Recycling just got a little more confusing, with single-stream about to be off-limits to all glass. But don’t be so fast to toss all that glass in your garbage. Think about all the space that glass will take up. Space that may cost you more to haul away. So, what to do?
Few of us give much thought to our garbage. The following discussion is one of several of which I hope will encourage you to ask questions and learn about all the options. Maybe save yourself some cash.
Let’s begin with recycling. You may be currently enrolled in single-stream recycling which means you pay for someone to haul your recycling away on a regular schedule. Single-stream recycling is collected, loaded and hauled off to a Materials Recovery Facility–MRF. Google MRF recycling and learn how this works.
Did you know there is another way to recycle? The Community Recycle Center located at 1000 Sand Flat Road offers “one-stop-recycling.” They accept glass and so you might ask yourself, “If I’m hauling my glass to the recycle center, could I take all my recycling to this same location?” You can recycle glass, cardboard, #1, #2, and #5 plastics, paper and newspaper at the center. Everything that is recyclable in single-stream is also recyclable at the center.
While there is no charge to recycle at the CRC, there is a secure donation box near the aluminum, glass, newspaper and plastic bins. There is also the option to support the center by purchasing a sponsorship. Learn more at swssd1.org.
The CRC might save you some money. You should know that if you decide to opt out of single-stream recycling, you are restricted to the month of July each year to do so. There is little time left in this year to do so. Give the city a call and save yourself some money.
If you aren’t currently recycling anything, think about all the stuff that would not be in your garbage if you started recycling. Imagine how much room there would be for “real” garbage if there was no glass, no #1, #2 and #5 plastics, no cardboard and zero cereal boxes filling up the can.
There may be so much room that you might be able to switch to every other week pick-up instead of every week. It might be so much room that you might get by with a smaller garbage can—a 65 gallon instead of a 95 gallon can.
Downgrading (reducing garbage can size or frequency of pick-up service) can be arranged with the city. Give the city a call and save yourself some money.
If you come to the conclusion you’d like to have a go at recycling at the CRC, the knowledgeable staff at the CRC are happy to help you learn what’s involved when you recycle at the center. There are instructional signs located at each of the on-site bins. It’s easy. Your 10-year-old can learn with you. Recycling can become routine, like taking out the trash. It’s a really neat and cleaner way to recycle if you can rinse and empty all items completely.
These are small but meaningful savings when you consider the fact that if you’re not recycling waste, you are paying to landfill it. Recycling from this perspective makes sense and you become part of the solution as well as saving limited landfill space. If you’re recycling at the CRC, you can be confident your recycling will be processed locally and transported to proven recycling markets in the region.
The Community Recycle Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Experienced, on-site staff are more than happy to answer your questions. Drop by and check it out!
Diane Ackerman
Moab
Diane Ackerman serves on the Grand County Solid Waste Board. She can be reached at dianeackerman13@yahoo.com.
