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For many companies recycling is simply business. In Victoria, British Columbia, Ellice Recycle Ltd. has made it an art form.

Ellice Recycle, a full-service recycling plant serving residential and commercial customers, has commissioned local artist Jeff Maltby to paint an extensive wall mural illustrating the history of recycling on one of its warehouses. The mural measures 152-feet wide by 25-feet high.

The mural depicts a colorful scene from the late 1800s where peddlers, ragpickers and scrap metal dealers mingle in the street while trading rags, scrap metal, bones and paper—all popular recyclables of the era.

While the images, period and artistic lines are Maltby’s concept and design, the original idea for a mural came from Ian Maxwell, owner of Ellice’s parent company Ralmax. Maxwell was inspired to paint one of his buildings after hearing about a mural painted on the walls of a weaving school in Chicago several years ago.

The final illusion was no easy feat.

"I’ve tried to incorporate the physical features of the warehouse into the mural as much as possible so the painting is seamless," says Maltby. "For example, when the bay doors are closed it’s hard to tell if they’re real or part of the picture. Another huge challenge was getting the mural to wrap around the corner onto the second wall without looking interrupted."

Ellice Recycle manager Diane Starck says the project promotes awareness and pride in recycling. "The mural is our way of enhancing the image of industry in the community, and we’re already receiving great feedback," Starck says.