Recycling services in the Aspen/Pitkin County area
The one rule that applies to all recycling services is that recycling cannot be picked up if it is contaminated with trash. Rinse or clean all containers, or the items will end up in a landfill rather than recycled.
Here’s a list of the services that provide local recycling options.
Company: Mountain Refuse Inc. (http://mrico.net/recycle/)
Type: Co-mingled, dual stream
Destination: Recyclables are taken to Eagle County.
Co-mingled recycling allows Nos. 1 through 7 plastics, glass, aluminum and tin placed in a recycle bin. Newsprint, cardboard and paperboard (cereal boxes, beverage boxes) must be bundled separately and placed underneath, on top of or to the side of the other recyclables. Cardboard should not be bigger than 3 by 3 feet and needs to be broken down (flattened) with all packing material removed, no more than six boxes per pickup. Cardboard also must be free of wax (milk cartons, perishable food boxes). Recycling cannot be picked up if it is contaminated with trash. Rinse or clean all containers, or the items will end up in a landfill rather than recycled. Mountain Refuse Inc. also offers composting. Compostable materials are animal or vegetable food scraps, organic materials that include paper products and products that are designed to completely break down in a composting facility.
Items to avoid recycling: Polystyrene (CD cases, disposable razors, etc.), Styrofoam, jars and bottle lids, tires, electronics with cords and hazardous materials. Styrofoam and lids should be treated as garbage; the Pitkin County Landfill has a drop-off area for hazardous materials, tires and electronics.
Company: Waste Management (www.wm.com/thinkgreen/ what-can-i-recycle.jsp)
Type: Single stream
Destination: Recyclables are taken to Denver.
Single-stream recycling that allows all recyclable materials, including bottle lids and caps, to go in one container. Items not acceptable to recycle with Waste Management include, but are not limited to, plastic bags and clear plastic wrap; video and cassette tapes; shredded paper; polystyrene; plates, mugs, pot and pans; food, liquids or yard waste; food-soiled cardboard; paper cups/plates; carpet, cloth or textiles; used paper towels/tissues; construction/industrial debris; and electronic waste, automotive parts and medical/hazardous waste.
Company: Intermountain Waste and Recycling (www.recycling-waste-service- garbage-trash-removal-colorado.com/services/recycling)
Type: Single stream
Destination: Recyclables are taken to Denver.
Waste Management uses Alpine Waste & Recycling in Denver, a company that incorporates the “altogether recycling” method that takes almost all recyclables in one container. Some examples include phone books, empty aerosol cans, detergent bottles and plastic lawn furniture. Steel aerosol cans must be empty. Cardboard is accepted, but not wax-lined cardboard. Plastic bottle caps and lids are OK, but discard bottle pumps.
What they don’t take: Plastic bags; clamshell or “to-go” containers; plastic egg cartons; plastic forks, spoons and knives; plastic No. 7 containers; six-pack holders; plastic syringes; Styrofoam; no plastic overnight-mailing folders; no hazardous materials; no used paper towels and napkins; no ceramics; Pyrex glassware; and windshield glass.
Company: Aspen Trash (www.aspentrash.com/Pages/ aboutus.aspx)
Type: Single stream
Destination: Recyclables are taken to the Pitkin County Landfill.
All recyclables go into one container, including paperboard (cereal boxes, juice cartons, beer boxes, etc.). Do not recycle plastic bags, Styrofoam, bubble wrap, plastic film, ceramic dishware, glassware, pizza boxes or hazardous material.
Company: V.I.P. Trash Services (www.viptrashservices.net/ index.html)
Type: Co-mingled, dual stream
Destination: Recyclables are taken to the Pitkin County Landfill.
Co-mingled recycling allows Nos. 1 through 7 plastics, glass, aluminum and tin placed in a single recycle bin. Newsprint, cardboard and paperboard (cereal boxes, beverage boxes) must be bundled separately and placed underneath, on top of or to the side of the other recyclables.
Do not recycle plastic bags, Styrofoam, bubble wrap, plastic film, ceramic dishware, glassware, pizza boxes or hazardous material.
Company: Waste Inc. (http://wasteinc.us/Contact.html)
Type: Co-mingled
Destination: Recyclables are taken to the Pitkin County Landfill.
The only carrier actually located in Aspen, Waste Inc. uses a co-mingled system and will pick up Nos. 1 through 7 plastics, glass, aluminum and tin placed in a single recycle bin. Newsprint, cardboard and paperboard (cereal boxes, beverage boxes) must be bundled separately.
Do not recycle plastic bags, Styrofoam, bubble wrap, plastic film, ceramic dishware, glassware, pizza boxes or hazardous material.
Company: Snowmass Village Trash (www.tosv.com/index.aspx?NID=170)
Type: Single stream
Destination: Recyclables are taken the to Pitkin County Landfill.
Snowmass Village has its own trash service and recycling. It’s the only municipal hauler in Pitkin County, meaning Snowmass Village Trash provides exclusive service within Snowmass Village. All recyclables go into one container, including paperboard (cereal boxes, juice cartons, beer boxes, etc.). Do not recycle plastic bags, Styrofoam, bubble wrap, plastic film, ceramic dishware, glassware, pizza boxes or hazardous material.
Compiled by staff writer Michael McLaughlin
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