FAQs

Single-use items are convenience items that are only used once before they are disposed of. These include, among other items, grocery bags, straws, food containers, cups and cutlery. Many single-use items are plastic or contain some form of plastic; however, it is important to note that the Town uses the word item intentionally to refer to disposable convenience items, which may be made of materials other than plastic but are still single-use.

The Town has heard from a variety of community organizations, grassroots groups, and private-sector organizations who have indicated support for action on single-use items, for example:

• Advocacy efforts from grassroots environmental groups in 2018 and 2019

• The launch of Banff Isn’t Disposable (BID) container reuse program

• Banff Lake Louise Hospitality Association’s “Let’s Start with Single-Use Items” stakeholder engagement workshop (2019) 

• Numerous individual businesses demonstrating leadership on reducing single-use items 

The use of single-use items for convenience purposes has become prolific locally and around the globe. This presents concerns for numerous reasons, including:  

• Impact of litter and plastic pollution on natural ecosystems

• Many single-use items are not recyclable or compostable, and SUI that are compostable or recyclable in theory often lack proper processing facilities

• Significant resources are required to produce, transport, and dispose of single-use items 

• There are hidden embodied emissions associated with the production of single-use items 

• Proliferation of single-use items sends a strong message that condones a culture of disposability