BANFF – Recycling is about to get a lot more convenient for Banff businesses.
Council last week changed regulations to allow businesses to put mixed paper, plastic, metal and glass containers in residential recycling bins. It also dropped the fee for businesses to deliver mixed paper, plastic and metal containers to the waste transfer site.
Town of Banff officials say the new rules will coincide with installation of new neighbourhood recycling depots in October in four downtown locations – the fire hall parking lot, the laneway behind the United Church, and the Bear Street and Town Hall surface parking lots.
Mayor Karen Sorensen said she applauds all of these efforts, noting she is in favour of making recycling more convenient for businesses and reducing costs.
“I had a fear about overloading of residential bins, but then I realized, of course, there’s also going to be four different recycling depot locations, as opposed to people just coming to the current Beaver Street location,” she said.
“I’m hoping that isn’t the case, but I assume that Operations with be watching this.”
Businesses will still be banned from placing cardboard or food and food-soiled paper in residential recycling bins, given there is already a municipal collection service for these materials.
The Town of Banff has a goal to reduce waste going to landfill by 70 per cent by 2028 and eliminate all landfill by 2050.
Presently, businesses can self-haul mixed recyclables or hire a third-party company to pick up, haul and manage recycling.
The Town has charged $54 per tonne for mixed paper, and a combined rate of $192 per tonne for plastic and metal containers.
Once this fee is no longer charged, it’s estimated it would lead to $2,000 revenue loss at the transfer site.
