A Bow Valley circular reuse system

Every year, over 7,000 tonnes of waste go to the Francis Cooke Landfill. Much of it is still usable.

In our current system, we take materials from the Earth, make products from them, and eventually throw them away as waste – the process is linear. Often this linear economic model is referred to as a “take-make-waste” system.

In a circular economy, we stop waste being produced in the first place and nature is regenerated through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting.

Landfill space is running out. The Francis Cooke Lanfill is expected to reach capacity within 30 years. There is no room to expand and no nearby alternatives. With Canmore expected to grow significantly, we must reduce what we bury.

Right now, there is no coordinated system to keep these materials circulating locally. Our project aims to change that…

Our Project: A Bow Valley Reuse System and Hub

In partnership with the Bow Valley Waste Management Commission, Flying Pigs Environmental Services, and the municipalities, the Biosphere Institute will pilot a coordinated system of reuse across the Bow Valley.

Instead of good materials being buried at the landfill, we will:

• Intercept usable items like lumber, doors, flooring, furniture, and household goods.

• Transport them out of the landfill system or divert them directly from work sites.

• Redistribute them back into the community - free of charge.

Why does the Bow Valley need this?

The Bow Valley is facing three big challenges: affordability, waste, and lack of space. All of these challenges are connected.

By working together, we can build a culture of reuse — where valuable materials stay in circulation and support the people who live here. Reuse has many benefits including:

• Saving money

• Reducing waste

• Extending landfill life

• Building community resilience

• Supporting a more livable Bow Valley

How will this work?

Instead of a traditional drop-in centre, this pilot focuses on a mobile, delivery-based reuse system.

Usable construction and household materials will be intercepted before or after they reach the landfill, then moved using a dedicated truck. Items may be held temporarily in a secure storage unit and are then redistributed across the Bow Valley.

An online platform will catalogue available materials and allow community members to:

• See what’s available

• Request items

• Schedule a pickup or delivery time

This approach removes one of the biggest barriers to reuse — transporting large or bulky items — and makes reuse more accessible for more people.

This is an iterative pilot project over the next two years. We’ll test ideas, gather feedback, and adapt the system as we go to improve convenience, affordability, and impact. What we learn will help shape a long-term reuse solution for the Bow Valley.

WE need your help

We’re building this system with the community.

Over the coming months, we’ll be hosting a series of focus groups and conversations to gather input on:

• What materials are most needed

• How the delivery and pickup system should work

• What would make reuse easiest and most effective

If you’re a resident, contractor, business, or community organization, and you’re interested in helping shape this project, we’d love to hear from you.

Click the button below to email us and learn more about participating in a focus group!

Together, let’s design a reuse system that works for the Bow Valley.

Why reuse instead of recycling?

Recycling is important — but reuse is even better.

When items are reused, they stay in their original form and function, preserving their highest value. That means less energy, fewer resources, and less processing than breaking materials down to recycle them.

Another way to think of it…

The 9R framework helps us think differently about waste by prioritizing actions that prevent waste in the first place and keep materials at their highest value for as long as possible.

Instead of focusing only on recycling at the end of an item’s life, the 9Rs show a hierarchy of smarter choices — from refusing and reducing, to reusing and repairing, and only recycling as a last step before disposal.

By working higher up the 9R hierarchy, we save resources, reduce emissions, and get more value from the things we already have — which is better for people, communities, and the planet.

• Refuse: How can we make a product redundant by abandoning its function or offering the same function in a different product?

• Rethink: How can we make the product’s use more intensive (e.g., sharing)?

• Reduce: How can we increase efficiency in manufacturing and use so that we consume fewer natural resources and materials?

• Reuse: How can we find new users of products that are still in good condition?

• Repair: How can we repair and maintain products to prolong the original functionality?

• Refurbish: How can we restore old products and bring them up-to-date?

• Remanufacture: How can we use parts of discarded products in the manufacturing of new products with the same function?

• Repurpose: How can we use the discarded product or its parts in a new product with a different function?

• Recycle: How can we process the products to obtain the same or lower grade quality materials?

• Recover: As a last resort, how can we incinerate the product for energy recovery?