What and How Can I Recycle?

There are a number of materials we can recycle in the Town of Banff, the Town of Canmore and the MD of Bighorn. Following are a list of these items. Click on the item to link to more detailed information.

Appliances
Batteries:
Cardboard and boxboard
Drink / beverage containers (refundable)
Electronic waste (e-waste)
Fluorescent light tubes and bulbs
Glass Containers– clear and coloured
Household Hazardous Waste – Toxic Round Up and Paint Exchange
Large Item Pick Up - household
Magazines
Metal Food Cans
Milk cartons
Milk jugs – plastic
Newspaper
Paper – mixed and office
Phone directories
Plastic – grocery bags only
Plastics – mixed
Reusable items
Scrub and brush
Tires
Used oil, antifreeze, containers and filters

What’s not acceptable for recycling in municipal depots
Styrofoam
Plastic bags
Large rigid plastic

Appliances

Banff: Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot, year round, nominal fee

Francis Cooke Regional Landfill: Accepts appliances year round. Fees apply.

Washers, dryers, dishwashers, hot water heaters, stoves, furnaces and fridges are accepted in Banff at the Operations Yard.

Appliances are transformed into steel, which can be made into rebar, using only one-quarter of the energy it would take to make it from iron ore.

Batteries:

Automotive batteries:

Banff: Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot

Canmore: Boulder Depot

Please ensure automotive batteries are place inside the provided containers. Handle with care as often old batteries leak, causing acid burns. Leaking batteries can be sealed in plastic or placed inside a 5 gallon pail.

The plastic casing from automotive batteries becomes new plastic casing. The lead cells become new lead cells. The acid is reused in the production of polystyrene.

Single-use household batteries:

Currently not recycled in Alberta.

These include AA, AAA, C, D and 9-volt batteries. The mercury content has been phased out in their construction therefore they can go into the garbage.

Rechargeable batteries:

Banff: Operations Office across from the Compound Depot and Town Hall (bin under main staircase)

Canmore: Boulder Depot

MD of Bighorn: MD Office in Exshaw

Commonly found in cordless power tools, cellular and cordless phones, CD players, laptop computers, digital cameras and remote control toys. They contain potentially harmful chemicals and should not be disposed of in normal household waste.

Reusable material from rechargeable batteries includes nickel, iron, lead and cobalt. Some of these metals are used to make new batteries and stainless steel.

Cardboard and boxboard

Banff: Downtown Depot, Compound Depot and Community Recycling Trailer Large quantities should be taken directly to the Banff Recycle Centre located in the Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot

This includes corrugated cardboard (i.e. packing boxes and empty pizza boxes) and boxboard (i.e. cereal boxes with wax liners removed, pop/beer boxes, tissue boxes, shoe boxes).

No oil soaked or waxy cardboard, plastics, or Styrofoam. Please flatten boxes.

Cardboard and boxboard is recycled into new cardboard, boxboard, building paper and shingles.

Drink / beverage containers (refundable)

Banff: Banff Bottle Depot (100 Eagle Crescent)

Canmore: Canmore Bottle Depot (103 Boulder Crescent)

In Alberta, all ready–to–drink beverage containers sold, with the exception of milk, are returnable for deposit refund. These deposits are returned in full when you take the empty container for recycling to a bottle depot. Deposits range from 5 to 20 cents, depending on size and type of container. For more information contact the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC) (www.abcrc.com).

Aluminum cans are melted down and made into new aluminum cans.

Glass containers are crushed and ground back into sand or glass spheres, which can be mixed with paint and used to make road lines reflective. Coloured glass is made into fibreglass insulation used in homes and buildings.

Plastic containers are made out of PET plastic (see Plastic-mixed). These bottles are recycled into new bottles, buckets, pails and fleece jackets.

Tetra or juice boxes are made up of paper, an aluminum lining and a plastic coating. In order to separate these materials, these containers are hydro-pulped. This paper pulp can be used for the finishing on gypsum wallboard, roofing paper and boxes.

Non-aluminum cans are typically made of steel, which can be melted down and made into rebar and car parts.

Drink pouches are recycled to remove the plastic, which is used to make park benches and bins.

Electronic waste (e-waste)

Banff: Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot accepts televisions and computer equipment free of charge. Nominal fee for other items.

Canmore: Boulder Depot

This includes computers, monitors, CPU, keyboard, mouse, cables, speakers, printers, laptops, and televisions. As a general rule, if you can plug it in, the depots will take it.

Electronic waste can contain heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium as well as other harmful substances. These items are collected as part of the Electronics Recycling Alberta (www.albertarecycling.ca) program. Fees are charged when purchasing new electronic items to help offset the recycling costs.

Electronic waste contains a number of valuable materials than can be broken down and reused. Wires, cables and circuits contain steel, aluminum and copper metals. Glass from computer monitors and television screens can be crushed and reused. Keyboards, computer cases and mice contain plastic that can also be recycled into new products.

Fluorescent light tubes and bulbs

Banff: Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot, nominal fee

Canmore: Boulder Depot

This includes all fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent bulbs.

Fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, which is a toxic material so care should be taken not to break them.

The mercury is recovered from fluorescent bulbs. The glass bulb, the aluminum end caps and phosphor powder is also separated and reused or recycled.

Glass Containers– clear and coloured

Glass food containers must go in collection bins marked "GLASS" . Please DO NOT place glass containers in bins marked "Mixed Containers" since automatic sorting systems cannot separate glass from other materials. It is important to REMOVE all metal lids. Paper labels OK.

Banff: Downtown Depot, Compound Depot, Neighbourhood Blue Bins and Community Recycling Trailer (where still available).

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot

This includes clear and coloured glass jars that have been cleaned and rinsed.

No lids (place in metal bin), food residue, light bulbs, window glass, ceramic or porcelain dishes.

The glass collected in the Bow Valley is used locally at the Lafarge Canada Inc. plant in Exshaw where it is ground back into sand and used in their concrete production.

Household Hazardous Waste – Toxic Round Up and Paint Exchange

Collected four times a year throughout the Bow Valley as part of the Household Hazardous Waste - Toxic Round Up and Paint Exchange Program. See the Upcoming Events for locations, dates and times.

Household Hazardous Wastes consist of solid or liquid materials and their containers. These materials are flammable, corrosive, explosive or toxic. These potentially hazardous products such as pesticides, herbicides, cleaners, aerosols, solvents, and poisons should not be disposed of in landfills or sewage systems.

Large Item Pick Up - household

Banff: Spring and Fall – see Upcoming Events for dates. Must register for pick up. Some items do not qualify for pick up (household hazardous waste, automotive parts, construction/ renovation waste). Please check when registering.

Year round drop off at the Operations Yard.

Canmore: Spring and Fall – see Upcoming Events for dates. Must register for pick up.

This includes all large household appliances and furniture. This bi-annual pick up is free of charge, however you must register with the appropriate municipality.

Magazines

Banff: Neighbourhood Blue Bins, Downtown Depot, Compound Depot and Community Recycling Trailer (where still available) - Can be placed in MIXED PAPER or MAGAZINE bins)

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer. (combined with mixed paper)

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot (combined with mixed paper)

Magazines are pulped and converted into a variety of new products such as building insulation, paper towels, and bathroom tissue.

Metal Food Cans

Banff: Downtown Depot, Compound Depot, Neighbourhood Blue Bins and Community Recycling Trailer (where still available). Metal food cans can be placed in the metal bin or the MIXED CONTAINER bin at a neighourhood blue bin site.

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot

This includes tin food cans and lids, jar lids, and aluminium pie plates. No food residue. Empty dried-out paint cans are okay. Please fold the lid inside the can and flatten for the safety of the workers.

No metal hangers, wire, propane tanks, or batteries. No hazardous wastes (i.e. wet paint).

Metal food cans may be recycled into rebar, car parts and new food cans.

Milk cartons

Banff: Downtown Depot

Canmore: Boulder Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot

Milk cartons are collected as part of the Alberta Dairy Councils program (milkcontainerrecycling.com). This includes all single serving, 1L and 2L cardboard milk cartons.

All cartons must be thoroughly rinsed and flattened.

Milk cartons are recycled into corrugated cardboard, tissue paper, napkins and bathroom tissue.

Milk jugs – plastic

Banff: Downtown Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot

Milk jugs are collected as part of the Alberta Dairy Council program (milkcontainerrecycling.com). This includes all single serving, 2L and 4L dairy milk jugs.

All jugs must be thoroughly rinsed and flattened, with the lids removed. Milk jugs and caps are made from different types of plastics, which cannot be recycled together. The caps are coloured and the milk jugs are clear, so if the caps are left on, they contaminate and reduce the value of the clear plastic for recycling purposes.

Milk jugs are recycled into new products such as drainage pipes, flower pots and plastic containers.

Newspaper

Banff: Downtown Depot, Compound Depot and Community Recycling Trailer (collected separately)
Large quantities should be delivered directly to the Banff Recycle Centre located in the Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot. Note that newspaper can be included in the "Mixed Paper" bin in Banff's new Neighbourhood Blue Bins system.

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer (combined with magazines)

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot (combined with magazines)

This includes newsprint, flyers and inserts. Please no magazines.

Old Newspaper (ONP) is recycled into new newsprint, boxboard, insulation materials, and roofing shingles.

Paper – mixed and office

Banff: Downtown Depot, Compound Depot and Community Recycling Trailer
Large quantities should be delivered directly to the Banff Recycle Centre located in the Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot

This includes white and coloured paper, copier paper, computer paper, fax paper, loose leaf paper, can / jar labels, envelopes (windows are fine), construction paper, brown paper bags (no waxy interior), shredded paper and junk mail.

Staples and paper clips are fine. Please no carbon paper, cellophane, food wrapping, bubble plastic envelopes, phone directories.

Mixed waste paper is recycled into boxboard, egg cartons, building paper and roofing shingles.

Phone directories

Banff: Downtown Depot and Compound Depot
Includes all local phone directories.

No catalogues, magazines or plastic bags.

Made into shingles, building paper, egg cartons, and boxboard.

Plastic – grocery bags only

Banff: Safeway and Keller’s Grocery Stores

Canmore: Safeway and Sobey’s Grocery Stores
Plastic grocery bags are accepted for return only at the indicated grocery stores.

Please do not put plastic bags into the municipal recycle bins. See below.

Plastics – mixed

Banff: Downtown Depot

Canmore: Boulder Depot, Sobeys Depot and Community Recycling Trailer

MD of Bighorn: Dead Man’s Flats Depot, Exshaw Depot, Harvie Heights Depot, Lac Des Arcs Depot, Jamieson Road Depot and Ghost River Depot

All mixed plastic items must be clean, empty and lids removed. Labels may be left on containers. Please no plastic bags, Styrofoam, or toys.

The following classifications of plastic are acceptable for recycling in the region.

Check the container for a mobius loop (three arrow triangle symbol) to see if it has one of the following numbers:

PET (polyethylene terephthalate)

HDPE (high density polyethylene)

PVC (polyvinyl chloride)

PP (polypropylene)

PS (polystyrene) – rigid only, not foamed or expanded (NO STYROFOAM)

OTHER

These plastics are recycled into many products including plastic lumber, carpet, various containers, and vehicle curbs.

Reusable items

Banff:
St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church Clothing Boutique (Banff Avenue and Wolf Street) is open Thursdays from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm from September to June

St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church Clothing Boutique has a variety of used clothing and household items for sale. If you have something you would like to donate, please leave it at the side door (on Wolf Street). For more information call 403.762.3279.

Canmore:
Victories Thrift Store (3 Industrial Place)

Victories Thrift Store, part of a non-profit foundation, offers an affordable place to shop for essential household items, clothing and unique items. Proceeds from the Store are used to assist individuals and families in crisis. Call 403.678.9801 for store and receiving hours.

Second Story Books (Lower Level, 713 Main Street)

Second Story Books accepts and sells used books. For more information and store hours call 403.609.2368 or email info@secondstorybooks.ca.

Regional:
Freecycle - Bow Valley (www.freecycle.org - register under Bow Valley region)

Freecycle – Bow Valley is an online email list where people give away things they no longer need for free.

Scrub and brush

Banff: Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot, year round

Canmore: Boulder Depot (April to October)

MD of Bighorn: Spring and fall pick up is done in all hamlets – watch for local notices

This includes all small trees and branches.

No plastic bags. No scrap wood.

The scrub and brush is taken to the Francis Cooke Landfill where it is chipped and used for landscape mulch.

Tires

Banff: Operations Yard across from the Compound Depot

This includes passenger car and truck tires. They are collected as part of the Tire Recycle Alberta program (www.albertarecycling.ca). Rims must be removed.

Used tires are shredded and the inner metal part is removed. The shredded rubber sometimes goes through another process to produce rubber crumb, which can be shaped and formed into many different products. It can be made into roofing tiles and building products, playground surfaces, landscaping tiles, livestock mattresses and mats, and rubber asphalt roads.

Used oil, antifreeze, containers and filters

Banff: Standish Automotive located at 126 Eagle Crescent

Canmore: Boulder Depot

Antifreeze is recycled into new antifreeze. The used oil is cleaned and made into new oil. The used oil containers are cleaned and recycled into new plastic products.

Used oil filters are recycled into metal products such as rebar, wire or nails.

What’s not acceptable for recycling in municipal depots

Styrofoam

Styrofoam (polystyrene plastic) is widely used for packing material, either in block form or individual peanut-shaped pieces. It is also used as the tray part of the packing used for foodstuffs in supermarkets. It is also used for coffee cups, clamshell containers and egg cartons.

Styrofoam is not recycled in the Bow Valley.

Plastic bags

Plastic bags and pouches are made of thin, flexible, plastic film. Single use plastic bags create a litter and waste management issue as well are a waste of resources.

They are not recycled in the recycle depots in the Bow Valley.

Grocery stores in Banff (Safeway and Nesters "formerly Keller Foods") and Canmore (Safeway and Sobeys) accept their plastic bags for recycling.

Durable, reusable bags are a more environmentally friendly option. They can be reused over and over again.

Large rigid plastic

Large rigid plastics include such things as pipe, lawn furniture and toys.

These large rigid plastic items are currently not being collected and recycled in the Bow Valley. They can be taken to the Francis Cooke Landfill for disposal.