Soil Recycling
One Call. One Team. Get More Out.
Hydrovac soil recycling turns hydrovac waste into clean fill, premium-grade sand and reclaimed water instead of sending it to landfill. OE utilizes a state-of-the-art, ECA-approved soil recycling facility in the central GTA, as part of OE's integrated service from digging to disposal.
From Digging to Disposal — One Company
OE views hydrovac waste as a valuable resource awaiting its next use. OE disposes only at sites that hold an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA). One call. One team.
By combining hydrovac excavation, road cutting and coring, U-Fill services, aggregate and sand delivery, surface restoration, support vehicles and crews, and soil disposal and recycling under one company, OE eliminates the inefficiency, the redundant travel and the coordination overhead that come with multiple subcontractors.
OE utilizes a state-of-the-art, ECA-approved soil recycling facility in the central GTA.
All materials undergo rigorous testing, tracking and tracing to monitor contamination risk.
100% of hydrovac waste is upgraded for value-added use: clean fill, premium-grade sand and reclaimed water.
A province-wide fleet with crews positioned for fast regional response.
A central GTA location removes the need to travel to rural dump sites, and quick, safe unloading gets trucks back on the road to the next job site faster.
What Is Hydrovac Soil Recycling?
Hydrovac soil recycling refines the slurry a hydrovac collects into usable, saleable products — keeping valuable materials in productive use rather than sending them to landfill.
Waste collected at the job site is unloaded at the soil recycling facility. There it is separated and sorted into aggregate, sand, silt and clay, and the water is separated, cleaned and reused throughout the process and to refill hydrovac trucks. Silts and clays are converted from waste into clean fill. Fine aggregates and sand are washed and extracted to meet the Ontario Provincial Standard Specification. The recycled products return to the construction supply chain.
Soil Recycling Capabilities
From hydrovac slurry to clean fill, premium-grade sand and reclaimed water.
Separation & Sorting
Hydrovac waste is separated and sorted into aggregate, sand, silt and clay.
Water Recycling
Water is separated, cleaned and reused throughout the process and to refill hydrovac trucks.
Clean Fill
Silts and clays are converted from waste into clean fill for construction.
Premium Pipe Bedding Sand
Sand washed to meet the Ontario Provincial Standard Specification and formulated for utility pipe bedding.
Testing, Tracking & Tracing
All materials undergo rigorous testing, tracking and tracing to monitor contamination risk.
Trained Waste Handling
Field employees are trained in the safe stewardship of hydrovac waste and in spill response and containment.
From digging to disposal, OE has you covered
OE's 24/7 emergency hotline is ready when you need it.
Where Hydrovac Soil Recycling Fits
All hydrovac waste generated in OE's daily work is recycled for reuse. These are some of the jobs it comes from.
Utility Exposure
Safe, precise hydro excavation to expose underground utilities for repair.
Water Main Break Repairs
Excavation and repair of water main breaks, including emergency response.
Water Box & Curb Stop Work
Water box and curb stop repair and replacement.
Lead Pipe Replacement
Lead pipe and water lateral line replacement.
Gas Service Replacements
Complete excavation and restoration for gas service replacements.
Cross Bore Investigation
Cross bore investigation and repair on gas distribution work.
Conveyor & Elevator Shaft Cleaning
Conveyor system clean-downs and elevator shaft cleaning.
Backfill & Restoration
Holes are often filled with OE's recycled premium sand product.
One Company From Dig to Reuse
The environmental case for bundling is simple: fewer trucks on the road, less repeated travel between sites, and more material reused in place of disposed.
One company and a single point of accountability for safety and quality, from excavation to disposal. Spoil is hauled to the ECA-approved central GTA soil recycling facility OE utilizes. Co-location and on-premises soil disposal and recycling reduce travel, emissions and cost.
Hydrovac Waste Put Back to Work
Results from OE's 2025 Sustainability Report.
What the facility produced in 2025
- 89,942 tonnes of silt and clay diverted as clean fill
- 7,184 tonnes of sand processed for construction and premium-performance pipe bedding
- 21,687,200 litres of water recycled and reused
More Than Soil Recycling — A Complete Utility Infrastructure Partner
Soil recycling is one capability within OE's full service offering. Here's what else the team handles.
Hydrovac Trucks
Non-destructive daylighting, slot trenching, and utility exposure — safe digging around buried gas, electric, water, and telecom.
Read More →U-Fill Concrete Trucks
Controlled low strength material (CLSM), utility backfill, road base stabilization, and void filling.
Read More →Material Slinger Trucks
Precise placement of stone, gravel, and topsoil — including long-distance and tight-access deliveries.
Read More →Coring Trucks
Concrete and asphalt coring, utility access coring, plus full surface restoration on roads, sidewalks, and boulevards.
Read More →Traffic Control
Traffic Control Plans (TCP), lane closure permits, flagging personnel, and municipal coordination.
Read More →Turnkey SUE — Level A
Subsurface Utility Engineering — project coordination, permit applications, locate services, and site visits.
Read More →Additional Services
Dump Trucks and Soft Services — material hauling, locates, permits, and project management that keep utility projects on schedule.
Read More →Hydrovac Soil Recycling FAQ
Answers to the questions OE's sales team hears most often.
What is hydrovac soil recycling?
Where does OE take hydrovac waste?
What does "ECA-approved" mean?
Who handles the O. Reg. 406/19 paperwork?
Can the recycled sand be used on my project?
Why book disposal with OE rather than a separate hauler?
OE Crews Across Ontario
OE serves Customers from six locations across Ontario. Select any location for detailed service area information.
Request a Quote
Tell us about your project — we'll respond within 24 hours with a tailored quote and next steps. For urgent or after-hours needs, call our 24/7 dispatch line directly.