Town of Banff

Composting Trial

Get a convenient Organics Kitchen Collector at Town Hall for just $7.50 and start saving your food waste for the Organics Bins

Participate in Banff's new organics composting effort

The Town of Banff and the Bow Valley Waste Management Commission have conducted a trial of a new community organics composting process that aims to divert food waste from our landfill.

We have placed specially-marked organics bins at selected recycling locations, and we are encouraging residents to save their food waste and toss it in these bins as part of the recycling routine.

It's easy to participate. Simply keep fruits and vegetables (raw and cooked, including peelings, husks and tops, pits, peels, rinds and cores) as well as rice, breads, coffee grounds, tea leaves or filters in a separate bin or paper bag.

The Town is providing convenient Organics Kitchen Collectors at low cost for this purpose. Drop by Town Hall (110 Bear Street, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday) and get one of these handy containers for just $7.50.

Each time you make a recycling trip, just empty your food waste into the specially-marked, bear-proof bins. Plastic bags should not be tossed into the new organics bins, as plastic cannot be composted.

Look for organics bins at these locations:

• Recycling Depot on Beaver Street behind the Fire Hall
• Recycling Depot on Hawk Avenue in the industrial area
• Cave Avenue
• Middle Springs Drive
  

Can it go in the Organics (compost) Bin?

The Banff compost facility is designed for processing solids left over from the waste water treatment process. Until we learn which additional organic materials this process can effectively compost we are being cautious about the materials we collect for composting. Please help us by placing only currently acceptable food waste items in the bins:

• most solid food waste can go in the organics bins, with the exception of meats and bones
• plastic of any kind must not be placed in the bins
• please cut large items into smaller pieces
• liquids or semi-liquid material such as yogurt and sour cream may be rinsed down the drain with used water such as dirty dish water

Use Your Garburator

If you have a garburator or wish to install one you may find it a more convenient way to dispose of many of these food waste items. In the past garburators have been discouraged for waste disposal in Banff. However, our modern wastewater treatment plant now makes it possible to encourage the use of garburators. Food waste processed in a garburator will make its way into the composting process through the wastewater treatment system. Increased use of garburators will provide us with an opportunity to learn how to adjust the wastewater treatment process to accommodate more food waste.

More information:

• Detailed Description of Compostable Items ( PDF - 16 kb)
• Organics Poster ( PDF - 235 kb) - keep a copy handy for quick reference!