Emmie Leung, the founder and chief executive officer of Emterra Group, has been honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC). The award recognizes her remarkable five-decade career that helped shape Canada's recycling and resource recovery sector. The presentation took place during TRAC's Annual General Meeting on June 4, 2026, at the Alt Hotel Toronto Airport.
A Pioneer in Recycling
Leung founded the company that eventually became Emterra Group in 1976. She started as a solo entrepreneur collecting recyclable paper at a time when most Canadians did not view waste as a valuable resource. Over the years, she introduced one of the country's first curbside recycling programs and grew her business into a national leader in recycling, resource recovery, and circular-economy services.
Today, Emterra Group's operations include Emterra Tire Recycling, which transforms end-of-life tires into high-quality crumb rubber, aligning directly with TRAC's mission. Additionally, Ryse Solutions, Emterra Group's Producer Responsibility Organization, assists producers across regulated material streams in Ontario, helping them meet compliance requirements with robust operational support. These divisions together provide an integrated model that offers producers clear visibility into material management and recovery, ensuring strong accountability throughout the value chain.
Industry Recognition
The award is particularly significant because it comes from the tire and rubber industry itself, honoring a leader who built her reputation in recycling and demonstrated that discarded materials can be returned to productive use. This recognition also caps a milestone year for the company, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.
"Receiving this recognition from the tire and rubber industry means a great deal to me," said Emmie Leung. "I have spent fifty years in recycling, and the progress we are celebrating needs to be shared with the producers and manufacturers we work with. Their commitment to sustainability is what makes a true circular economy possible, and it has been a privilege to partner with so many of them."
Leung added, "When I started out, the idea that waste could be valuable was not one many people took seriously. I did, and so did the people who built this company with me. Everyday, we continue to prove that nothing has to be thrown away, and that is what drives the innovation within Emterra Group."
About the Awards
TRAC's Industry Leadership Awards recognize individuals and organizations for their contributions to the Canadian tire and rubber industry, including end-of-life tire management and sustainability. The awards are presented annually in four categories: Leader of the Year, Young Leader, Lifetime Achievement, and Sustainability.
About Emterra Group
Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, Emterra Group is one of Canada's recycling and resource recovery leaders. What began as a one-woman operation collecting recyclable paper has grown over five decades into an integrated group of companies spanning curbside and commercial recycling, material recovery, tire recycling, and producer responsibility. Together, these services enable producers, businesses, and communities to manage materials from collection through to recovery, advancing a circular economy across Canada.
Emterra is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026. It employs over 1,300 people across more than 40 facilities. Learn more at emterra.ca.
