Phone app simplifies recycling, waste disposal in Edmonton

A phone application that makesit easier to recycle and properly dispose of waste launched in Edmonton on Wednesday.

The WasteWise app allows users to check where their trash belongs:ablue recycle bag, the garbage, or an Eco station.

"Edmontonians keep telling us that they want more information about how to sort their waste properly," said ErikaDroessler, the education programs coordinator with the city'swaste management branch.

Ninety-three per cent of Edmonton residents recycle voluntarily, Droessler said.

But she said they're not always the best at sorting items, which can affect the collection and processing of waste.

Some items, such as strings of Christmas lights, cause conveyor belt jams and equipment breakdowns if they're sorted incorrectly.

The city wants to divert 90 per cent of Edmonton's waste from landfill, which Droessler said is only possible if Edmontonians pitch in.

The app is programmed towork with Edmonton's waste management system and reminds users when their garbage is due to be collected.