Waste Diversion
Build a Greener Future
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.
Resources
Community Resources
- Chaffee County Waste Diversion & Recycle Guide - Info on recycling options within our county for many "hard to recycle" items, plus your typical recyclables.
- Recycle Drop Off at GARNA Office- GARNA members can bring recycling to our office for $5/per bag (approx. 13 gallon bag - please call in advance).
- Composting- Elements Mountain Composting Service with residential pickup or drop-off options in Chaffee and Gunnison Counties.
- Green Drinks- Join the gathering led by Julie Mach for bi-monthly talks centered around sustainability! This is an opportunity to meet members of the community and get updates on various sustainable news.
Events
- Community Recycling Events – Check our program calendar, under 'Sustainability' for specific dates on various recycling events. These are free (with a few exceptions) & open to the public! Annually held in BV & Salida.
- Christmas Tree Recycling – The City of Salida takes Christmas Trees at its public works building on HWY 50
- FIBArk Zero Waste – GARNA partners with FIBArk for a Zero Waste Event in June and every year, volunteers are a crucial part to the success of this event!
Transfer Station
Summer 2025: The county has not yet received the grant funds, pending the federal government's on-going reveiew processes but there is hope that project planning and design can start in 2026.
In the meantime, the county is working to implement near-term solutions for collection of specific recyclable materials. These updates will be shared as they come. Fall 2023: Chaffee County was awarded a $4 Million SWIFR grant through the EPA for construction of expanded recycling infrastructure at the landfill. Transfer Station: One viable solution to aid Chaffee County's waste diversion is to have a transfer station for recycling at our local landfill. Currently, Chaffee County's recycling haulers Waste Management and Apex all transport the recycling they gather to Apex's Transfer Station in Divide, CO and then transport the recyclables to Waste Management's Recycling Center located in Colorado Springs. Shamrock Waste takes their recyclables directly to WM facility in the Springs. This represents an environmental problem as this driving contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and unsustainable costs for waste haulers. Read more here: Transfer Station Zoning (arcgis.com)Feed Bag Totes
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We love feeding our natural wildlife and our pets however, all of that equates to thousands of empty feed bags once the animals eat the food. All of which end up in the landfill as the feed bags are unable to be composted or be recycled in your typical curbside bin.
Not all hope is lost though! There are many projects online, demonstrating how to repurpose this non-decomposing, non-recyclable packaging.
For instance, a group of local ladies have created repurposed totes and they even made an ATV Cover out of the feed bags!
The leaders of this tote-making are willing to show others, but we challenge you: what repurpose ideas can you come up with?
- If you are in need of feed bags of any type, we are told "simply ask in a post online and they are available."
- Already sewn, repurposed totes are available in the lobby of TBK Bank in Buena Vista through a donation- 100% of the donations come to GARNA!
- For any information related to "Totes Out of Feed Bags," contact Wendy Hall at 719-395-8306.
