HodgePodge Lodge diverts nearly 2 million pounds of waste east of Edmonton

A reuse facility east of Edmonton is proving that one person’s trash can truly be another’s treasure.

Located in Sherwood Park, the HodgePodge Lodge has collected and repurposed nearly two million pounds of items since opening in 2023, helping keep waste out of landfills across the Edmonton region. The facility allows residents to drop off items that cannot be recycled or donated to traditional thrift stores, giving others the chance to take them home for free.

People bring in items they no longer need, which are weighed and sorted by volunteers before being put on display for the public. The centre says the approach has helped significantly reduce waste while building a strong sense of community.

“They’re quite surprised, actually, because most things in the world are, you know, monetary driven, then for them to see it’s free, and then they buy into the ‘It’s a real community thing,’ like we’re saving things where we’re reusing things, things aren’t going in the landfill,” said volunteer Barry Calder.

The lodge is busiest during the summer months, with hundreds of visitors stopping by daily. It has become especially popular with crafters and educators from the Edmonton area.

“I’ve done some cross-stitch that I found from here, and right now I’m looking for items for my sister’s bridal shower,” said visitor Elayna Hudson.

Volunteers say the variety of items keeps people coming back.

“Saves me money, just saying … It’s just a treasure trove of neat things … Teachers love us because of toilet paper rolls, the craft things come in. They don’t have to buy it, they don’t have to collect it, it’s all here,” said Bob Pratt, a volunteer of two years.

The lodge accepts a wide range of items, sometimes unusual ones.

“One that comes to mind off the top of my head was a pound of fat. It looked like a pound of fat, and I was thinking, ‘What would somebody want this for? Maybe a doctor’s office,’ and then when a volunteer says ‘No, it’s probably a weight loss clinic to say like you know you’ve lost a pound. This is what it looks like. Be proud of yourself.’ And it left the minute it walked in,” said Erin Wildeboer, waste diversion supervisor with Strathcona County.

The HodgePodge Lodge has received national recognition for its waste reduction efforts and hopes the model can expand to other communities across Alberta and beyond.