Material Recovery Facility (MRF)

The City of Brandon Material Recovery Facility (MRF) is located at the Eastview Landfill Site at 765 33rd Street East. This facility has been in operation since 2003 and has been operated by the City of Brandon since 2014.

In 2020, almost 7.5 million kgs (16.5 million lbs.) of recyclable materials was delivered to the facility by either City collection crews or by commercial customers of the facility. This facility, known as “MRF” (“murph”) is considered a single stream facility as all materials—paper, fibers, plastics, metals, and other containers—are mixed in a single collection truck rather than being sorted at the curb into different compartments within the truck.

The facility is operated by a staff of four who sort the materials into four (4) basic categories:

1. Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) – One of only two commodities that are separated in the facility and marketed.
2. Shredded Paper – This commodity is also sorted and marketed direct from this this facility.
3. Commingled Recyclables – All other recyclable materials that are accepted under the Multi Material Stewardship Manitoba (MMSM) program.
4. Residue – This is any material not currently accepted through the MMSM program.

Each of the three (3) recyclable material categories are sorted, baled, and then loaded on trailers where they are either marketed or are transported to another MRF where the comingled materials are sorted into specific commodities and then sold to processors who convert the product back into raw materials.

At certain points in the process each item you recycle is turned into something new; see below:

Plastic bottles and jars

1. Baled according to the plastic type and shredded into plastic flakes (pelletized).
2. Depending on the original plastic, these flakes are used to manufacture different materials:
   • Pullover sweatshirts
   • Pillow stuffing
   • Carpet backing
   • Plastic lumber (playgrounds)
   • Blue boxes and compost bins
   • Consumer bottles
   • Ice scrapers
   • Industrial packing cases
   • Automotive battery cases

Food and beverage cans

1. Aluminum cans are crushed and then baled into a large block.
2. The aluminum is melted down and reformed into more aluminum cans.
3. Metal tins and cans are baled and then melted down to be turned into scrap metal, which can be used to make new steel/metal products, such as rebar.

Tetra Pak containers and milk cartons

Tetra Pak’s are made up of paper, aluminum lining, and a plastic coating.

1. Each container is separated into different material types (hydro-pulped).
2. This separated paper fiber is used in toilet tissue, cardboard boxes, and other paper products.
3. Gable top cartons are made only of paper and plastic. Each container is hydro- pulped, separated into paper and plastic. This high quality separated paper fiber is used to make industrial paper products.

Boxboard, mixed waste paper, newspaper, and cardboard

These materials are recycled separately, but using the same processing steps:

1. The materials are hydro-pulped to break up the paper into separate
2. Contaminants such as wire, plastic, string and globs of glue are screened out and the pulp is de-inked.
3. The watery pulp is then sprayed onto flat wire screens and the water is drained from the pulp.
4. Recycled fibres bond together as they move through a series of press rollers which squeeze out more water.
5. The paper-like sheets are then pressed through heated metal rollers which dry the paper.
6. The pulp from each material is then recycled in the following ways:
   • The pulp from boxboard is strong and used to make industrial paper products such as cardboard.
   • The pulp from mixed waste paper is used to make newsprint, magazines, writing paper, books, etc.
   • The pulp from newspapers is used to make newsprint paper or used in making roof and felt paper for the construction industry.
   • The pulp from corrugated cardboard is used to make new cardboard products, paperboard, egg cartons, etc.

Reduce Recycling Mishaps

Placing unacceptable materials in the recycling cart negatively impacts the recycling process as these must be removed at the processing facility. It's far easier, and less costly, if we all do our part to ensure that we are only placing acceptable materials into the recycling cart.

Some examples of unaccepted recycling items & practices are as follows:

• Black bags – the use of black bags in the recycling cart (blue lid) is not accepted as we discourage our staff members from opening these bags due to the potential health risk that may be incurred. In the past, employees working on the sort line have been pricked by needles, broken glass, and other items that puncture the skin. These situations cause stress to the individual, as in the case of hypodermic needles, which can pose a serious health risks. If it is required that you bag your recyclables, please use clear bags.
• Styrofoam – This is a # 6 plastic that is oftentimes found in disposable plates and cups, meat trays, carry-out containers and some plastic cutlery. Number 6 plastics can release potentially toxic breakdown products, especially when heated.
• Vinyl or PVC – These are # 3 plastics and generally found in children’s toys, fashion accessories, shower curtains, detergent, spray bottles, as well as some cling wraps.
• Yard waste – This item can now be composted using the Green Cart Program, however, if you are not in the program when disposing of this material at home please use the black lidded cart. Grass or any other organic material should never be placed in the blue lidded cart. There are a number of yard waste depots located throughout the City where you can take excess yard waste or it can be taken directly to the Eastview Landfill for proper disposal and processing.

To make a more informed decision on what you should and should not place in your recycling cart (blue lid) please check out the Recyclepedia. If the item you are checking does not come up in your search, please contact us.