Waste Reduction
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WASTE REDUCTION DID YOU KNOW: Guide for the Roaring Fork Valley The triangle of arrows with a number in the center, featured on WHY RECYCLE? Recycling is one of the easiest actions you can take to support clean air most plastics, simply indicates the type of plastic the item is and water, save our forest ecosystems, reduce energy, and protect the environment. constructed from. It is not a recycling symbol, it is a code for different chemicals. For example, some plastic bags have a triangle with a #2 or #4, but our local recyclers do not accept them. FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT: WASTEFREEROARINGFORK.ORG According to the EPA, the average person generates over 4 pounds of trash every day and about 1.5 tons of solid waste per year. Over 75% of that waste is recyclable, but Americans only recycle about 30% of it (according to the website www.greenwaste.com). BE PART OF THE SOLUTION WITH THIS ROARING FORK VALLEY RECYCLING GUIDE This guide was compiled by Waste Free Roaring Fork and the Town of Carbondale’s Environmental Board. You are encouraged to contact each entity directly for the most current information regarding recycling procedures, acceptable items, hours and recycling fees. Visit www.wastefreeroaringfork.org for more information on waste reduction and www.carbondalegov.org for information pertaining to Carbondale’s Environmental Board. WASTEFREEROARINGFORK.ORG Recycling: AT HOME RECYCLING TIPS: • Paper and cardboard must be dry and free of food debris since food grease and stains contaminate the recycling process. However, paper items with food and grease stains can be composted. • Remove or loosen caps from cans and plastics • Empty and rinse all containers ROARING FORK VALLEY CURBSIDE RECYCLING HAULERS: InterMountain Waste and Recycling: (970) 945-2822 www.recycling-waste-service-garbage-trash-removal-colorado.com Accepts recyclables in one container (single-stream): Co-mingled containers such as cans (tin and aluminum), plastic bottles (#1 – #7), glass bottles and jars, newspaper, magazines, office paper, cardboard. Mountain Refuse Inc (MRI): (970) 963-3435 | www.mrico.net Accepts recyclables (single stream but sorted) and compost (in Pitkin County): Plastics (#1 - #7), mixed color glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans and foil, tin and steel cans (co-mingled in one container). Place newspaper and magazines inside your bin on top). Cardboard must be flattened and placed underneath your bin. VIP Trash: (970) 945-9228 | www.viptrash.net Accepts recyclables in one container (single-stream): Plastics (#1 - #6), newspaper, cardboard, magazines, tin, steel and aluminum cans, glass bottles and jars, paper bags, phone and paperback books, office paper, aluminum, cereal/beer boxes, milk/juice cartons and scrap metal. Waste Management: 1(866) 909-4458 | www.wm.com Accepts recyclables in one container (single-stream): Plastic bottles and containers (# 1 - #7), paper, paper cardboard, dairy and juice containers, flattened cardboard and paperboard, glass bottles and jars, junk mail and envelopes, aluminum foil and cans. ROARING FORK VALLEY RECYCLING DROP-OFF LOCATIONS: Aspen: • The Pitkin County Solid Waste Center (the Landfill): mile marker 32 on Colorado Highway 82 in Snowmass between the Aspen Village traffic signal and the Brush Creek traffic signal. • The Rio Grande Recycling Center: located on Rio Grande Place across from Obermeyer Place NOTE: Do not mix food waste, and next to the skate park. plastic bags, polystyrene foam Basalt: cups & containers, hangers • Waste Management’s transfer station, for residential single stream recycling ONLY: Basalt or hazardous waste with your Industrial Park, 15 Park Avenue, Basalt recyclables. Compostable containers (plastics marked as • Accepts cans, plastics 1-7, aluminum foil, recyclable glass, paper including copy paper, “compostable” are not recyclable). mail, paper bags, magazines, phone books, newspapers & receipts and corrugated They must be composted at a cardboard, six-pack holders, cereal boxes (with the liner removed), cardboard tubes, etc. certified facility or disposed of • To ensure your glass is recycled, it must be separated into the bin designated for glass. Glass in the trash. Compostables that that is disposed in the comingled container might not be recycled. are placed in the recycling can • No waxed or food stained items. contaminate the waste stream potentially making it so that the Glenwood Springs: recyclable items have to be thrown • Town Recycling Center: 1015 School Street in the trash. • South Canyon Landfill: 1205 CR 130 Composting: COMPOSTING IS EASY! You could reduce close to half of your household waste just through composting your food scraps. You can build your own compost bin at home (visit the Glenwood Springs Environmental Programs page to download a compost DID YOU KNOW: brochure here: www.ci.glenwood-springs.co.us/departments/publicworks/recycle/GWS_ Almost half of the food in the CompostHome.pdf) or have your food scraps picked up through a commercial hauler. U.S. goes to waste -approximately Commercial composting facilities process items that can’t be easily composted at home 3,000 pounds per second. such as meat and compostable dinnerware. (Source: http:/recycleacrossamerica. PITKIN COUNTY RESIDENTS: org/recycling-facts) Businesses, homeowners, and HOA’s in Pitkin County can receive a free indoor collection bin from the City of Aspen. DID YOU KNOW: • Residents can either bring their compost material to the Pitkin County Landfill and Plastic Straws cannot be empty it for free or have it picked up curbside by EverGreen Events or Mountain Refuse recycled. These are trash. Inc. (MRI) (see above for contact information)—each offering a variety of pricing and schedules. • To receive your free indoor compost collection bin, contact Liz O’Connell, the City of Aspen’s Waste Reduction and Environmental Health Specialist at (970) 429-1831. RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF PITKIN COUNTY: Contact EverGreen Events. Offering curbside collection of all your organic materials including meat, bone & dairy, tissue, paper towels, waxed cardboard, pizza boxes, single- use compostable dinnerware, yard waste and more! Call Evergreen Events to sign up at (970) 987-1364 or visit www.evergreenevents.net. DID YOU KNOW: Americans throw away enough office paper each year to build a 12 foot high wall from Seattle to New York. NOTE: Buy compostable dinnerware instead of plastic for your next party (Source: http://recycleacrossamerica. or picnic.Purchasing compostable products is a great way to reduce org/recycling-facts) waste at meetings or events. Many grocery stores now carry compostable plates, cups, and cutlery made from paper, corn, potato, and sugar cane. DID YOU KNOW: Compostable products are oftentimes a better environmental choice than Recycling one aluminum can plastic, but they MUST BE composted in order to achieve their maximum saves enough energy to run a TV environmental benefit. These items can NOT be recycled. Make sure the for 2 hours, power a computer products are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). for 3 hours, power a 100W light Locally, EverGreen Events sells compostable products. bulb for 20 hours. (Source: Waste Management) Hard-To-Recycle Items: ASPEN BAG BANK MAP Francis Whitaker Monarch St PLASTIC BAGS: Aspen Wine & Spirits A Bank is also Plastic bags are not recyclable here in the Roaring Fork Valley and are difficult to located at Aspen Recreation Center Aspen Mill St Emporium recycle elsewhere as they can get tangled in the recycling sorting machinery. Separate your bags and take them to a location that transports plastic bags to a recycling facility. Library Some grocery stores collect plastic bags to be transported to a recycling facility outside Galena St Main St City Hall of the Valley. Rio Grande Park Hunter St Rio Grande RECYCLING LOCATIONS: • City Market in El Jebel Skate Park • Safeway in Glenwood Springs Spring St Bleeker St E. Hyman Ave • Wal-Mart in Glenwood Springs JT’s Gym Hopkins Ave Aspen has a “Bag Bank” system at various locations to allow people to pick up reusable bags S. Original St and leave clean, reusable (not single-use plastic or paper) bags at no charge. (See map) ELECTRONIC WASTE RECYCLING: In 2013, Colorado passed a law making it illegal to landfill electronic waste or “e-waste,” defined as anything that has a plug or uses batteries. These items contain lead and other toxic materials that can leak out of the landfill and pollute our watershed. RECYCLING LOCATIONS: • Aspen: Pitkin County Landfill. Pitkin County residents receive a $100 credit to the landfill each year. Bring proof of residency such as a utility bill or vehicle registration plus your ID. • Carbondale: Precision Metals Recovery located at 2553 Dolores Way Carbondale. (970) 963-8877. • Glenwood Springs: Town Recycling Center & South Canyon Landfill. • Garfield County Residents: Garfield County citizens may drop off their e-waste from 1:00 - 3:00PM the second Thursday of each month at the Road & Bridge District Shop located at 7300 Hwy 82 Glenwood Springs. LIGHT BULB RECYCLING: CFL bulbs contain a small amount of mercury and should be recycled. RECYCLING LOCATIONS: • Valley-wide: Alpine Bank: In partnership with Holy Cross Energy, all Alpine Bank locations within the Holy Cross Energy service area will collect and recycle burned out CFL light bulbs. • Aspen:The City of Aspen Environmental Health Department located on the 2nd floor of the City Hall in Aspen at 130 S. Galena Street. • Carbondale: The Ace Hardware located in the Crystal Village Plaza