Alberta’s Northstar Clean Technologies recently revealed that it will be working with The City of Calgary to reprocess asphalt shingles.
Northstar “continues to demonstrate an economically viable solution for the reprocessing of waste asphalt shingles and its involvement with landfill diversion objectives set by industry and municipalities alike,” suggests chief executive officer Aidan Mills.
Under the Contract, the publicly traded Northstar will receive all asphalt shingles collected at the City’s Spy Hill, East Calgary, and Shepard Waste Management Facilities for reprocessing.
The City and Northstar will collaborate on the collection, inspection, and contaminant removal of loads diverted from the City’s Waste Management Facilities to the Empower Calgary Facility, according to a statement from the Alberta entities.
Mills says the five-year contract is set to commence in April.
“We are very appreciative of the City of Calgary’s confidence in Northstar in selecting our Company and our proprietary solution as the winning candidate under their request for proposal for waste shingle land diversion,” Mills commented. “We believe this is the beginning of a long-standing relationship with the City.”
Northstar is also this month celebrating the grand opening of its commercial asphalt shingle recovery and reprocessing facility in Calgary.
“This grand opening marks a defining moment,” Mills said. “Not only for Northstar, but for Alberta and Canada’s clean technology future.”
Located in Rocky View County, just outside Calgary, the Empower Calgary facility is the first commercial-scale asphalt shingle recovery operation in North America.
Using Northstar’s patented Bitumen Extraction & Separation Technology, the facility can process up to 80,000 tonnes of discarded shingles annually on a two-shift basis, recovering liquid asphalt, aggregate, fibre, and limestone for reuse in new paving, roofing, and other construction materials.
“Together with The City of Calgary, we’re transforming what was once a landfill problem into a circular economy solution,” stated Mills. “This facility shows what’s possible when government, industry and innovators come together to make environmental progress that also drives economic growth.”
Supported by Emissions Reduction Alberta and Alberta Innovates, The Empower Calgary facility will employ up to 30 full-time local staff.
“We saw this as a flagship investment in Alberta’s circular economy,” remarked Justin Riemer, who heads ERA as CEO.
Riemer described Northstar’s system as “a proven technology that cuts emissions, diverts waste, and positions the Province as a leader in shingle recycling.”
Chantelle de Jonge, who serves as MLA for Chestermere-Strathmore, agrees, stating “Alberta is once again proving that environmental responsibility and economic opportunity go hand in hand.”
“The Empower Calgary Facility is a prime example of how local innovation is paving the way across our Province,” de Jonge said, “creating jobs, reducing waste, and demonstrating the excellence of made-in-Alberta technology.”
Northstar was founded in Calgary in 2015.