Waste Diversion

Resources & Programs for a Sustainable Chaffee County

As part of GARNA’s mission to boost community sustainability, we are working alongside the Regional Sustainability Contractor in collaboration with various municipalities, businesses, and community member-led groups in order to implement suitable waste diversion programs and other sustainable projects countywide.

Waste Diversion in Chaffee County

Sustainable waste management is essential for environmental protection and economic growth. By understanding local systems and distinguishing what belongs in the bin, we can make informed choices that reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions.

Below, you’ll find the resources and tools needed to master the basics of recycling in Chaffee County and discover how you can take action in order to contribute to a greener, more sustainable and resilent future.

Our Programs Promoting Repurpose, Reuse & Recycling:

Chaffee Gear Library: Reduce your footprint while you explore! Our free gear library is built on the principles of reuse, ensuring that lack of equipment is never a barrier to nature. By sharing what we have, we create a more inclusive and sustainable outdoor community for all.
Repurpose Hub: Don’t toss it, pass it on instead! A place where we connect “The Collector” with donors that have items they no longer want or need that can be upcycled- keeping cool things out of the landfill.
Terracycle Drop Off NOW at GARNA: FREE for the community to use, drop off these ‘hard to recycle’ items and we will ship them off to Terracycle!

Take Action Now!

FiberFest Green Team: Help the Salida Fiber Festival be more sustainable by educating and seperating items festival goers have into their rightful bin- recycle, compost or trash.
Recycle with GARNA: To help those that currently do not have access to recycling at their home, we have a 3 yard bin behind our office building available for you to drop off your recyclables. Fees apply.
Recycle your Electronics: Mark May 22, 2027 in your calendars for the next GARNA hosted E-Waste Recycle Event. It will be held at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds- here’s what to collect!

Local businesses with a bigger purpose:

Chaffee Cycle Collective: CCC exists to strengthen the social, economic, and environmental well-being of Chaffee and nearby residents by promoting sustainable, human-powered transportation and empowering people – especially those excluded from cycling spaces – with the skills and resources to ride and repair confidently.
Earthkind Refills: Sustainability starts with shifting away from the “buy and toss” cycle. Single-use containers from household products generates immense waste, but adopting a refillable and reusable routine completely eliminates the need for new containers. This small business can help lower your personal footprint.
Repair is Radical: Fix it, don’t pitch it! A community mending session that meets a few times a month to share repair skills and promote sustainable fashion. All materials provided—bring your rips and tears (excluding zippers) to revive your wardrobe. Fees may apply.

Recycling: Better, Closer, Free

Big changes are coming to Chaffee County that will make recycling more affordable and accessible for community members. Here’s what you need to know:

Producers Pay, You Save:

Thanks to Colorado’s new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law, companies that create packaging are now paying into a statewide fund.

What this means for you: By early, to late Fall of this year (2026), these funds will begin subsidizing residential recycling costs.

The Goal: Eventually, the recycling fees you currently pay to Apex and Waste Management could be eliminated entirely. When this occurs, the waste companies and other outreach initiatives will take place to let the public know.

- Those who don’t have these curbside services already, have a chance to add it! GARNA will be happy to assist residents on how to inquire about this once EPR has been rolled out in our county.
- Those that already have curbside recycling services, should simply see a reduction in their bill once EPR has taken effect in Chaffee County.

A New Local Sorting Hub:

Currently, our recycling travels all the way to the Front Range for processing. That’s about to change!

The Project: Chaffee County is using a $4 million EPA grant to build a brand-new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at our local Chaffee County Landfill.

The Benefit: We’ll sort materials right here at home, cutting down on transportation costs and carbon emissions.

- Chaffee County Residents can also use this hub as a drop-off for their recyclables if curbside is not available.
- This sorting will help divert certain items from ending up in our landfill and instead, get them to a new life!

Timeline: The design process kicks off sometime this year, 2026.

Other Helpful Resources:

WCU Grad Students: Presentation to County Commissioners regarding Policy Options around waste diversion.
The City of Salida: Shares the Resident Survey on Household Solid Waste Report.
Program overview: Get a clear understanding as to what the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) really means under the Statewide Recycling Act for Colorado.

Get the Full Picture of Recycling

Recycling is real – and it is happening now: Dive deeper into how recycling works.
Chaffee County Recycle Guide: Understand what is recyclable vs. what not to recycle
Chaffee County Recycling & Waste Diversion: Where to take ‘hard to recycle’ items within our county.
Where it Goes, the “End Buyers”: Get the full picture on ‘Market Economic Viability’ and who exactly is buying the recycling.
The Recycle Pipeline: Educate yourself on where recycling goes once it leaves your curbside bin.

Additional resources:

Sustainable Chaffee: A program focused on coalescing sustainability initiatives throughout Chaffee County. This effort is lead by staff from Elements Mountain Compost in partnership with Chaffee County, the City of Salida, and GARNA.

Talk Dirt To Me!

Did you know 30% of Colorado’s landfill waste is organic? When trapped without air, these scraps produce methane- a greenhouse gas 84x more potent than CO2.

At GARNA, we walk the talk—we compost in our very own office! We’re proud to partner Elements Mountain Compost to turn local “waste” into Black Gold.

Join the Movement with Elements Mountain Compost:

Curbside Hero: Easy, scheduled pickups from your home.
Drop-off Dynamo: Use community spots whenever you’re on the go.
Business Pro: Custom solutions for shops and restaurants.