Video shows waste buildup at Ecco landfill before Sept. 6 fire, contradicting company claims
Drone footage reveals large waste piles on Ecco Recycling’s southeast Calgary landfill before a Sept. 6 fire, challenging the firm’s claim it stopped taking waste in 2024; the environment minister had been warned of fire risk months earlier and ordered extra inspections.
Surveillance imagery obtained by Postmedia documents a sharp rise in waste piles on the eastern slope of Ecco Recycling’s southeast Calgary landfill from late April through August, shortly before a fire ignited on Sept. 6. This evidence disputes the company’s statement that it stopped receiving new waste in 2024. The province’s environment minister, Grant Hunter, was warned of a fire risk in May by Quarry Park developer Randy Remington, which resulted in increased provincial inspections at the site.
Former Ecco manager Gary Wilson had earlier reported height and slope non-compliance in 2023, leading to a warning letter and a $3,000 fine for interfering with an inspector. Subsequent inspections in 2024 confirmed the landfill now meets height limits. Calgary Fire Department Chief Steve Dongworth indicated that mandatory fire-breaks were likely not constructed correctly, raising compliance questions for the Class III landfill. The fire-suppression effort continues, with health officials noting low overall risk but elevated particulate levels for vulnerable populations.
Why it matters
The fire highlights possible regulatory failures and health risks from unchecked waste accumulation at a major landfill.
In this story
