News

Sep 05, 2023

Glenwood Springs’ Pay As You Throw program extended by two weeks

News News | Aug 1, 2023 [email protected] There is no opting out of Glenwood Springs’ Pay As You Throw program, so don’t miss your chance to choose your bin size. “Thanks to everyone who

News News | Aug 1, 2023

[email protected]

There is no opting out of Glenwood Springs’ Pay As You Throw program, so don’t miss your chance to choose your bin size.

“Thanks to everyone who has already enrolled,” said Bryana Starbuck, Glenwood Springs Public Information Officer, in a news release. “If you haven’t yet, but you live in the city limits, be sure that you enroll your residence by August 18.”

The program will begin rolling out in October.

People who do not choose a bin size before Aug. 18 will be given the default size which will mandatorily charge them $25.44 a month for medium sized trash and recycling bins.

People who sign up before the extended August deadline will also receive a 60-day grace period to change out their bin size without charge.

“Even if you are already a Mountain Waste customer or you want the medium service option, you still need to enroll to get your information into the new billing system and to be able to take advantage of the 60-day grace period after implementation” Starbuck said.

The single-haul trash program will apply to single-family housing units and units of seven or fewer. If you live in an apartment complex and throw your trash in a dumpster it will not apply to you.

If you do not pre-register for a bin size, you are charged for changing sizes after the rollout in October.

The smallest size of trash bin a person can sign up for, which is 32 gallons, costs $10.80.The city website states that this should still be comparable in price for people who use the punch card system and take their trash to the recycling center or the South Canyon Landfill.

The cheapest price is the same as taking two to three bags of waste to the landfill or the Recycling Center, according to the website.

The program will be billed through the city’s finance department on water bills.

“Staff will also work with those residential haulers whose current service will stop in November to remove existing carts prior to delivery of new carts under the PAYT system,” the release states.

You can enroll online and seek more information on the website at cogs.us/PAYT, in-person at City Hall Monday through Thursday, by phone at 970-384-6426 or by email at [email protected].

“We have to set up a holistic and financially sustainable program to support the longevity of our shared infrastructure,” said City Manager Beverli Marshall in the release.

This program was created to reduce traffic, carbon emissions and wear and tear on city roads, to reduce waste filling up the landfill and to make recycling more accessible and affordable.

“70% to 80% of the material we’re throwing away could be recycled in existing recycling and composting programs,” the release states.

It will also reduce the need for an expensive landfill expansion.

“We’re approaching this issue from multiple angles by implementing the PAYT program, setting up policies such as larger tipping fees on construction and demolition waste, and making household diversions as easy as possible with programs such as the Recycle Center and the Hazardous Waste drop-off event,” Marshall said in the release.

There is a $12.72 overflow fee per occurrence. You should be able to fully close the lid on your cart with everything inside (don’t stack materials next to your trash or recycling cart). If an account has had three or more occurrences of overflow in a calendar year, they will be required to move to the larger trash cart.

“Volume-based pricing is intended to encourage more thoughtful disposal practices,” Starbuck said in the release. “Households can save money on their trash bill by reducing the amount of trash they create. Methods to reduce what you are sending to the landfill includes recycling, utilizing the yard-waste drop off, considering household consumption, and potentially utilizing options to divert food waste such as the free drop-off at the recycle center.”

In the curbside recycling, customers may recycle the following items:

To maximize glass recycling, residents are encouraged to continue to bring glass containers to the Recycle Center. While curbside recycling does include glass, direct drop-off at the recycle center minimizes breakage of the glass which means it is more effectively recycled.

Special case requirements

Short-term rentals

All registered short-term rentals within the city limits of Glenwood Springs are required to enroll at the large trash level. All short-term rentals are required to gain a permit with the city.

Mixed-use addresses

Addresses can choose to opt-in on the residential part, while the single haul trash collection program does not apply to commercial businesses.

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)

ADUs can enroll separately from the main household through a separate water bill or they can choose to share the primary address trash collection. If one of the units is a short-term rental, it must enroll separately with the large trash service level.

Temporary gap in service “out of town” option

Once each calendar year, accounts will be able to request temporary holds in service for a minimum of three and a maximum of four months consecutively. During the temporary service hold, services will not be billed.

Aug 1, 2023

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