June 22, 2009

Welcome to the web site of Colorado Recycles.

How to Dispose of Unwanted Medications: Colorado Recycles and the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority have published a joint guide on how to dispose of old medications that is available on the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority web site. This is a free, downloadable publication in a PDF format. To access that web site, please use this link. http://www.pprwa.com/

Colorado Recycles launches new web site dedicated to plastic bag recycling.

Over the past several months we have received many inquiries about the use of plastic bags and whether they can be recycled. Since this issue has generated a significant amount of interest among members of the public, municipal officials and the media, Colorado Recycles began to analyze the issue. As a result of that analysis, we have created a separate web site that is specific to plastic bag recycling and where in Colorado plastic bags can be taken for recycling. To visit the new web site, please use the following link: http://www.recycleyourplasticbag.com/

How To Contact Us

News of General Recycling Interest

City of Aspen Rx Take Back Event
Dell Computer & Goodwill Industries Expand Reconnect to Colorado
Cell Phone for Soliders Hits Record
Town of Frederick Announces 2 Clean Up Days for 2009
Town of Erie Spring Clean Up June 27
City of Aurora Chemical Roundup Event
City of Longmont Announces Free Landfill Drop Dates
Town of Avon Announces Statistics from Plastic Bag Reduction Competition
Town of Frederick Spring Clean Up Day May 30 & Fall Clean Up Sept. 26
Adams and Douglas County Household Chemical Roundups for 2009
Cities of Littleton & Englewood Electronic Recycling Event
City of Aspen Releases Updated Recycling Report
City of Aurora - Single Stream Drop Off
Commerce City Adds Curbside Recycling

City of Aspen Rx Take Back Event

The city is organizing its first Pharmaceutical Take-Back, offering an environmentally conscious way for residents to dispose of unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications.

The event will take place Thursday, June 25 at Connor Park, behind Aspen City Hall, from 3 to 7 p.m. It's free and open to Aspen residents.

 A recent U.S. Geological Survey study found 80 percent of sampled watersheds contained at least one type of pharmaceutical chemical, with half of the streams containing seven or more. The chemicals are finding their way to the watershed through normal bodily excretion of drugs, but also from people improperly disposing of medicines down the toilet, sink and in the trash, the city explained.

Like most local wastewater treatment plants, the Aspen Consolidated Sanitation District is not capable of cleaning out the thousands of different medicines that may wind up in the waste that it treats.

For other information about prescription medications in the watershed, please use the link above to access a paper prepared jointly between Colorado Recycles and the Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority.

**********************************

Dell Computer and Goodwill Industries Expand Reconnect to Colorado

Goodwill Industries International and Dell, Inc. announced the expansion of their Reconnect (http://reconnectpartnership.com/) free e-scrap drop-off program to seven new states. With the addition of 451 donation sites from seven statewide programs in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and West Virginia — as well as recent expansions in Wisconsin — Reconnect now includes more than 1,400 Goodwill sites around the country.

The Reconnect program is now available in 18 states and the District of Columbia.

Last month, Dell announced a formal ban on the export of e-scrap generated by its operations, which also is in effect for any equipment collected under the Reconnect partnership.

*************************

Cell Phones for Soldiers Exceeds 2.5 Million Donated Phones

AT&T and Cell Phones for Soliders has reached a remarkable milestone. The effort to recycle old cell phones hit an all time record this past Earth Day with more than 2.5 million cell phones having been donated to the program. The program recycles old phones and uses the proceeds to purchase phone cards for American troops overseas - the phone cards are given to the soliders, sailors and Marines for free.

For more information about the program, its history and how communities can participate, please visit their web site at http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/.

*****************************

Town of Frederick Announces 2 Clean Up Days for 2009

In response to high demand from the community and increasing participation at each of the past Spring Community Cleanup Days, the Town ofFrederick is pleased to be able to offer both a Spring Community Cleanup Day as well as a Fall Community Cleanup Day in 2009.

The Annual Spring Community Cleanup Day will be on Saturday, May 30th, 2009, from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The new, Annual Fall Community Cleanup Day will be held on Saturday, September 26th, 2009, from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Both Community Cleanup Days will be held at the Town of Frederick Public Works facility, located at 5949 Weld County Road 16.

Complimentary hotdogs and hamburgers will be grilled and served starting at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Items that will NOT be accepted include oils, paints, solvents, tires, and appliances. Event is free and open to Frederick residents only. The Town encourages its residents to participate in this effort to keep Frederick beautiful! Further questions should be directed to Jordan Eichem at 303-833-2388

*****************************

Town of Erie Spring Clean Up June 27

On Saturday, June 27, 2009 the Erie Department of Public Works will be hosting its fourth annual Spring Clean Up event at the Front Range Landfill located at 1830 Weld County Road 5 in Erie.  Hours of operation will be from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm.  During the Clean Up event, residents may dispose of any large household items as well as tree limbs or other yard waste FREE OF CHARGE.

Residents must show either a Town of Erie water bill or drivers license with an Erie address for proof of residency. 

Please note the following:

• All loads must be covered
• All load's must be level with bed of the Truck and/or Trailer
• Construction materials such as roofing shingles, concrete, and framing materials, could be subject to charge
• Items that will not be accepted include hazardous materials such as refrigerators, car batteries, tires, and paint.

Contact:

For more information, please visit http://www.erieco.gov/ or
contact Raelynn Ferrera at 303-926-2880 or rferrera@erieco.gov .

***************************

City of Aurora Chemical Roundup Event

What: Aurora residents are encouraged to bring their unwanted or excess household chemicals to the Aurora Household Chemical Roundup

When: Saturday, September 12, 9 am to 4 pm

Where: Aurora Central Facilities, 13645 E. Ellsworth, two blocks north of Alameda on Potomac Street.

Acceptable Products: Household chemicals and products like lawn and garden chemicals, household cleaning products, other common household chemicals, paint products, vehicles and household batteries, antifreeze, used motor oil, mercury, automotive products, and tires will be collected at this one-day event.

Unacceptable: Products that will not be accepted include, explosives, radioactive wastes, infectious or biological wastes. No business waste or mixed chemicals will be accepted.

Who: Only products from households in Aurora will be accepted, so please bring some form of identification.

Cost: The event is free to all Aurora residents, with a small fee for tires ($3/tire).  Donations will be accepted.  All products collected at the Roundup are disposed of properly, recycled, or reused.

Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers are needed to help register participants, unload vehicles, direct traffic and staff collection stations.  Volunteers will receive a delicious lunch, a great gift, and a special location to drop off household chemicals which means no waiting in line.  All volunteers, even those living outside of Aurora, are welcome to bring acceptable products for disposal. 

More Info: For more information on the event or to volunteer call 303-739-7372. www.aurorawater.org

*************************************

City of Longmont Announces Free Landfill Drop Dates

Public Works Solid Waste Operations sponsors two free landfill drop days every year. Customers can bring one level pickup full of large items and debris to the Republic Services Front Range Landfill located at 1830 Weld County Road 5 in Erie. This landfill is located approximately 200 yards south of the Denver Regional Landfill on the east side of Weld County Road 5. Oversize loads and second loads will be billed accordingly. Loads must be covered and secured for transport and customers must bring a City of Longmont utility bill to verify Longmont City Refuse Collection Services and may be asked to produce identification to compare the bill to. Some restrictions do apply.

Anyone can dump refuse at either landfill regardless of residency but the Republic Services Landfill is the only location that hosts the free days for Longmont residents (due to the City solid waste contract with them). The Republic Services Landfill hours are Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and the landfill is closed on Sundays. The landfill asks that customers cover and/or secure refuse in vehicles, as well as to call and obtain a list of accepted materials and current rates. Hard hats may be required in certain areas and can be purchased at the entrance.

If you have any questions or need additional information about the Republic Services Front Range Landfill, call them at 303-828-9400.

In 2009, Free Landfill Drop Days will be held on May 9th and September 5th
from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Town of Avon Announces Statistics from Plastic Bag Reduction Competition

As the first month of the plastic bag reduction competition finishes, Avon is off to a great start. In March, the Town of Avon counted the reduction of 9,880 plastic bags. The majority of the reduction in plastic bags came from City Market, which counted 9746 instances of reusable bags being used instead of plastic bags. Other merchants who counted reusable bags being used at their store in March included: Avon Liquor, Natures Provider, Sports Authority, Village Wine & Spirits and Wishes.

“With only one month under our belt and most of our real publicity pushes still to come, we hope to continue to increase our monthly totals even more,” said Danita Chirichillo, Avon’s Special Event Supervisor, who is overseeing the competition for the Town.

In addition to the more than 20 merchants already participating, starting in April, Wal-Mart, one of Avon’s largest merchants, will begin counting reusable bags being used at its Avon store. Other efforts are also underway through local nonprofits, schools and businesses to continue to increase the awareness of the competition and to encourage residents and guests to make using reusable bags a habit. For updates on promotions, such as giveaways of free canvas bags, and to see a list of participating Avon merchants, please visit www.avon.org/byob.

The BYOB (bring your own bag) Challenge began March 1 and continues thru Sept. 1. Shoppers will be able to identify participating merchants by the presence of the 2009 CAST Reusable Bag Challenge poster at the entrance of businesses participating. The Town of Avon is encouraging residents and guests to participate in a friendly plastic bag reduction competition to determine which of the more than 26 ski towns from Colorado to Idaho can minimize their use of disposable plastic bags the most on a per capita basis. The winning community will receive a $5,000 grant from Alpine Bank to be used to install a solar panel system at a public school.

*******************************

Town of Frederick Spring Clean Up Day May 30 and Fall Clean Up Day Sept. 26

In response to high demand from the community and increasing participation at each of the past Spring Community Cleanup Days, the Town ofFrederick is pleased to be able to offer both a Spring Community Cleanup Day as well as a Fall Community Cleanup Day in 2009.

The Annual Spring Community Cleanup Day will be on Saturday, May 30th, 2009, from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The new, Annual Fall Community Cleanup Day will be held on Saturday, September 26th, 2009, from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Both Community Cleanup Days will be held at the Town of Frederick Public Works facility, located at 5949 Weld County Road 16.

Complimentary hotdogs and hamburgers will be grilled and served starting at approximately 10:30 a.m.

Items that will NOT be accepted include oils, paints, solvents, tires, and appliances. Event is free and open to Frederick residents only. The Town encourages its residents to participate in this effort to keep Frederick beautiful! Further questions should be directed to Jordan Eichem at 303-833-2388.

*********************************

Adams and Douglas County HHW Events for 2009

Both Adams and Douglas counties have announced their Household Chemcical Roundups for 2009.

Douglas County:

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Open to residents of Douglas County

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Joint Service Facility, 17801 E. Plaza Drive, Parker

Saturday, August 8, 2009
Shea Stadium, 3270 Redstone Park Circle, Highlands Ranch

Saturday, September 12, 2009
Castle Rock Utilities, 175 Kellogg Court, Castle Rock


A payment of $25 per vehicle is appreciated to help offset the high cost of hazardous waste disposal.

(If you would like to volunteer at an event and dispose of your waste for free, please call 720.322.1508)

We will accept:

House, garden and pool chemicals · Oil-based paint products · Automotive fluids · Fuels
Propane tanks (1-20 lbs.) · Vehicle and household batteries · Mercury
Passenger vehicle and pickup truck tires only (remove from rim)

We will not accept:

Business and commercial waste · Radioactive waste · Electronic waste · Explosive waste
Smoke Detectors · Asbestos containing waste · Compressed gases other than propane
Tractor tires · Scrap metal

Latex Paint Waste Disposal and Reduction Tips
· Water-based latex paint should be disposed of in regular household garbage IF it is completely dried out.
· Mixing the paint with kitty litter, dirt, or concrete-mix will help speed the drying process.
· Dry cans of paint, with lids removed, can be discarded in the trash.
· Buy only what you need by carefully estimating the square footage of the surfaces to be painted. One gallon of
paint will cover about 350 square feet.
· Ask your local paint store if they provide small (1-2 ounce) samples for color testing before investing in gallons
of paint.
· Give any leftover paint to a neighbor in need.

For more information, call the Roundup Hotline 303.846.6249 or visit www.tchd.org

Events are sponsored by public and private organizations including:

Parker Water and Sanitation District
Centennial Water and Sanitation District
Cottonwood Water and Sanitation District
Douglas County
High Prairie Farms Metro District
Metro District of Highlands Ranch
Town of Castle Rock
Town of Parker
South Metro Fire Rescue Authority
Perry Park Water and Sanitation District
Plum Creek Wastewater Authority
Roxborough Village Metro District
CSU’s Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners
Waste Connections – Jordan Road Transfer Station
Tri-County Health Department
Douglas County Libraries

Adams County:

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 2, 2009
Hyland Hills Water World
1850 W. 89th Avenue, Federal Heights

Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thornton IMC Facility
12450 Washington Street, Thornton

Please Note: The City of Northglenn is not participating in these events for 2009. Northglenn residents CANNOT bring waste to the roundup events this year and will be refused entrance. Contact Northglenn Solid Waste Division at 303.450.4004 for more information and a list of disposal services.

Open to residents of, and sponsored by: Adams County (Unincorporated), Brighton, Commerce City, Federal Heights, and Thornton.

Also sponsored by Suncor Energy (USA) Inc., Tetra Tech Inc., and Tri-County Health Department.

You will be asked to show a utility bill, phone bill, or driver’s license with your name and address.

(Aurora and Westminster have their own disposal programs.)

A payment of $20 is requested to help offset the high cost of hazardous waste disposal.
(If you would like to volunteer at an event and dispose of your waste for free, please call 720.322.1508)

We will accept:

House, garden, and pool chemicals · Oil-based Paint products · All electronics · Automotive fluids · Fuels - Propane tanks (1-20 lbs.) · Vehicle and household batteries · Mercury - Passenger vehicle and pickup truck tires only (remove from rim) — $1 charge per tire

Electronic Waste Fees: (Electronic waste now accepted at BOTH events!)
Computer monitor - $8, Any size TV - $15, All other electronics - $0-$2 depending on size

We will not accept:

Business and commercial waste · Radioactive waste · Explosive waste · Smoke Detectors
Waste containing asbestos · Compressed gases other than propane · Tractor tires

Latex Paint Waste Disposal Instructions and Reduction Tips
· Water-based latex paint should be disposed of in regular household garbage IF it is completely dried out. Mixing the paint
with kitty litter, dirt or concrete-mix will help speed the drying process. Call Tri-County Health Dept. for more information
(720) 322-1508.
· Dry cans of paint, with lids removed, can be discarded in the trash.
· Apply extra coats if you have excess paint.
· Give any leftover paint to a neighbor in need.

For more information, call the Roundup Hotline 303.846.6249 or visit www.tchd.org

*****************************

Cities of Englewood & Littleton Electronic Recycling Event - June 27

The City of Littleton and The City of Englewood’s “Keep Englewood Beautiful” team are holding a FREE one-day event to accept and recycle household electronics. This event is for Littleton and Englewood residents and is sponsored by Guaranteed Recycling Xperts (GRX). The event will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2009 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The drop-off site is the Littleton Center, 2255 W. Berry Avenue. Please follow the signs: enter the main parking lot at the Berry Avenue, exit the parking lot at Rio Grande Street to keep traffic moving smoothly.

For more information, contact City of Littleton Code Specialist Rebecca Thompson at 303-795-3831, or GRX representative Matt McLaughlin at 720-377-7700.

The following items will be accepted:

• televisions
• computers
• computer accessories
• monitors
• laptops
• palm pilots
• fax machines
• printers
• radios
• car electronics
• stereos
• electric motors
• vacuums
• clocks
• fans
• lamps
• telephones
• cell phones

The following items will not be accepted:

• Large appliances
• Appliances with refrigerant

***************************************

City of Aspen Releases New Recycling Report

The City of Aspen Environmental Health Department released its 2008 Recycling Report today, which showed an increase in the city’s recycling rate and a drop in the amount of overall trash produced.

Highlights of the report include:

• Residents and businesses reduced the overall amount of trash produced by 19 percent compared to 2007;

• Not only did Aspen produce less trash, but at the same time a larger percentage of Aspen’s trash was recycled. 2008 saw an increase in the city’s recycling rate from 16 percent to 18 percent;

• Recycling in the city saved 11,143 tons of CO2 (equivalent);

• The emissions saved from recycling efforts are equal to the energy use of about 860 average US homes.

For more information, please visit the City's web site at www.aspenpitkin.com/depts/44.

*******************************

City of Aurora - Single Stream Drop Off

The single-stream recycle drop-off facility at Saddle Rock Golf Course Maintenance Facility, 21710 E Arapahoe Rd, is accepting material. 

It’s open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday-Friday. PLEASE, no after-hour dumping.  

• Signs are posted on what is being accepted.
• No need to sort your recyclable material. 
• There is no charge for this service.

This drop off availability is provided as a joint venture between the city and Waste Management’s Recycle America.

Any questions can be directed to (303) 739-7051. 

*******************************************

Commerce City Adds Curbside Recycling

Effective January 1, 2009, the City of Commerce City entered into a new contract with Waste Management, city residents will have free trash pickup and recycling in 2009. The new contract includes nearly 1,500 more homes that were not previously part of the city’s refuse collection program. Residents of apartment complexes and trailer parks are not included under the expanded program.

Recycling bins will be distributed to residents in four phases, beginning December 10. Included inside the recycling bins will be information on what to recycle and pickup schedules. The recycle program will begin in January, with pickup for recyclables every two weeks the same day as refuse collection.

Although the city is moving to curbside recycling it will retain its existing recycle drop off center at 7450 Highway 2. Recycling services have been added to the city’s trash pickup service in response to feedback from residents who want more earth-friendly options for refuse collection.
The additional recycling service will not be charged to residents next year; it will be paid for by the city, as directed by the City Council. While recycling is not mandatory, resident participation is strongly encouraged to ensure the city can maintain a cost-effective and responsible program long-term. City Council directed staff to monitor citizen utilization of the program in 2009 and evaluate the city’s ability to fully fund the program in 2010 and beyond as growth in the city occurs and costs increase.

With the new program, residents will need to separate recyclables from other household garbage. The recycle program itself, however, is “single stream,” meaning recyclable materials such as plastics #1-7, aluminum and or various types of paper may be placed in one bin for pickup.

Adding curbside recycling service is the latest in the city’s efforts to become more environmentally friendly. The city’s new Civic Center highlights other efforts. The center is built to silver LEED certification standards for a “green” building, and features savings in lighting, water and energy use.

********************************

The Digital Divide - Recycling Old TV Sets

NOTE: The Congress has postponed the conversion date from February to June 12.

At the top of this page is a direct link to the US Government's official web site for the change from analog TV to digital. It has a wealth of information for the public, and we encourage you to visit the site.

We are often asked what to do with old TV's. As you will see from the information, it is not necessary to dispose of old TV's because the conversion is not TV focused, it is the delivery of signal that is changing. Old TV's that use the set specific antenna (usually called rabbit ears) can still be used if the owner acquires a conversion kit. The federal government has coupons that can be used for purchase of conversion kits.

However, digital signals are more robust and to take full advantage of the upgrades, many consumers are acquiring high definition TV's and are wondering what to do with their old TV's. If the old TV is still serviceable, consider donating it to charity. Your old TV may be an upgrade to someone who is on a fixed income or having difficulty with finances. If you decide to dispose of the old TV, check to see if you can recycle it. A large number of recyclers who specialize in computers also accept electronics such as TV's. Our Recycling Guide (link at the top of the page) has the most comprehensive list of computer recyclers in the state. Not all of them advertise that they take TV's, so please call them to confirm.

************************************