Video shows waste piling up at Ecco landfill months before stubborn fire, despite owner's assertion

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsLocal News Video shows waste piling up at Ecco landfill months before stubborn fire, despite owner's assertion Alberta Environment and Protected Areas confirmed minister was warned months before the blaze about a potential fire risk at the facility Author of the article: By Noah Brennan Published Sep 18, 2026 Last updated 19 minutes ago 5 minute read Join the conversation A large fire in the landfill at Ecco Recycling in Calgary is seen on Monday, September 7, 2026. Gavin Young/Postmedia Article content Video obtained by Postmedia appears to show massive amounts of waste material accumulating on the eastern slope of Ecco Recycling’s southeast Calgary landfill in the months before a fire broke out in the same area of the site, calling into question the owner’s claim the site stopped accepting new material in 2024. Article content Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment and Protected Areas confirmed Friday that Minister Grant Hunter was advised months before the blaze about a potential fire risk at the facility — prompting him to order increased inspections at the site. Article content Article content Article content LiDAR survey imagery from April 28 shows relatively little waste material along the eastern slope of Ecco’s landfill operation. Article content Noon News Roundup Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content But drone footage captured Aug. 11 shows substantial piles of waste present in that area, while footage from Sept. 16 shows smoke billowing from the eastern slope of the landfill mound. Article content The imagery suggests large amounts of material were added to the eastern slope of the landfill between late April and August, before fire broke out in that area of the site on Sept. 6. The footage does not establish the origin of the material deposited on the slope. Article content Ecco Recycling president Alec McDougall said in a Sept. 11 statement that the site has not accepted any new material since 2024. Article content Ecco representatives did not immediately respond this week to questions about the movement of material within the property. Article content ‘Inevitable’: Concerns raised before…