Since 2016, the City’s Engineering Department has been stockpiling used asphalt and concrete, which could now become a new revenue source for the city. 

Reclaimed asphalt and concrete have material value if processed through a crushing operation which the City has estimated at a cost of $179,200.

The Engineering Department estimates the potential value of the material recovered by the City at approximately $14.00 per tonne or a total of $540,000.

Diversion of construction and demolition waste from the landfill began in 2016 with the demolition of the Union Hospital. This practice has continued as part of normal operations in the Solid Waste Utility since the existing landfill is running out of space. Contractors have been depositing these materials at the City’s aggregate materials storage compound on High Street West. 

The City conducted a drone survey of the storage site in May and has since estimated that 18,000 cubic meters (9,200 tonnes) of concrete and 8,000 cubic meters (3,600 tonnes) of asphalt is available for processing. 

The asphalt can be crushed into a 3/4-inch aggregate that could be used in back lanes and on gravel roads. The concrete can be crushed into 7/8-inch aggregate, which the City uses in wet excavations such as water main breaks, service leaks and some hydrant and valve repairs. Both materials have broader applications for use within private industry. 

City Administration has recommended that funding to crush the material can come from the City’s inventory cash flow accounts with no requirement for a tax increase or rate charge to the citizens of Moose Jaw. 

Due to the volume of material, it’s also recommended that the City retain two years’ worth of aggregate and sell the rest at a slight discount and re-direct those proceeds into offsetting Capital needs in the Water Utility. 

The potential maximum value of material sold is $308,800.

City Council will vote on whether or not to process and sell the materials on Dec. 4.  You can watch live on the City's YouTube channel beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Wendesday, Dec. 4.