with the Brokers to review and approve these facilities. (HHW requires proper treatment for disposal and therefore must be managed in accordance with applicable waste control regulations.)

AEPA will continue to provide funding for the materials consolidation and transportation of material to an approved facility. The cost for disposal of the material at the facility will be assumed by municipalities and Indigenous communities.

We have developed an online learning module to help you educate yourself and your team on the safe handling and collection of HHW materials. Click here to learn more.