Town of Banff

Unwanted Items Campaign

January 17, 2008

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Town asks residents for help getting unwanted items to landfill

Banff, AB – In the past three years the Town of Banff spent $180,000 collecting and hauling unwanted waste left beside our neighborhood garbage bins to the Francis Cooke Landfill. This week, we are kicking off a three-month educational campaign to help eliminate this unsightly, hazardous and expensive issue.

"We believe residents don’t know what their options are when it comes to waste disposal," says Jim Rait, Resource Recovery Foreman. "They also don’t realize they could be fined $150 for leaving unwanted items – with the exception of leaves in bags and tied up branches -- beside their bins."

Residents looking to dispose of unwanted items – from mattresses to appliances – should drop them off for free at the Operations Yard at 120 Hawk Avenue if you can’t get them to the Francis Cooke Landfill.  All you have to do is check in at the front desk at Operations during business hours.

Another option is to save your items until spring or fall when the Town will pick them up for free as part of our curbside, unwanted item pick-up service.  If you have no way to deliver your items to the Yard and can’t wait for our regularly scheduled pick up, you’ll find a list of local movers at www.banff.ca.

To help spread the message, the Town will be running radio and print advertisements, working with landlords to place posters at apartment buildings, dropping off leaflets door-to-door in problem areas and will add educational signs near residential bins, all in an effort to curb this problem. Bylaw Services will also incorporate some shift changes to help educate residents on this issue.

If you see someone placing items beside a bin, please call us at 762.1218.  

Visit www.banff.ca to learn more about getting your goods to landfill or for other tips to reduce your waste.

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For Information:
Michelle Gurney
Marketing and Communications Manager
Town of Banff
T: 403.762.1207