Zero Waste April Newsletter

Banff strives to be a model environmental community and we need businesses like you to help us lead the charge.

In this newsletter, you’ll receive recognition for your efforts, learn how to stay compliant with the waste bylaw, and save costs while you save the planet.

If you know others who would enjoy receiving this newsletter, please direct them to sign up at banff.ca/notify.

Proposed Bylaw for Businesses to Separate Food/Recycling from Garbage

The Town of Banff is considering?a bylaw that will require the non-residential sector to separate food scraps and recycling from garbage. If passed, the bylaw will come into effect on October 1, 2022.

Building owners and property managers would be responsible for ensuring adequate bins are in place?and informing their tenants of the requirement to separate food scraps and recycling from garbage. All businesses renting space in a building would be expected to participate in the program. Garbage bins that contain visible amounts (no more than 10%) of food scraps and recycling would no longer be accepted and may be subject to fines.
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Businesses renting space in a building must participate by separating their food scraps and recycling.
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Council will review the bylaw on Monday, April 11

The meeting agenda & process to submit feedback can be found online at banff.ca/AgendaCenter.

Banff is Moving Toward Zero Waste

Diverting food scraps and recycling from the landfill supports the Town of Banff’s goals to reach 70% waste diversion by 2028, zero waste to landfill, and ultimately become a model environmental community.

Enforcement

An education-first approach will be used to inform the owner of a non-residential premises when they are not in compliance with the bylaw, by way of administrative warnings and education. Resource Recovery staff would provide educational resources and collaborate with the business for a period of time, with the shared goal to reach compliance.

Sign up for a waste assessment

The Town of Banff’s waste assessment process helps identify key opportunities to move toward zero waste in your business, including diverting your food scraps and recycling. The assessment takes about an hour and can be done virtually or in-person.

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Contact: ?
Zero.Waste@banff.ca
403.762.1132

How-to resources can be found on?BanffZeroWasteTrail.ca/Commercial?

Did you know paper towels can go in the food bin?

If you have public facing food scraps and recycling bins you can capture paper towels as well.

We have new signage to help you divert as much waste as possible.

Visit BanffZeroWasteTrail.ca/Commercial to download this new signage template for free.

Zero Waste Kits

Are you an employer that provides staff accommodation in the Bow Valley? Do you want to empower your tenants to move toward zero waste?

The Town of Banff provides low-cost kits to staff accommodations, which include:
$5 Compost bins and $10 Recycling bins.
Each bin purchase includes how-to guides, educational posters, and downloadable signage.

Tools for moving toward Zero Waste in Staff Accommodations Workshop

Thursday, April 7, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
You are invited to join us for a virtual workshop providing you with tools to reduce, reuse, and recycle at your staff accommodation. You’ll hear from teams at Banff Springs Hotel and Ti'nu residences about the simple, convenient systems they’ve created to help tenants reduce, reuse, and recycle. Town of Banff will also share information about the zero waste resources specifically tailored to staff accommodations.

Sign up and receive the workshop zoom link by emailing zero.waste@banff.ca.

Congrats to Samesun Hostel, Banff’s Newest Trailblazer

Pictured in photo: Neele Schneider, Megan Purchase, and John Hunter

Samesun Hostel is the latest recipient of the Zero Waste Trailblazer Awards, a recognition for Banff businesses and institutions that go above and beyond efforts to reduce, re-use and recycle.
We sat down with the team at Samesun Hostel to learn more about what it means to move toward zero waste in the context of a hostel. The passion of the management team was infectious and clearly translated to staff at all levels.

The Samesun is in a unique position as a lodging operation with dormitory style rooms, a shared kitchen for guest use, and a restaurant—all of which have potential to generate different types of waste. Thankfully, the team at the Samesun knows how to handle the different sources of waste and for the most part, they tackle preventing waste before it happens in the first place!

The team at Samesun is helping Banff move toward zero waste by:

Not providing unnecessary waste like single-use items
Sharing their enthusiasm for the importance of zero waste with their guests
Ensuring that guests participate in proper waste sorting by providing clearly labelled, well-organized communal bins
Using Town of Banff services like food scraps collection and the neighbourhood recycling bins to responsibly dispose of the materials

Hostel staff can often be the first folks that visitors meet when they arrive in Banff, and we are reassured knowing that sustainability is a top priority message being shared with guests. Thanks to the passionate crew at the Samesun for creating a hostel experience that showcases Banff’s environmental values!

Zero Waste Trailblazers are selected based on 10 categories and 20 certification criteria relating to waste reduction and diversion practices, measured results, and related environmental protection initiatives. The categories are listed at banffzerowastetrail.ca/commercial. Businesses must score higher than 16 points (80%) to achieve Trailblazer status.

See how you measure up! Email zero.waste@banff.ca for a waste assessment!

Get in touch:
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Email us: zerowaste@Banff.ca
Learn more: BanffZeroWasteTrail.ca