Emterra Group marks 50 years of dedicated recycling services
The company has stayed ahead of the curve for five decades by adapting to new methods in recycling and embracing innovation
Emterra Group is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of service, environmental leadership, and circular-economy innovation across communities in Canada.
Emterra Group stayed ahead of the curve to become a leader in recycling
Founded in 1976 by entrepreneur Emmie Leung, Emterra Group — originally named International Paper Industries — began in Vancouver as a one-woman recycling business and has grown into a North American powerhouse of resource recovery. Over five decades, the company has built its reputation by doing things differently — making early investments, embracing innovation, and adapting where others have stood still. That evolution has included intentionally integrating across the recycling value chain, building capabilities from collection and processing to launching its own multi-material Producer Responsibility Organization and EV fleet.
Reflecting on the company's 50-year journey, Founder and CEO Emmie Leung shared, "When I started this company in 1976, recycling wasn't yet a mainstream idea. I came to Canada from Hong Kong as a young woman with a dream, strong work ethic, and skill for seeing opportunity where others didn't. Fifty years later, I'm so proud of how far we've come and deeply grateful to the many dedicated employees, partners, and communities who helped shape the company's story, and my own."
Leung added that the anniversary is as much about the next chapter as it is about the legacy:
"We're grounded in our roots, but we've never stopped looking forward. This industry is always evolving, and meeting the challenges ahead requires persistence, collaboration, and a willingness to keep changing. I believe that same spirit that built Emterra will guide us through the next 50 years."
That future-focused mindset is echoed by Paulina Leung, chief sustainability officer, who highlighted Emterra Group's long-term, values-driven approach to growth — one rooted in continued investment in its people and the innovative solutions needed to support the evolving demands of Extended Producer Responsibility:
"As we look ahead, we remain committed to using technology, data, and innovation to enable people and businesses to become stewards of the environment. Producer responsibility is central to our vision — ensuring resources are tracked, recovered, and reintegrated responsibly so we can maximize their value and close the loop for a truly circular economy."
As part of the anniversary, Emterra Group has unveiled a new corporate website and a special 50th anniversary logo. Throughout 2026, Emterra intends to celebrate this special milestone with employees, community partners, clients, and industry stakeholders, highlighting the people, innovations, and community relationships that have defined the company's success.
