Recycling & Waste Reduction

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.

Your Waste Diversion Hub

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 your actions contribute to a greener, more sustainable future.

Get the full picture:

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.

How to take action now:

Waste Diversion Events: Volunteer and lend a helping hand!
Chaffee Green Committee: Lead the change by helping out GARNA’s Sustainability Coordinator with local sustainability initiatives.

GARNA Programs- promoting repurpose & reuse:

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.
Repair is Radical: Fix it, don’t pitch it! Our community mending sessions meet twice a month to share repair skills and promote sustainable fashion. All materials provided—bring your rips and tears (excluding zippers) to revive your wardrobe.

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 with 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.

Ditch the landfill and feed the soil instead.

Recycling: Better, Closer, Free

Big changes are coming to Chaffee County that will make recycling more affordable and environmentally friendly. Here’s what you need to know:

1. 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 June (hopefully), these funds will begin subsidizing residential recycling costs.
The Goal: Eventually, the recycling fees you currently pay to providers like Apex, Shamrock, and Waste Management could be eliminated entirely.

2. 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 at our local landfill.
The Benefit: We’ll sort materials right here at home, cutting down on transportation costs and carbon emissions.
Timeline: The design process kicks off this April, 2026.