Commercial Food Waste Bylaw Update

Food isn’t garbage. A mandatory commercial food waste bylaw will be implemented in spring of 2023 (not enforced until fall 2023). Food waste, which includes all cooked and raw food scraps (bones, egg shells, coffee grounds, etc.) and food-soiled paper products, makes up over half of the waste sent to landfill by commercial and institutional sectors. A voluntary food waste collection service for commercial businesses has been in place since 2020, but only 1/3 of relevant businesses participate. In order to further reduce food waste going to the landfill, the Town will be updating the Recyclables and Waste Bylaw to make it mandatory to collect food waste separately from commercial garbage. Banff, Calgary and many other municipalities have similar bylaw requirements for businesses.

The key updates being proposed in the bylaw update include:

• Every owner of a commercial premise shall provide for the separate removal of food waste from that premise.
• Food waste will be banned from being placed into any garbage container at a commercial premise.

These food waste requirements only apply if a business or organization that serves or manufactures food operates within the premise (e.g. restaurants, coffee shops, healthcare facilities, cafeterias, grocery stores, food manufacturing, breweries, etc.).

To learn more about our Commercial Food Waste Collection Service click here.

A list of frequently asked questions is available in the documents section on the right of your screen.

Please provide your feedback on ways to improve the transition to mandatory food waste diversion below, open until February 27 at noon.