Recycling Ordinance

Aspen residents and businesses: did you know that the cost of recycling is already included in your trash bill?

 

That means you can start recycling at no additional cost. If you’re not recycling and would like to start, we can help! Recycling not only limits our use of natural resources, but here in Aspen, recycling is especially important because it saves precious space in our landfill. 

 


Top things to know about Aspen’s recycling ordinance

 

  • Both businesses and residents have recycling pickup included in the cost of their trash.
  • Your rate will not change whether or not you chose to recycle.
  • Grass and leaves are not allowed in your trash.


Businesses
  • May separate and recycle all 4 commodities: cardboard, co-mingled containers, office paper, and newspapers/magazines. View the recycling guidelines. 
  • Haulers are required to pick up business’s recycling as often as necessary to prevent overflow as part of the cost of basic trash service.


Single-Family Residences
  • May separate and recycle co-mingled containers and newspapers/magazines at home. View the recycling guidelines. 
  • Aspen has a "pay as you throw" system (see description to the right) and residential rates are based on the quantity of trash produced. Recycling can help reduce the amount of trash you create and help you save money. If you cut your trash volumes in half, your trash rate will be half.


Multi-Family Residences (many housing units included under one trash contract)
  • May separate and recycle all 4 commodities: cardboard, co-mingled containers, office paper, and newspapers/magazines. View the recycling guidelines. 
  • Haulers are required to pick up multi-family residences’ recycling as often as necessary to prevent overflow as part of the cost of basic trash service.

Residential Pay as You Throw Program

 

The City of Aspen has a Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) program for residential trash customers. Traditionally in the U.S., residents pay for waste collection through property taxes or a fixed fee, regardless of how much (or how little) trash they generate. PAYT breaks with tradition by treating trash services just like electricity, gas, and other utilities. Households pay a variable rate depending on the amount of service they use. The less trash individuals throw away, the less they pay.

The trash hauling companies are required to charge a customer less if that customer switches to a smaller bin, or charge more if the customer produces more trash and needs a larger bin. Since this program is paired with the other provisions of Aspen’s recycling ordinance, haulers are required to include the cost of recycling in the base rate of trash. This means the price a customer pays for pickup is based on trash volumes, not recycling volumes. This creates an incentive to recycle more and thus produce less trash. 

Recycling Ordinance in Full

See Chapter 12.06 of the Solid Waste Code.



Please contact Ashley Cantrell with any recycling related questions.