Where can I take asbestos waste in Calgary?

Asbestos waste in Calgary goes to one place only: the Shepard landfill. No other City facility accepts it, and any asbestos load has to go to a landfill approved to accept asbestos.

What You Need Before You Go

Shepard requires both a permit and a booked appointment, whether you are a resident bringing material in directly or a commercial hauler. The permit is an Industrial Waste Permit, available through the City of Calgary at no charge, and it is valid for up to one year. Appointment requests must be submitted by 10 a.m. the day before you plan to drop off. The landfill accepts asbestos loads Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., by appointment only, and is closed on holidays.

The current disposal rate is $220 per tonne, in effect since February 2026. If a load arrives with rips, tears or openings in the packaging, the City can turn it away or apply a hard-to-handle surcharge of $275 per load, so packaging matters.

Packaging requirements (City of Calgary): the material must be wetted before bagging, then double-bagged in 6-mil polyethylene, double-wrapped and sealed with duct tape or a similar method. Bladder containers up to 20 cubic yards and bins up to 40 cubic yards are accepted.

A note on transport: asbestos waste is regulated as a dangerous good for transport (Alberta's bulletin points to the provincial Dangerous Goods Transportation and Handling Act), so the vehicle carrying it needs a shipping document that includes the UN number. For chrysotile asbestos that number is UN 2590. Asbestos waste in Alberta is not classified as hazardous waste under the provincial hazardous waste regulation when it is managed under the provincial asbestos disposal guidelines, and it does not require an Alberta manifest. The dangerous goods shipping document is a separate requirement and still applies.

If an abatement contractor is handling the disposal on your behalf, confirm they have the Shepard permit in place before the job starts, not after. A contractor who cannot name the receiving landfill is worth questioning.

After the job is finished, hold onto four documents: the lab report from the bulk sampling that identified the material, a copy of the 72-hour OHS notification the contractor filed before work began, the air clearance letter confirming fibre levels after abatement, and the Shepard landfill receipt showing the waste was disposed of at an approved facility.