Recycling returns to normal in Calgary after COVID-19 outbreak at facility

Recycling is back to normal in Calgary after weeks of blue bin items being sent to the landfill due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the sorting facility.

For several weeks in May, the outbreak prevented the Cascades Recovery+ sorting facility in southeast Calgary from processing the usual volume of the city's blue cart items.

Instead, recycables left out for pickup were sent to the landfill.

But as of Tuesday, recycling collection was back to normal, said a notice posted to the City of Calgary's website.

"We apologize for any inconvenience during these challenging and unprecedented times," the notice said. "We thank you for your patience as we work to keep employees safe while maintaining blue cart services for Calgarians."

During the plant's outbreak, at least 19 people tested positive as of May 14, and the facility had to be closed for sanitization. Alberta Health still lists Cascade Recovery+ as having an active outbreak.

While that was being done, homeowners were asked to refrain from putting out their bins until operations were back to normal.

There was no mention on the city's website on Tuesday whether the city would now accept additional recyclables.