RIO BLANCO RECYCLING ASSESSMENT PROJECT

Yampa Valley Data Partners (YVDP) is working on implementing the Northwest Colorado Energy Education Plan (NWCEEP) for Moffat, Rio Blanco and Routt counties.  Various Rio Blanco government and business personnel have been involved in creating this plan and it has been endorsed by the Rio Blanco County Commissioners and the Town of Meeker Trustees.  Most of the Town of Rangely’s council endorsed the plan with two council member dissentions. The fourth goal in this plan is to increase the access to recycling in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties.  YVDP applied for and received a Supplemental Environment Project grant to help implement the fourth goal of the NWCEEP in Rio Blanco County.  In working with Rio Blanco County, we have started an analysis of the feasibility of increasing access to recycling and increasing the types of recycles collected in the county and thus diverted from landfill disposal. The report below outlines the steps taken through May 2012.

There appears to be interest in recycling from Rio Blanco residents as noted from the countywide survey dispatched in March.  77.2% of respondents stated that they would definitely recycle or would recycle if it was convenient.  Results of the survey can be found attached.

Based on our waste audits, approximately 30% of the County’s waste stream could be recycled.  The material category’s that make up the 30% are glass, plastics 1-7, aluminum, steel, scrap metal and fiber (unwaxed cardboard, newspaper, and mixed paper.)  These are categories that have value on the recycle commodities market. This number is important to keep in mind for a total recycle program that the county might want to expand into in the future. 

YVDP’s research and work has focused on only those recyclable materials that get reasonable prices on the commodities market.  The material categories we focused on in our analysis are plastics #1 & #2, aluminum, steel and fiber.  The total percent of recyclables in Meeker waste was approximately 28% and 33% for Rangely. To discover if there could potentially be enough recyclable material volume to sell on the recycle commodities market to self-fund the countywide recycle program, we conducted two waste audits and conclude that if 25% of the potential recycle material is sold; we could sustain a self-funded program. Expected revenues before costs could be approximately $70,000 to $86,000.  The next step is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of expenses and design of a countywide recycle program.